Thursday, August 20, 2009
From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I'm Amy Witherden.
Making headlines:
The country's four biggest opposition parties have rejected attempts by President Jacob Zuma to defuse the row over his nomination of Judge Sandile Ngcobo as Chief Justice, insisting that his nomination was unconstitutional. The Democratic Alliance (DA), the Congress of the People (Cope), the Independent Democrats (ID), and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) argue that they remain convinced that Zuma undermined the law by failing to consult with the opposition and the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) before nominating Ngcobo as Chief Justice. The opposition has urged Zuma to restart the process and said that they would prefer Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke for the post. Zuma replied to the opposition parties in a formal letter, saying that Ngcobo remained his preferred candidate, though he had not "taken a final decision on whom to appoint". The President added that he would welcome any suggestions from the opposition parties on the subject.

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank's private sector arm, reports that it increased lending in sub-Saharan Africa to a record $1,8-billion in the year to June, to offset a drying-up of private investment capital. The lending, a 32% increase on the previous financial year, saw the IFC involved in 93 projects in 30 countries in Africa, where it sees itself as the vanguard of private sector investment. The IFC's director for East and Southern Africa, Jean Philippe Prosper, says that the quality of the IFC's Africa portfolio has improved, despite the world economic crisis that has cut growth forecasts for the region to around 2% this year, from the 5%-plus of the last five years. Prosper said that the IFC wants to "give a clear signal to the private sector", that it is possible to do good business in Africa.

South African President Jacob Zuma landed in Angola yesterday, on his first State visit since taking office. He aims to improve the once-strained ties with the increasingly important regional, oil producing power. Zuma took along 11 Ministers and a delegation of South African businesspeople to Angola. Zuma's personal relations with President Jose Eduardo dos Santos are far better than between the Angolan leader and former South African President Thabo Mbeki. Alex Vines, head of the Africa programme at London-based think-tank Chatham House, says that the "visit is a watershed", as it is likely that Southern African regional economic and security cooperation will benefit from this warming relationship. Angolan Economy Minister Manuel Nunes Junior says that it is time for South Africa to invest in Angola.

Also making headlines:
Zimbabwe inflation quickens to 1% as the economic crisis in the struggling country persists.
Madagascar power-sharing talks are to resume in Maputo, but doubts linger over the viability of the agreement.
And, Western Cape Premier Helen Zille explains in papers before the Equality Court, how she sought more women for her provincial Cabinet.

That's a roundup of news making headlines today.