April 19, 2016.
For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Thabi Madiba.
Making headlines:

EFF manifesto build-up gathers momentum

Sanctions taking toll on Zimbabwe – Mugabe

And, ANC unfazed by Nhlanhla Nene’s appointment at Allan Gray

The EFF leader Julius Malema will be speaking at a community meeting today at Jabulani in Gauteng as part of the build-up to the party's 2016 election manifesto launch.

Malema had visited various communities in the past week. On Saturday Malema addressed a large gathering at the University of Pretoria's Mamelodi Campus. The EFF held a memorial lecture on the life of Solomon Mahlangu.

During the lecture Malema said President Jacob Zuma was not an enemy of the EFF, but he just happened to be standing in the way of the party and the nation achieving its goal.

The Zimbabwean government was doing all it could to revive the economy, but the sanctions imposed on the Southern African nation by the US and the European Union were taking their toll, President Robert Mugabe said yesterday.

Mugabe said some improvements were taking place across the country and he acknowledged the assistance from the African Development Bank with various projects.

Mugabe said the country was strategically increasing trade with regional countries and was working at improving its doing business ratings.

The ANC yesterday appeared unfazed by reports that sacked South African finance minister, Nhlanhla Nene, had taken up a private sector job with Allan Gray.

On Monday, the investment management firm confirmed that it had appointed Nene as a non-executive director to its board.
Ian Liddle, chairperson of Allan Gray, in a statement said the firm was looking forward to Nene’s strategic and leadership contribution to the board.

Nene was unceremoniously removed from his position as South Africa’s finance minister in December by President Jacob Zuma, barely two years after he took over at Treasury.

Zuma said that Nene had been nominated to head the BRICS New Development Bank regional centre as he sought to explain the decision to relieve him of his duties.

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That’s a roundup of news making headlines today