Government diverts money meant for underprivileged

31 August, 2010 in Botswana

source: Sunday Standard by Gowenius Toka 30-08-2010 Investigations by the World Bank have turned up information suggesting that the Botswana government may have diverted money that was budgeted for underprivileged citizens. This comes hardly a month after the Parliament Public Account Committee completed their report, revealing how funds, which were budgeted for disaster management, were [...]

Transport fares up

31 August, 2010 in Botswana, Business

source: Mmegi Baboki Kayawe Staff Writer The Department of Road Transport and Safety has announced an increase in public transport fares with effect from September 1. This development falls on top of the two percent Value Added Tax adjustment earlier this year. The fares increased again following a price adjustment in 2008 when there was [...]

Zimbabwe: RBZ workers to lose jobs in shake-up

31 August, 2010 in Zimbabwe

source: SW Radio Africa By Irene Madongo 30 August 2010 The Finance Miniser Tendai Biti says up to 2,200 workers at the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe will lose their jobs as part of plans to cut its expenditure and get it functioning effectively, according to media reports. On Sunday it was reported that the Minister [...]

Oppenheimer takes over as Debswana chair

31 August, 2010 in Botswana, Business, Mining

source: Mmegi Staff Writer Diamond magnate, Nicky Oppenheimer, has been appointed Debswana Chairman with effect from August 18, a position he will hold until the end of next year. Oppenheimer’s appointment was occasioned by the resignation of Gareth Penny as De Beers’ CEO and Debswana Chair. In a statement Thursday, Debswana said Oppenheimer, who is [...]

African Commission advices Botswana to grant the FPK access to water

31 August, 2010 in Botswana

source: Sunday Standard by Kagiso Madibana 30-08-2010 The African Commission on Human and People’s Rights has urged the government of Botswana to allow the First People of the Kalahari (FPK) access to water as a denial of such a basic right is a violation of one of the rights contained in the African Charter. The [...]

South Africa: Govt, Unions to Return to Bargaining Chamber

31 August, 2010 in South Africa

source: allAfrica BuaNews (Tshwane) 30 August 2010 Pretoria — Government has responded to President Jacob Zuma’s directive to hold urgent talks with union leaders to find a solution that will bring an end to the public service strike. This follows a meeting between Zuma and ministers at the weekend. Government said in a statement that [...]

Phikwe Mayor under fire

31 August, 2010 in Botswana

source: Mmegi Calistus Kolantsho Correspondent SELEBI-PHIKWE: Ruling Botswana Democratic Party and opposition BCP gruelling attacks on Mayor, Lekang Mukokomani, do not bode well for teamwork and cooperation between himself and councillors in the copper-nickle mining town. Mukokomani was accused of taking decisions alone suggesting that the rift between him and the councillors could soon become [...]

UB a cesspool of corruption?

31 August, 2010 in Botswana

source: Sunday Standard by Sunday Standard Reporter 30-08-2010 Officers take bribes for tenders; companies are awarded contracts without being advertised; contracts are drawn and given to companies long after they have started operating – these are some of the allegations contained in a Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) report, presenting the University of [...]

Pressure group says SADC lacks credibility to monitor Zim elections

31 August, 2010 in Zimbabwe

source: SW Radio Africa By Tichaona Sibanda 30 August 2010 A UK based Zimbabwe pressure group, Communities Point (CP), has said the regional SADC bloc lacks the credibility to monitor elections in the country, which are due anytime after the drafting of a new constitution. Last week the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition said SADC should [...]

Google Search now in Setswana

30 August, 2010 in Botswana

source: Mmegi EPHRAIM KEORENG Staff Writer Linguist Dr Thapelo Otlogetswe together with some professionals has created a Google Search interface tool that allows a user to access Google in Setswana. In an interview with Mmegi yesterday, Dr Otlogetswe said working together with Pontsho Puoesele, who works for an IT company in Botswana, Gao Mosweu, an [...]

South Africa: Zuma urged to end strike

30 August, 2010 in South Africa

source: IOL August 30 2010 at 08:36AM By Gaye Davis, Xolani Mbanjwa and Aziz Hartley Intense behind-the-scenes moves are under way to bring the government and unions together for informal talks in a bid to break the deadlock and avert the possibility of the crippling public sector strike lasting a third week. Analysts have said [...]

Debswana answers for `spy cameras` in toilets

30 August, 2010 in Botswana

source: Mmegi ISAIAH MOREWAGAE Staff Writer The strict preventive measures employed by Debswana Diamond Company at its Completely Automated Recovery Plant (CARP) of Orapa Mines are the central part of the ongoing spy camera case before Lobatse High Court Judge, Isaac Lesetedi. The security measures include strip searches, forbidding handshakes, hand to cover mouth when [...]

Heavy leakages in VAT collection – WB

30 August, 2010 in Botswana, Business

source: Mmegi BRIAN BENZA Staff Writer Government can potentially raise more than twice the P4.3 billion it collected in Value Added Tax (VAT) last year if proper measures are taken to plug leakages, the World Bank reckons. Although the VAT rate is currently at 12 percent having been increased from 10 percent early this year, [...]

Zim central bank to retrench 85%

30 August, 2010 in Zimbabwe

source: News24 2010-08-29 20:20 Jan Raath Harare – Zimbabwe’s bankrupt central bank is to retrench 85% of its bloated staff complement to help it move back into the black and function as a reliable national bank, according to Finance Minister Tendai Biti. The lay-offs will mark the end of what analysts say was the use [...]

New uranium deposits uncovered in Shoshong

30 August, 2010 in Botswana, Business, Mining

source: Mmegi BRIAN BENZA Staff Writer Botswana-focused uranium hopeful, Impact Minerals, has discovered large quantities of uranium deposits in the Central District, adding impetus to the Australia Stock Exchange-listed miner’s quest to open a mine in Botswana soon. In a statement circulated to shareholders this week, Impact says it has unearthed significant resources in the [...]