January 22, 2013.
From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Motshabi Hoaeane.
Making headlines:

The Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance’s appeal application date has been set.

The African National Congress says First National Bank’s "You Can Help Campaign" was an attack on government.

And, the Department of Public Works has confirmed spending R65-million on Ministerial housing.

The Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (or Outa) said the High Court in Pretoria would hear its application to appeal against e-tolls on Friday.

The appeal follows a judgment on December 13 by the High Court in Pretoria, which dismissed Outa's application to have the electronic tolling of Gauteng's major roads scrapped.

Outa raised funds for the appeal, and called on business and the public to lend their support. The organisation said it was heartened by the fact that society has helped it raise R8-million to date. However, it is still R2.5-million short to cover current costs and requires an estimated R1.5-million for the appeal process.

Outa chairperson Musa Strachan said in the e-tolling case, public participation wasn't possible "yet the court ruled that public engagement was sufficient and adequate". He added that Outa maintains that procedural and objective fairness had not been applied, which made the introduction of e-tolls unlawful.

The African National Congress said on Monday that the First National Bank’s (or FNB) "You Can Help Campaign" is an attack on the ruling party and its leadership. The ANC said the bank shouldn’t use children to make political statements in a manner disrespectful to elders that disregarded sacrifices made in the 18 years of democratic government.

The FNB campaign features children reading their hopes for the country.

ANC national spokesperson Jackson Mthembu said it was evident from the advert that the views presented had been "engineered and doctored". He added that what was of concern to the ANC was that the advert content is undisguised political statement that made random and untested accusations against the government in the name of discourse.

He said the ANC leadership would engage FNB management to seek a better understanding of the advertisement and its intended objectives. The campaign amassed both strong and mixed reactions from South African political parties.

Public Works Director-General Mandisa Fatyela-Lindie confirmed in a statement that the department has spent R65-million of its allocated budgets under its prestige portfolio effecting renovations and improvements to a number of State-owned houses in both Cape Town and Pretoria. The houses are allocated to members of the executive.

She added that spending money on houses of ministers was within the department's "core function", and that it was in line with the constitutional mandate.

The renovation bills reportedly included: R15-million on a Cape Town house allocated to Rural Development Minister Gugile Nkwinti, R10.67-million to overhaul a house earmarked for use by Transport Deputy Minister Lydia Chikunga, and just under R5-million to upgrade a house for Agriculture Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson.

Also making headlines:

The Seriti commission probing the arms deal is expected to respond to allegations contained in a resignation letter by a senior investigator.
 

Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal says a total of 37 foreign workers died and seven are still missing from the siege at an Algerian desert gas plant.

And, farmers are worried over Eskom’s proposed tariff increase.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today.