SA could lose R3.6bn in tourism revenue

22 December, 2009 in South Africa

source: IOL Tony Carnie December 21 2009 at 11:41AM Foreign airlines may have to reduce their flights to South Africa because of the mounting cost of building the new international airport in Durban and massive airport tariff hikes by Airports Company South Africa (Acsa). According to the International Air Transport Association (Iata), plans to hike [...]

Private bill request raises mixed feelings

21 December, 2009 in Botswana

source: BOPA 21 December, 2009 GABORONE – Parliament adjourned on Friday with the debate on Gaborone Central MP, Mr Dumelang Saleshandos motion still raging on. The motion, requested the house in terms of Standing Orders 60 (2) to allow for the presentation of a private members bill amending the Local Government (District Councils) Act to [...]

Mugabe`s workers storm Nestle headquarters in Harare

21 December, 2009 in Zimbabwe

source: SW Radio Africa By Lance Guma 18 December 2009 Six workers employed by Grace Mugabe’s Gushungo Dairy Estates, stormed the headquarters of dairy giant Nestle in Harare, demanding that the company resume accepting milk from the farm. In October this year pressure from human rights groups forced Nestle to stop accepting milk from Grace’s [...]

Parliament approves supplementary estimates

21 December, 2009 in Botswana

source: BOPA 21 December, 2009 GABORONE – Members of Parliament have approved the Ministry of Finance and Development Plannings request for supplementary estimates of expenditure for the consolidated and development funds. After the Assistant Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Mr Charles Tibone presented the request to Parliament on Thursday, several MPs had dissenting voices [...]

SA economy set to `bounce back` in 2010

21 December, 2009 in South Africa

source: SouthAfrica.info21 December 2009 South Africa is set to bounce back strongly in headline-growth terms in 2010, asset manager and investment bank Nomura said on Friday. This was due to continuing infrastructure spending, a contribution from net trade and restocking from low levels, it said in a statement. “On top of this, the World Cup [...]

Choppies boosts Khama trust

21 December, 2009 in Botswana

source: BOPA 21 December, 2009 GABORONE – The President, Lieutenant General Seretse Khama Ian Khama has thanked Choppies for donating food items to Lady Khama Charitable Trust. The parcels would be distributed to The Boys on the Border, an initiative of the late Lady Khama, as a way of appreciating members of the Botswana Defence [...]

South African opposition says Mugabe will never implement the GPA

21 December, 2009 in Zimbabwe

source: SW Radio Africa By Alex Bell 18 December 2009 A top South African parliamentarian has accused Robert Mugabe and ZANU PF of deliberately stalling the progress of the unity government, saying the ageing dictator has no intention of fully implementing the Global Political Agreement (GPA). Athol Trollip, the parliamentary leader for South Africa’s main [...]

Govt encourages home ownership

20 December, 2009 in Botswana

source: BOPA 18 December, 2009 FRANCISTOWN – Lands and housing minister, Mr Nonofo Molefhi the envisaged installment purchase scheme would only focus on people who are not able to obtain housing loans from commercial banks. The scheme would target low income groups and other special categories of beneficiaries deserving assistance, Mr Molefhi said in an [...]

Five more Choppies supermarkets coming up

20 December, 2009 in Botswana, Business

source: Mmegi MARTIN NYIRENDA Correspondent Choppies Group chairman Faruk Ishmael has said that after the recent opening of a store in Pitsane, five new supermarkets are coming up across the country. In the next few months, Choppies intends to open more supermarkets in Serowe, Tonota, Francistown, Tsabong and Tutume. Ishmael said that each store will [...]

German deal to bring SA savings

20 December, 2009 in South Africa

source: Fin24 Dec 17 2009 16:33 Johannesburg – The protracted sale of semi-state owned IT services provider arivia.kom to T-Systems SA has finally been concluded. In a statement on Thursday, ICT services provider T-Systems SA said it had officially signed a deal that had sealed the sale. “As part of the agreement, T-Systems SA will [...]

Government takes over Kgatleng brigade

20 December, 2009 in Botswana, Education

source: BOPA 18 December, 2009 MOCHUDI – The government takeover of brigades is the beginning of a journey towards a transformed technical and vocational education landscape in Botswana. Dr Theophilius Mooko, deputy permanent secretary, ministry of education and skills development, said Tuesday during the occasion to mark governments takeover of Kgatleng Brigade Development Trust. Dr [...]

Of Khama`s anti-liquor campaign, his cronies and the overindulging Batswana

20 December, 2009 in Botswana

source: Mmegi GASEBALWE SERETSE Staff Writer Last year, President Ian Khama intensified his war against drinking by slapping a punitive levy on liquor and the introduction of a raft of other anti-alcohol measures. But currently the campaign sounds against the effects of alcohol abuse reads like a Stephen King horror novel. “Alcohol abuse is known [...]

Old passport to be phased out in 2011

19 December, 2009 in Botswana

source: Mmegi EPHRAIM KEORENG Staff Writer The current Botswana passport will be in use till December 2011 when the government will start to replace them with the recently introduced e-passport. “After 2011, all applicants will be issued with the new e-passport. All people whose passports have expired after 2010 will have to apply for e-passport [...]

SA faces price shock in 2010

19 December, 2009 in South Africa

source: Fin24 Dec 17 2009 22:33 Evan Pickworth Johannesburg – The up-tick in inflation at the factory gate in November was largely due to base effects, with this turnaround indicative of a shock to come in May and June as even lower bases start to pull the number higher technically and unprecedented energy price increases [...]

Ntuane calls for action against racist tourism operators

19 December, 2009 in Botswana, Tourism

source: BOPA 18 December, 2009 GABORONE – Punitive actions should be taken against tourism operators who subject Batswana to misery and humiliation, Gaborone West South MP, Mr Botsalo Ntuane has said. When making his contribution in Parliament on the Tourism Bill, Mr Ntuane said some operators were inclined to racism and it was upon the [...]