Dam levels increase

5 January, 2008 in Botswana

source: BOPA
04 January, 2008

GABORONE – The water levels in Botswanas five dams have increased significantly since the start of the rainy season.

A press release from Water Utilities Corporation says Nnywane and Bokaa dams are currently 100 per cent full, whilst Shashe dam is 99 per cent full.

Letsibogo dam and Gaborone dam have the lowest water levels at 68 per cent and 58 per cent full respectively.

Before the start of the rainy season the water levels stood at [continue reading]

Zimbabwe: No water in Bulawayo despite recent rains

5 January, 2008 in Africa

source: The Financial Gazette
Charles Rukuni Bureau Chief

BULAWAYO — The country’s second largest city is still experiencing water problems, this time not because the dams are empty but because the local authority does not have enough chemicals to treat the water.

Council spokesman Pathisa Nyathi said the city’s supply dams had received significant inflows but supplies were sometimes cut because of a shortage of water treatment chemicals.
“We were not supplying water, particularly to the eastern suburbs, from Friday last week until New Year’s day because we had run out of aluminium sulphate,” Nyathi said.
He said six chemicals were used to purify the water but the council had not been able to access one of these.
He said the main constraint was the price the council must pay for [continue reading]

SA: Petrol price set to rise to R8 per litre

5 January, 2008 in South Africa

source: IOL

January 04 2008 at 12:06PM

By Sharlene Packree

Motorists should brace themselves for more petrol price hikes in 2008 as fuel prices are expected to climb to an all-time high.

This is according to the Fuel Retailer Association (FRA) which predicts that motorists should prepare to fork out as much as R8 a litre as the crude oil price increases.

Earlier this week, oil prices reached an all-time high, with a barrel of oil costing $100 (R680) after a 57-percent price increase in 2007.

This is set to have a major impact on the petrol price, causing huge concern to cash-strapped motorists. The price increases will also push up [continue reading]

Central Transport Organisation has poor record-keeping AG

5 January, 2008 in Botswana

source: BOPA
04 January, 2008

GABORONE – Maintenance of government fleet by private garages had not borne fruit, as there are delays in the maintenance of government vehicles.

The Auditor Generals report on the Central Transport Organisation(CTO) calls on the organisation to keep a record of companies whose performance was not satisfactory.

The reasons for subcontracting were to speed up the repair process and enhance capacity within the CTO workshops, especially where specialised tools or skills were required.

The report reveals that vehicles took an average of 170 days at Maun private garages to 462 days for vehicles in Francistown private garages.

Vehicles that remained stationery for extended periods at private garages without being attended [continue reading]

Tati Land Board celebrates success

5 January, 2008 in Botswana

source: BOPA
04 January, 2008

MASUNGA – Tati Land Board through collaborative workmanship has managed to allocate 1 722 residential and commercial plots last year.

Speaking at the annual chairmans ball, the Chairperson of Tati Land Board, Mr Fixion Mchiwe, said the board was to allocate a total of 2 664 but managed 1 722. He described the move as a great achievement.

For Masunga to be a planned area like all other towns and villages, the land board has drafted a development plan for Masunga as the North East headquarters, he said.

Mr Mchiwe also said Tati Land Board had drafted policies that guide the allocation of land and was reviewing them.

With the intervention of the court, squatters at Mhatane, Themashanga and Sekoje, have been evicted and we would still take relevant steps to ensure the eviction of those who have remained, he said.

Mr Mchiwe cited underdeveloped plots as one of [continue reading]

Africa: Saving the Continent`s Forests – The `Lungs of the World`

5 January, 2008 in Africa

source: allAfrica
Africa Renewal (United Nations)

ANALYSIS
4 January 2008
Posted to the web 4 January 2008

Michael Fleshman

From the air the forests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) stretch as far as the eye can see, broken only by distant, shining ribbons of rivers and streams. Dense, deep, seemingly impenetrable, the forests of the Central African region extend over 200 mn hectares, inspiring awe and sometimes dread among residents and visitors, and providing refuge for everything from rare and endangered plants and animals to ferocious militias accused of brutal crimes against humanity.

It is difficult to imagine that such vast ancient woodlands are at risk of extinction. But they are disappearing at an alarming rate. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), indigenous (also known as “old-growth”) forests in Africa are being cut down at a rate of more than 4 mn hectares per year – twice the world’s deforestation average. According to the FAO, losses totalled more than [continue reading]

Zimbabwean students face new hurdle in SA

5 January, 2008 in South Africa, Zimbabwe

source: IOL

January 04 2008 at 11:19AM

Johannesburg – Zimbabwean students studying or intending to study in South Africa are now required to have medical aid cover from that country as a new visa application requirement, Zimbabwe’s Herald online reported on Friday.

Until the new regulation, students studying in South Africa were covered by their Zimbabwean medical aid societies, the Herald said.

“However, the South African Embassy recently stopped processing study permits for Zimbabwean students using local medical aid societies, which they said were not registered with South Africa’s Council for Medical Schemes.”

The students were advised to get medical aid cover from South Africa.

Head of civic and immigration at the embassy, MD Nzuzo is said to have also written to [continue reading]