Zimbabwe: Elephant tramples man to death

21 October, 2010 in Zimbabwe

source: IOL October 21 2010 at 07:48am Zimbabwean conservation officials blamed poachers after an elephant trampled a South African man to death in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwean conservation officials blamed poachers after an elephant trampled a South African man to death in Zimbabwe, Beeld reported on Thursday. Johnny Rodrigues, chairman of the Zimbabwean Conservation Task Force, said [...]

Taxi rank out of bounds to miniskirts

21 October, 2010 in Africa

source: Mmegi ISAAC PINIELO Correspondent FRANCISTOWN: The Francistown bus and taxi rank is becoming a dangerous place for women in high hemlines, despite the police promising to keep an eye on the situation. In an undeclared war on the high hemline, taxi drivers here often gang up to attack any woman who, in their dim [...]

Botswana Ex-President in Plea Over Homosexuals

21 October, 2010 in Botswana

source: allAfrica The Nation (Nairobi) Elias Mbao 19 October 2010 Nairobi — Botswana’s former president Festus Mogae yesterday said African governments and leaders must not enact laws that criminalise homosexuality and sex work, warning that such legislation would inhibit the fight against HIV/Aids. Mr Mogae, who chairs a team dubbed ‘Champions of an HIV-Free Generation’ [...]

Edumela.com social network shuts down

21 October, 2010 in Botswana, Business

source: Mmegi MONKAGEDI GAOTLHOBOGWE Staff Writer Beaten by newcomers such as Myspace, Facebook, Youtube at their own game, Botswana’s first and only social network website Edumela.com has quietly shut down. For the last decade the website has been trying to build itself into one of the world’s more popular and profitable social network sites. Edumela.com, [...]

SA court to probe Zim diamonds

21 October, 2010 in South Africa, Zimbabwe

source: News24 2010-10-20 19:04 Johannesburg – Rights groups said on Wednesday they have asked a South African court to force the company mining diamonds in Zimbabwe’s controversial Marange fields to reveal how it uses its earnings. Nicole Fritz, director of the Southern African Litigation Centre which helped prepare the petition, said the documents would show [...]

Govt revises GDP forecast to 7.9 percent

20 October, 2010 in Botswana, Business

source: Mmegi BRIAN BENZA Staff Writer The government has revised upwards its GDP forecasts for 2010 from 5 percent to 7.9 percent largely due to recovery in the mining sector that traditionally contributes 33 percent of the GDP. According to the 2011/12 Budget Strategy Paper (BSP) that will form the basis of preparations for the [...]

South Africa: Unions sign wage deal

20 October, 2010 in South Africa

source: IOL October 19 2010 at 11:55pm Johannesburg – Public sector unions have accepted government’s wage offer, the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) confirmed on Tuesday evening. “An agreement has been signed… We have accepted the government’s wage offer,” Sadtu spokesperson Mugwena Maluleke told Sapa. He said the government had agreed to increase public [...]

Mugabe threatens retaliation if ambassadors sent back to Zim

20 October, 2010 in Zimbabwe

source: SW Radio Africa By Alex Bell 19 October 2010 Robert Mugabe has threatened to retaliate if ambassadors he unilaterally appointed to the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU) are sent back to Zimbabwe. Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai last week told the EU and the UN that ambassadors appointed solely by Mugabe don’t [...]

New suitors line up for CIC Energy

20 October, 2010 in Botswana, Business

source: Mmegi MBONGENI MGUNI Staff Writer Yesterday, reports emerged indicating that GMR Group, an Indian energy and infrastructure enterprise, is offering between US$8.50 and US$8.85 per share for CIC Energy, valuing the company around US$500 million (P3.38 billion). In addition, another unnamed Chinese company is reportedly preparing a bid for CIC Energy, due to be [...]

System to keep SA borders safe

20 October, 2010 in South Africa

source: News24 2010-10-19 18:12 Johannesburg – The system used to screen tourists coming into SA during the 2010 Soccer World Cup will remain in use, air transport IT specialist Sita said on Tuesday. “The government will continue to use the Sita Advance Passenger Processing system, ensuring continued high levels of security and smooth arrivals for [...]

Media practitioners win IPI backing

20 October, 2010 in Zambia

source: Mmegi MWENGWE KAPEMBWA Correspondent LUSAKA: A five-member International Press Institute (IPI) delegation is in the country to help resolve differences between media practitioners and the Zambian government over planned media regulation. Headed by acting director Alison Bethel McKenzie, the IPI delegation hopes that the visit will yield the desired results. The government has maintained [...]

SA will vote against Zim sanctions

20 October, 2010 in South Africa, Zimbabwe

source: News24 2010-10-19 17:23 Pretoria – South Africa would again vote “no” to UN sanctions against Zimbabwe should the issue return to the agenda of the Security Council during its second term. “If a similar situation were to arise, South Africa will vote no,” said international relations director general Ayanda Ntsaluba in Pretoria on Tuesday. [...]

Phikwe Council Owed P1.7m

19 October, 2010 in Botswana, Business

source: Mmegi Calistus Kolantsho Correspondent SELEBI-PHIKWE: Expatriates and prominent members of the community here are among 4,200 people who owe the Selebi-Phikwe Town Council P17 million in service levy arrears going back many years as at September 2010. The revelation was made by the council’s Chief Physical Planner and Housing Estate Management Officer, Lazarus Kolanyane, [...]

Oil refinery `will save SA billions`

19 October, 2010 in South Africa

source: SouthAfrica.info 18 October 2010 The proposed Mthombo crude oil refinery will help South Africa escape from the “dependency trap” of having to import refined automotive products, ultimately saving the country billions of rands, says President Jacob Zuma. At the same time, the refinery, to be built at the Coega Industrial Development Zone near Port [...]

Debswana Engages UK Firm To Cut Costs

19 October, 2010 in Botswana, Business, Mining

source: Mmegi Mbongeni Mguni Staff Writer Debswana has roped in Alexander Proudfoot, a world-leading operational improvement firm, to streamline and cut costs throughout its operations as part of the diamond giant’s Operations Review. Alexander Proudfoot, with 64 years of global experience, specialises in helping firms improve their operational, and consequently, financial performance. The Chicago-born and [...]