Friday January 14, 2011

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Brad Dubbelman

Making headlines:

Identifying practical steps to create jobs is the main focus of a meeting of the African National Congress's (ANC’s) top brass under way in Midrand on Thursday. "This lekgotla must come up with ways and means of how we crack the question of job creation," ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu told journalists at Gallagher Estate. Cabinet Ministers, as well as directors-general from various government departments joined the ANC's national executive committee to discuss job creation. President Jacob Zuma made it clear to the ANC and government leaders that job creation would be the mantra for 2011 as the meeting kicked off and was adamant that practical methods and not "theorising" and "wishy-washy" means were necessary.

Forces loyal to Laurent Gbagbo began attacking and burning United Nations (UN) vehicles in the Côte d’Ivoire on Thursday as tensions escalated between Gbagbo and the world body, which recognises his rival as President. The world's top cocoa grower has been locked in a violent power struggle since a November 28 election, that both Gbagbo and his rival, Alassane Ouattara, claim to have won. The UN says that Ouattara won the vote, but Gbagbo, who took power in 2000, has rejected the UN-certified tally. In Geneva, UN human rights chief Navi Pillay said that armed forces were blocking access to a site near the central town of Daloa where a mass grave had been reported. UN spokesperson Martin Nesirky said in a statement that secretary-general Ban Ki-moon was "deeply concerned that regular and irregular forces loyal to Mr Gbagbo have begun to attack and burn UN vehicles."

South Africa’s Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Water and Environmental Affairs has called for public input on the country’s draft climate change policy, currently still a Green Paper, ahead of Parliamentary hearings into the proposed policy in February or early March 2011.
The committee has asked that interested stakeholders submit their comments by February 15, whereafter the hearings would be scheduled.
South Africa’s Department of Environmental Affairs released the Green Paper in November 2010, and was also seeking comments from stakeholders, which were required for submission by February 11, 2011.
Portfolio Committee on Water and Environmental Affairs chairperson advocate Johnny de Lange explained that the Parliamentary process would ensure a more participatory approach in the drawing up of the White Paper.

Also making headlines

The National Prosecuting Authority has announced the appointment of two new Deputy National Directors of Public Prosecutions.
Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan won a decisive victory in the ruling party primaries on Friday, including in key states in the mostly Muslim north, making him clear favourite to be the country's next leader.
And, the Gauteng Roads and Transport Department has asked the Auditor-General to investigate 13 contracts, worth about R1-billion, which were awarded between September 1 and December 15.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today.