December 12, 2012.
From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Natalie Greve.
Making headlines:

The Development Bank of Southern Africa’s restructuring is expected to ‘scale up core lending' to R91-billion.

The UN Security Council condemns Malian Prime Minister Cheick Modibo Diarra’s arrest by the army and warns of sanctions.

And, ANC general secretary Gwede Mantashe laments efforts by sectors of society to manipulate the outcomes of the party’s elective conference in Mangaung.

The State-owned Development Bank of Southern Africa (or DBSA), which is in the midst of a far-reaching restructuring programme, said it was finalising a new strategy and organisational structure that would lay the basis for a doubling of its loan book to R91-billion over the coming five years to 2017.

DBSA said consultations were still under way with the National Treasury, and that the emerging strategy would involve a scaling up of lending to the eight metropolitan councils, as well the 112 Tier 2 municipalities in a bid to improve service delivery.

The current reorganisation, which newly appointed CEO Patrick Dlamini acknowledged was causing some uncertainty within the bank, was designed to realign the institution with its core mandate of supporting basic municipal infrastructure, as well as the development of economic infrastructure.

Over the coming five years, the DBSA expected to raise its lending to the municipal market to R26-billion, with a material ramp-up in lending to Tier 2 municipalities to R8.8-billion. It was also planning a dramatic increase in lending to State-owned companies from R4.8-billion currently to over R27-billion.

The UN Security Council has condemned the arrest of Mali's prime minister by members of the army. This has led to his resignation and complicates international efforts to push out Islamist extremists in the country's north.

Mali Prime Minister Cheick Modibo Diarra was arrested and forced to resign on Tuesday by soldiers who staged a coup in March. This underscores the military's continuing grip despite giving way to a civilian president and prime minister in April under international pressure.

The members of the Security Council have expressed their readiness to consider appropriate measures, including targeted sanctions, against those who prevent the restoration of the constitutional order and take actions that undermine stability in Mali.

African National Congress secretary general Gwede Mantashe said that the party was "disappointed" at certain sectors of society who were trying to manipulate the outcome of its elective conference.

He was responding to reports that religious leaders had written to President Jacob Zuma, warning that the public was concerned that South Africa had lost its moral compass.

In the letter, clerics expressed the view that the democracy could be "significantly improved”. They also said that South Africans yearn for a change from an increasingly corrupt political, business and societal culture to one that is accountable to the people.

Mantashe was disappointed by the banking, business and cleric sectors for attempts to influence the conference. He said he saw this as a mischievous warning directed at the ANC before the national conference.

Also making headlines:

Shanduka executive chairperson Cyril Ramaphosa says migrant labour is ‘inhumane’.

Peace talks between the DRC rebels and Government falter.

And, the ANC insists on a radical truancy policy for MPs.

 That’s a roundup of news making headlines today.