August 5, 2014.
For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I'm Pimani Baloyi.
Making headlines:

Trade and Industry Minister Dr Rob Davies is positive about South Africa’s future in the Agoa programme.

Development banks and the US increase their support for Ebola-hit West African countries.

And, President Jacob Zuma says South Africa is a profitable place for investment.

Trade and Industry Minister Dr Rob Davies was positive about South Africa's future in the African Growth and Opportunity Act (or Agoa) following a ministerial meeting in Washington on Monday.

Davies said the discussions at the meeting had been more general, but South Africa was "part of the story".

Representatives from Congress were present at Monday's meeting where statements were made by the African countries involved, US State Secretary John Kerry, and a US trade representative to name a few.

The final decision on whether to renew the Agoa programme, which was first signed in 2000, would be made by the US Congress next year.

International development banks on Monday committed $260-million in emergency loans for three West African countries hit by the deadly Ebola virus as nearly 50 African leaders gathered in Washington for a US-hosted summit focusing on the region.

The World Bank said it would provide as much as $200-million in emergency funding to help Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.

African Development Bank President Donald Kaberuka also said that his bank would immediately disburse funds to the three countries, whose health systems and resources have been strained by the outbreak. The worst outbreak of Ebola ever has killed nearly 900 people since it began in February.

Bank officials said the funding was close to $60-million.

President Jacob Zuma told a US Chamber of Commerce forum on Monday that South Africa was a profitable place to invest.

He said South Africa was a great location for growing businesses in other parts of the African continent.

The president and a delegation of ministers would focus on pushing for the renewal of the African Growth Opportunity Act (or Agoa) and advocate for South Africa's continued inclusion. South Africa wants Agoa renewed for another 15 years. Almost 95% of South African exports received preferential treatment under Agoa.

Zuma strongly believed that by endorsing the extension of Agoa, the US will be promoting African integration, industrialisation and infrastructure development.

Also making headlines:

Footage obtained by human rights group Amnesty International released on Tuesday shows Nigerian soldiers slitting the throats of Boko Haram suspects and dumping their bodies in a mass grave.

Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi intensifies his bid to root out corruption, maladministration and fraud in his department.

And, the South African Council for Educators has welcomed the report of a Ministerial Task Team, which looked into the quality of the National Senior Certificate.

Also on Polity:

Recommended readings include a report by the South African Institute of International Affairs titled “Navigating the US congressional process of reauthorising AGOA”, as well as a report by the Institute for Security Studies on  the limits to supporting the security sector interventions in the DRC.

Follow us on Twitter @PolityZA for updates on breaking news.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today.