Botswana commits to free movement of persons

30 July, 2010 in Botswana

source: Mmegi NELSON DIRENG Correspondent The Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, Peter Siele said the government is committed and willing to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to ensure the success of the Free Movement of Persons within Southern Africa initiative Siele was speaking at a Southern Africa Development Community Council of Non Governmental Organisation (SADC-NGO) [...]

Zimbabwe: Robert Mugabe`s sister Sabina dies

30 July, 2010 in Zimbabwe

source: SW Radio Africa Staff Writer 29th July 2010 ZANU PF has announced that Sabina Mugabe has died after a long illness. She was 76. ZANU PF spokesman, Rugare Gumbo, said Sabina would be buried at Heroes Acre after the politburo were ‘unanimous in granting her that honour.’ The Associated Press news agency said her [...]

Another BDP MP defects to BMD

30 July, 2010 in Botswana

source: Mmegi EPHRAIM KEORENG Staff Writer South East South MP, Odirile Motlhale defected to the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) yesterday, saying that he is fed up with intolerance from the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) leadership. The MP, speaking at a press conference in Ramotswa, said he is not leaving the BDP because of [...]

South Africa: ANC acknowledges it is facing `moral decay`

30 July, 2010 in South Africa

source: IOL July 30 2010 at 07:21AM By Moshoeshoe Monare Political Editor The ANC is in a worse state than it was before the Polokwane conference, plagued by faction fighting and power struggles, an internal document suggests. In a sensational paper prepared for the September national general council – a mid-term meeting to review programmes [...]

Zimbabwe: `Operation Shut Your Mouth`

30 July, 2010 in Zimbabwe

source: SW Radio Africa By Tererai Karimakwenda July 29, 2010 The violence and intimidation being perpetrated by ZANU-PF to sabotage the constitutional outreach programme has turned into a fully-fledged official campaign dubbed, Operation “Vhara Muromo”, which means “Shut Your Mouth”. This is intended to make it clear that those with views opposed to official ZANU-PF [...]

Mixed feelings about elephant sales

29 July, 2010 in Botswana, Business

source: Mmegi MONKAGEDI GAOTLHOBOGWE Staff Writer While some community trusts are jubilant about the capital raised in the recent auctioning of 92 elephants, sombre mood prevails in other trusts which feel the auction did not go well for them. The chairperson of Xhauxhwatubi Trust at Phuduhudu, Omphile Mash Libalamwe, says she is unhappy that the [...]

French company buys stake in BPC

29 July, 2010 in Botswana, Business

source: The Botswana Gazette Tuesday, 27 July 2010 12:45 As Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) subsidiary BPC Lesedi steps up efforts on rural electrification across the country, the company has joined hands with a strategic partner, Electricite de France (EDF) to ease the task. EDF and BPC signed a shareholders and share purchase agreement which is [...]

MoE sticks to budget in sponsorships

29 July, 2010 in Botswana, Education

source: Mmegi CHANDAPIWA BAPUTAKI Staff Writer The Ministry of Education has stuck to its original budget in sponsoring new students at the University of Botswana and does not need any additional funds for this exercise. Speaking to Mmegi yesterday, the permanent secretary in the ministry Ruth Maphorisa, said they had to put their heads together [...]

Zuma sends envoy to kick start mediation in Zimbabwe – again

29 July, 2010 in Zimbabwe

source: SW Radio Africa By Lance Guma 28 July 2010 South African President Jacob Zuma dispatched one of his top envoys to Zimbabwe, in yet another attempt to try to kick start power sharing talks that are gridlocked over various violations of the GPA by ZANU PF. Former Transport Minister Mac Maharaj arrived on Tuesday [...]

Govt to sponsor all new UB students

28 July, 2010 in Botswana, Education

source: Mmegi CHANDAPIWA BAPUTAKI Staff Writer The Minister of Education, Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi told Parliament yesterday that the government will sponsor all eligible students admitted to the University of Botswana (UB) this year. She explained that the decision was taken after she met with UB representatives to reconcile the figures of students who have submitted applications [...]

South Africa: Growth Forecast Lower

28 July, 2010 in South Africa

source: allAfrica BuaNews (Tshwane) 27 July 2010 Pretoria — The Bureau for Economic Research (BER) estimates South Africa’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will be adjusted downwards to 3.1 percent for 2010. “For 2010 as a whole we have made a downward adjustment (from 3.4 percent in April to 3.1 percent) in the GDP growth forecast,” [...]

Botswana pioneers SACU tariff body

28 July, 2010 in Botswana, Business, SADC

source: Mmegi MBONGENI MGUNI Staff Writer Botswana is expected to break new ground by becoming the first SACU member to establish a national body responsible for various trade issues including tariffs. Under a 2002 agreement, the five SACU members have an April 2011 deadline to establish such a body. The Botswana Ministry of Trade and [...]

South Africa: New fines for cabinet members

28 July, 2010 in South Africa

source: IOL July 27 2010 at 06:52PM Cabinet on Tuesday announced interim fines for members of the executive, including the president, who breach the ethics code. If ministers or the president fail to comply with the code, they can be fined up to a month’s salary, or see their salaries and benefits reduced for a [...]

Motlhale to announce defection to BMD

28 July, 2010 in Botswana

source: Mmegi ISAIAH MOREWAGAE Staff Writer The Member of Parliament for Ramotswa, Odirile Motlhale, is set to formally announce his resignation from the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) to join the opposition Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) at a press conference tomorrow morning in Ramotswa. BMD sources say Motlhale has been one of them to all [...]

South Africa: Zuma won`t pay fine

28 July, 2010 in South Africa

source: IOL July 27 2010 at 06:40PM South African President Jacob Zuma will not be fined for violating the cabinet’s ethics code, after he was eight months late in declaring his assets, a government spokesman said Tuesday. This is despite a cabinet agreement last week that fines should be paid if ministers or the president [...]