Thursday, March 26, 2009
From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I'm Shona Kohler.
Making headlines:
Government spokesperson Themba Maseko said yesterday that Health Minister Barbara Hogan's comments about the decision to deny the Dalai Lama entry into South Africa were "rather unfortunate".
The decision demonstrated the official position of the government, of which Hogan was a member, and she was wrong to have criticised it on a public platform, he said.
On Tuesday, Hogan added her voice to criticism of the move by government to deny the Dalai Lama a visa to attend a now postponed peace conference. She said that the decision was an example of a government which is dismissive of human rights.
Maseko conceded that the decision was made not only in the interests of keeping the focus on South Africa ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but because the government did not want to jeopardise its bilateral relations with China.

In international news, a panel led by South African Finance Minister Trevor Manuel has recommended sweeping changes to the International Monetary Fund and proposed a new council of ministers to coordinate and take key decisions on policies that affect the global economy.
The eight-member panel, appointed by IMF MD Dominique Strauss-Kahn last year to look at ways to make the IMF more effective as the main overseer of the global financial system, said that the IMF's advice had lost traction and influence.
The current global financial crisis has highlighted the need for a strong multilateral institution at the centre of the global financial system. Thus, the panel has suggested changes to the IMF to make it more accountable.

Back home, Gauteng local government says that the relocation of Zimbabwean refugees living at the Central Methodist Church, in Johannesburg, is imminent. Registration of the refugees and their needs has been completed, and a number of buildings around the inner city identified as accommodation for the refugees.
The registration of these people was coordinated by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Local government spokesperson Lebogang Tladinyane said that the priority of the government is to restore order in the area.

Also making headlines:
Gauteng government speaks out strongly against taxi violence
Rwanda says that captured rebel leader Laurent Nkunda will be returned to the Congo.
The Democratic Alliance expects victory in Cape by-elections.
And, a new survey taps public opinion on polygamy and Jacob Zuma.

That's a roundup of news making headlines today.