January 19, 2015.
For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Sane Dhlamini.
Making headlines:

The DA says South Africa needs a “real“ youth wage subsidy to create jobs and decrease youth unemployment.

At least five people have been killed in protests in Niger against Charlie Hebdo's cartoons.

And, President Jacob Zuma refers the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act Amendment Bill back to the National Assembly.    

The Democratic Alliance’s Parliamentary Leader Mmusi Maimane said South Africa needed a "real youth wage subsidy” as oppossed to the current “watered down incentive scheme” in order to create jobs and decrease youth unemployment.

Maimane said that a report by the University of Cape Town supported the party’s position that Cosatu's bullying of government into a weaker tax incentive for employing youth, rather than a strong youth wage subsidy, wouldn’t have the same impact on creating jobs for young people that South Africa desperately needed.

The employment tax incentive was implemented in January last year to encourage employers to hire young people and reverse the high levels of  youth unemployment. 

Maimane said the meagre budget of R5-billion for the entire programme meant that the value of the incentive may be too low to encourage firms to create new jobs.

At least five people were killed on Saturday in protests in Niger against Charlie Hebdo's cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad, authorities said, bringing the death toll from two days of violence in the country to 10.

Police fired tear gas at crowds of stone-throwing Muslim youths who set fire to churches and looted shops in the capital Niamey. This was after authorities banned a meeting called by local Islamic leaders. A police station was also attacked and at least two police cars were burned.

The country’s President Mahamadou Issoufou confirmed that all five of the dead were civilians, with four of them killed inside burned churches or bars. He said an enquiry would be opened and those responsible for organising the violence would be punished.

President Jacob Zuma has referred the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (or MPRDA) Amendment Bill back to the National Assembly.

The President was of the view that the Bill, which was passed by Parliament last year and referred to him for assent and signing into law, would not pass constitutional muster.

However, Mineral Resources Minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi predicted the referral in October, stating that the potential for refer back had been heightened by the contention that oil and gas legislation should be separated out of the MPRDA legislative framework and accommodated within its own legislative framework.
The Minister said at the time that he had been personally convinced by the oil and gas sector that oil and gas should have its own legal framework.

Also making headlines:

The Department of Transport and  Sanral make a commitment to studying the a report on the impact of e-tolls on the people of Gauteng.

The UN Security Council warned Libya that would consider sanctions against anyone undermining the country's security and stability.

And, the International Monetary Fund says Madagascar's economy shows early signs of recovery, but political instability, weak institutions and weak governance are hurting prospects.

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter [@PolityZA]

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today.