Monday, May 24, 2010

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

Making headlines:

Government intelligence agencies plan to launch an investigation into 'instability' at State-owned enterprises (SOEs), according to the Sunday Independent.
State Security Minister Siyabonga Cwele told the newspaper that some of the issues causing instability have to do with governance.
Senior African National Congress Member of Parliament and chairperson of Parliament's public enterprises committee Vytjie Mentor says that the disciplinary process involving suspended CE of Transnet Freight Rail's Siyabonga Gama - accused of flouting tender processes - was "too long and protracted." Mentor also told the newspaper that there were problems with transformation in SOEs.
Meanwhile, Democratic Alliance state security shadow minister Theo Coetzee said that it is not the State Security Ministry's place to investigate SOEs.

When the African Development Bank (AfDB) triples its capital base to $100-billion next week, its top priority will be tackling Africa's dire power shortages. Infrastructure will make up about 60% of the bank's projects and 60% of those will be for power, said AfDB president Donald Kaberuka.
Projects include a wind farm in remote northern Kenya, and hydropower projects in several places, but will also include coal and gas-powered plants. "Because of the power deficit, we are prioritising all forms of energy. Some are renewables, but there's no either/or," he said. The bank's member States will vote on the proposal by finance ministers to triple its capital base this week, but Kaberuka says that this is largely a formality.

The Congress of the People (Cope) on Sunday welcomed the decision by the Cape High Court to reject the urgent interdict to stop the Western Cape provincial congress that took place at the weekend.
The eleventh-hour legal challenge failed to prevent Cope's Western Cape congress from getting under way on Saturday. A faction linked to Cope president Mosiuoa Lekota brought the court application late on Friday night "but the judge had refused to hear it then".
The Western Cape named Lekota's deputy, Mbhazima Shilowa as its candidate to lead the party.

Also making headlines:

African National Congress Youth League leader Julius Malema reportedly says that he has emerged stronger after the rebuke by President Jacob Zuma and the ruling party.
Ousted Malagasy President Marc Ravalomanana denies backing last week's military rebellion and says that he remains committed to power-sharing talks.
The World Health Organisation promulgates a rare global accord to prevent recruiting healthcare professionals from poor countries where there is an acute shortage of medical staff.
And, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi rejects opposition complaints of fraud in Sunday's national election and says that he expects to win on the strength of his economic record.

That's a roundup of news making headlines today.