February 10, 2014
From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Motshabi Hoaeane.
Making headlines:

South Africa's townships blaze with anti-ANC anger.

The US urges the removal of foreign fighters from South Sudan.

And, President Jacob Zuma's son Duduzane Zuma will be investigated over a fatal car crash.
 

Widespread protests have become an almost daily ritual in the townships ringing Johannesburg and Pretoria, with disaffected youths burning tyres, looting shops and throwing rocks in a furious demand for jobs, electricity and, increasingly, political change.

In the last three months alone, police in the province of Gauteng, South Africa's commercial hub, have been called out to at least 569 "service delivery" protests, as they have become known. Of these, more than 120 have been violent.

With elections scheduled for May 7, the demonstrations are starting to take on an increasingly political tone, suggesting they are likely to get worse in the next two months.


The US expressed concern over reported violations of a shaky ceasefire agreement between South Sudan's government and rebel forces. It also urged for the removal of foreign fighters engaged in the conflict.

Thousands of people have been killed and more than half a million have fled their homes since fighting erupted in December in a conflict that has brought oil-producing South Sudan to the brink of civil war.

State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki said the US was "deeply concerned by reports of violations by both the government of South Sudan and anti-government forces" of the ceasefire deal.

Psaki said the US urged the redeployment or phased withdrawal of foreign forces invited by either side, and warned of the serious consequences which could result from any regionalisation of this conflict."


South African President Jacob Zuma's son, Duduzane, is being investigated for culpable homicide after his Porsche 911 sports car ploughed into a minivan in Johannesburg, killing one person and critically injuring two, media said on Sunday.

The crash happened late on the evening of February 1 during heavy rain but was only linked to Duduzane this weekend, just one day after his father announced a general election on May 7.

Police confirmed the details of the accident but declined to name the driver or victims, in line with common practice in South Africa.

The opposition Democratic Alliance urged Zuma and his government – which is likely to win re-election in May – to assure South Africans that there would be no interference in the investigation.

Also making headlines:

Mali's Prime Minister Oumar Tatam Ly says he could begin initial talks as early as next week to try and end recurrent revolts by mainly Tuareg rebels trying to carve out an independent state in the desert north.

And, Egyptian leftist politician Hamdeen Sabahi announced he would run for the presidency in a forthcoming election, enlivening a race that army chief Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is widely expected to win.

 

That's a roundup of news making headlines today.