Thursday, August 19, 2010

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I'm Amy Witherden.

Making headlines:

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga has urged striking teachers to respect colleagues who choose not to get involved in the nationwide strike. The Minister said that she is "very concerned by recent reports of intimidation, damage to public property and the forceful disruption of normal schooling by striking teachers, especially in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal." She said that while the government recognised the constitutional right of all workers, including teachers, to strike, the police would act harshly against those found guilty of such offences. Motshekga added that the indefinite strike was a "major blow" to the education sector and that the principle of no work, no pay would apply.
Public Service and Administration Minister Richard Baloyi stated on Wednesday that the offered deal of 7% and a R700 monthly housing allowance, would cost government at least R5-billion more than budgeted for, while unions are demanding an 8,6% pay rise, more than double the inflation rate, and R1 000 a month for housing. Baloyi repeated a threat that the government may unilaterally impose its wage offer to end the standoff.

Afghanistan and nations in sub-Saharan Africa are most at risk from shocks to food supplies such as droughts or floods, while Nordic countries are least vulnerable, according to a 163-nation food security risk index from British-based consultancy Maplecroft.
The agency reports that of the 50 nations most at risk, 36 are located in Africa. Maplecroft said that it hoped the index could help in directing food aid or to guide investments in food production.
Afghanistan's food supplies are the most precarious, based on factors such as rates of malnutrition, cereal production and imports, gross domestic product per capita, natural disasters, conflicts and the effectiveness of government. It is followed by the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Eritrea, Sudan, Ethiopia, Angola, Liberia, Chad and Zimbabwe, all of which suffer from poverty and risk ever more extreme weather because of climate change.
At the other end of the scale, the survey found that Finland had the most secure food supplies, followed by Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Canada and the US.

The US yesterday joined the chorus of disapproval over proposed changes to South Africa's media laws that some campaigners have likened to the draconian press curbs of the apartheid era.
Speaking at the South African Institute of International Affairs in Johannesburg on Wednesday, US ambassador Donald Gips urged the ruling African National Congress (ANC) to maintain the commitment to openness that has marked its rule since the end of white minority rule in 1994. "South Africa must not turn away from that history now," Gips said. "America still believes that a free press serves as the front line in the defence of democracy."
Washington is the latest in a long and diverse line of critics of the two proposals - a government-run media appeals tribunal and the Protection of Information Bill. The ANC argues that the bill, which allows for a broad interpretation of national security, is designed to protect State secrets, and that the media tribunal will prevent "irresponsible reporting". But media organisations say that both are a bid to crush investigative reporters who regularly expose corruption and hold the government accountable.

Also making headlines:

The South African Institute of Race Relations says that some of South Africa's current policies are at odds with greater economic growth going into the future.

West African nations consider sending troops to stabilise Guinea Bissau and will hold an emergency meeting next month to discuss political turmoil in the country.

South Africa's Department of Energy is confident that the review of the Renewable Energy White Paper of 2003 will be concluded by the end of the first quarter of 2011.

And, Sudan's new Energy Minister says that the government will increase transparency over oil production, in a move that analysts say could help prevent future conflict over oil.

That's a roundup of news making headlines today.