August 17, 2012
From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Motshabi Hoaeane.
Making headlines:

Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel seeks consensus on a wage subsidy.

Six people have been killed and 12 injured in the unrest in Sudan's troubled western Darfur region.

And, veteran Algerian diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi agrees to be the international mediator on Syria.

Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel on Thursday ruled out imposing a youth wage subsidy without social consensus.

In a debate on the measure in Parliament, Patel said a consensus on how to address youth unemployment needed to be forged, instead of employing a forceful approach to push through a single measure in the face of opposition from youth organisations and trade unions.

Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan budgeted R5-billion to start implementing the subsidy from April.

Patel said the National Economic Development and Labour Council debate on the issue had been widened to include more concerned parties. They have agreed on the need for a "social compact" on how to get young people into jobs.

Sudan’s State news agency SUNA said six people were killed and 12 injured in a fresh unrest in Sudan's troubled western Darfur region.

The six died during three days of clashes between residents of the town of Mellit in North Darfur. However, the news agency said the police and army had restored order.

Violence has since subsided from its peak, but law and order has collapsed in many parts of the vast territory and clashes have continued to erupt between rebels and government forces.

UN sources say veteran Algerian diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi has agreed to replace Kofi Annan as the international mediator on Syria. However, this will be with an altered mandate.

Diplomats said that Brahimi, who had been undecided for days about whether to accept the offer of the post from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, did not want to be seen as a mere replacement of Annan but rather wanted a reconfigured title and mandate.

UN officials said it was not clear when an official announcement would be made.

Also making headlines:

President Jacob Zuma is alarmed at the Lonmin mine killings.

The Criminal Procedure Act Amendment Bill is passed without debate.

The UN hails Australian court’s decision against the 'desperate' tobacco industry.

And, Democratic Alliance national spokesperson Mmusi Maimane says South Africa’s youth must not fight old battles.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today.