Tuesday, January 20, 2009
From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I'm Amy Witherden.
Making headlines:
A request has been made for South African President Kgalema Motlanthe to set up a commission of inquiry into the legal wrangles surrounding African National Congress President Jacob Zuma, and his former financial adviser Schabir Shaik.
The appeal was made by the Society for the Protection of our Constitution, in the form of a letter from the offices of Zehir Omar attorneys. It was suggested that the commission's primary terms of reference should include an investigation into any improper conduct associated with the cases against Zuma and Shaik, as well as any ulterior motives in the judges that heard these cases.
The letter stated that Appeals Court Judge Louis Harms's ‘attack' on Judge Chris Nicholson, is harmful to the administration of justice. It further intimates that the Supreme Court of Appeal's finding that Nicholson's judgement sets a ‘dangerous precedent' was an attempt to conceal Nicholson's real motive.
The society also wants the commission appointed to look into the motives prompting Chief Justice Pius Langa to make public statements adverse to ANC President Zuma.

In African news, Zimbabwe's power-sharing talks ended with no deal in sight yesterday. Opposition Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai, said that no progress was made on what he called the "darkest day of our lives".
Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe said that talks had broken down, but would continue. He blamed Tsvangirai's MDC for blocking proposals put forward by the Southern African Development Community at the meeting.
Regional leaders will discuss the stalemate between Mugabe and his rivals at a summit in either Botswana or South Africa next week, which all Zimbabwean leaders have agreed to attend. Next week's emergency summit will also discuss Tsvangirai's demands.

In other news, leading up to his historic inauguration, coming back-to-back with a federal holiday in memory of Martin Luther King, Barack Obama joined in honouring the slain civil rights leader. He thus underscored racial barriers overcome on the way to his election as the first black US President.
In crafting one of the most eagerly anticipated inaugural addresses ever, Obama will try to reassure recession-weary Americans that they can recover from hard times, and he will signal to the world his desire to repair a battered US image.
But Obama, elected on a promise of change after eight years under Republican President George W Bush, will also be mindful that if he sets expectations too high, he could risk disappointment.

Also making headlines:
ANC President Jacob Zuma's legal team meets with the National Prosecuting Authority over technical issues around his case.
In Sudan, opposition leader Hassan al-Turabi is accused of Darfur rebel links.
And, suspended National Director of Public Prosecutions Vusi Pikoli is to appear before a Parliamentary committee today.

That's a roundup of news making headlines today. For more on these and other stories, visit polity.org.za.