Tuesday, November 10, 2009
From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I'm Amy Witherden.
Making headlines:
Eskom chairperson Bobby Godsell handed a letter of resignation to Public Enterprises Minister Barbara Hogan yesterday, following more than a week of confusion over the fate of the group's CEO, Jacob Maroga. Mpho Makwana has been appointed acting chairperson of the State-owned power utility.
In a statement issued by Godsell on November 9, he said that he had decided to resign because government, as Eskom's sole shareholder, had been "unable either to support the board's original decision (to accept [Maroga's] resignation) or its two attempts at resolving the dispute".
Meanwhile, the leader of the opposition Democratic Alliance, Helen Zille, says that the ruling African National Congress (ANC) played the race card to defend Maroga. "The fact that politicians overrode the [Eskom] board shows that the ANC is totally ignoring the boundaries between party and State," she said.

Three African trade blocs have created a long overdue road map to form a free trade area covering more than half-a-billion people and an estimated combined annual gross domestic product of around $624-billion.
The Southern African Development Community, the East African Community and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa agreed to the plan in October 2008. The road map will bring together 26 States stretching from Cape Town to Cairo.
The road map is a highly technical document which sets out the overall justification for the free trade area and includes a memorandum of understanding to be approved by Heads of State, as well as a draft agreement for the eventual establishment of the area.
Officials believe that this major trade bloc will "become a magnet for investors". Africa receives less than 4% of global foreign direct investment, and many investors cite small markets as a hindrance to returns and growth.

Only 26 countries are on track to meet their targeted Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on water and six for sanitation, said the African Minister's Council on Water general secretary Bai-mass Taal.
At the current rate of development, Africa will only meet the MDGs target for water in 2036 and the sanitation target in 2109.
South Africa's Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Buyelwa Sonjica added that a mechanism is also needed to help quantify progress and to monitor MDGs successes.
Finance Ministers should be part of future deliberations she said, so that there is not an overreliance on donor funding. The issue of climate change, where Africa has a common policy position, must also be integrated into future planning.

Also making headlines:
United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organisation DG Jacques Diouf warns that conditions are in place for a new food crisis.
South Africa's ruling African National Congress backs Minister Trevor Manuel as head of the country's new planning unit, despite unionist pressure.
China wishes to take a lead role in spearheading naval anti piracy operations off the Somalia coast.
And, the ruling military junta in Guinea says that the country's mineral wealth will enable it to shrug off sanctions.
That's a roundup of news making headlines today.