Tuesday, May 12, 2009
From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I'm Amy Witherden.
Making headlines:
South Africa's new Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said shortly after his swearing in yesterday that he will work to ensure continuity of economic policy, while leaving room to manoeuvre in response to the global financial crisis.
Gordhan said that his predecessor Trevor Manuel had put measures in place in his last budget that gave South Africa some assurance that it would not be as badly off as some other countries.
Gordhan said he needs a few weeks to plan on how the Treasury and new Ministries, including the Economic Development portfolio and National Planning Commission, will work together.
The Treasury's priority will be to ensure continuity in the work that Manuel has been doing in the government, said Gordhan.

In international news, World Health Organisation laboratories have confirmed 4 379 infections with the new strain of H1N1 flu, widely known as swine flu. The United Nations agency says the virus has killed at least 49 people.
The official WHO tally, which tends to lag behind national reports but is considered more accurate, includes 45 deaths in the disease epicentre Mexico, two deaths in the US, and one each in Canada and Costa Rica.
The WHO's latest count includes nearly 1 000 more confirmed cases than its previous tally issued on Sunday.
Evidence that the disease has taken hold in communities outside of the Americas could prompt WHO chief Margaret Chan to declare that a full pandemic is underway.

In South African news, new Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale says that he will resign as executive chairperson of the Mvelaphanda Group following his appointment to Cabinet.
This move follows speculation around a conflict of interests, as Mvelaphanda has investments in construction, banking and property, and Sexwale takes over what was the Housing portfolio. Sexwale, however, dismissed reports of a probe into his business interests as sensationalist.
The successful businessman and former Gauteng Premier says that he would not be relinquishing his assets in the private sector, but giving up his role in its operation.

Also making headlines:
Oupa Magashula is appointed acting commissioner for the South African Revenue Service.
Estimates show that President Jacob Zuma's new Cabinet could cost the public up to R1-billion.
Zimbabwean journalists urge an end to restrictive media laws.
And, an International Criminal Court prosecutor says that Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir is sure to face charges of genocide.

That's a roundup of news making headlines today.