January 23, 2013.
From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Motshabi Hoaeane.
Making headlines:

Seriti commission spokesperson William Baloyi says no member of the arms inquiry was persuaded for a marked outcome.

United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon warns against the supply of UN logistical support for Mali’s war.

And, job creation and localisation are important factors for future Rea Vaya procurement phases.

The Seriti Commission’s spokesperson William Baloyi said on Tuesday that none of the members of the commission of inquiry received instructions or were coaxed into producing a particular outcome. He said none of the commission members were "employed by the arms commission" and dictated to or deprived of their own views.

Baloyi was responding to allegations that the commission, which is probing the arms deal, wasn’t being transparent and that it was concealing a "second agenda". This follows a letter written by lawyer and former acting judge from Pretoria, Norman Moabi who said that he was resigning because of interference and that he had lost faith in the commission's work.

According to Moabi, Judge Willie Seriti ruled the commission with an iron fist and facts were manipulated or withheld from commissioners, and that contributions from commissioners who didn’t pursue the "second agenda" were frequently ignored.

DA MP David Maynier said that it was imperative that Seriti make a public statement to restore the integrity of the commission.

United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon has warned the UN Security Council against requiring the world body to provide logistical support for combat military operations in Mali. He said such a move would put UN civilian staff throughout the region at "grave risk."

The perceived neutrality of UN staff across the Sahel region would be undermined if the world body supported the Mali offensive.

In December, the 15-member Security Council authorised the deployment of an African-led military force to help defeat al Qaeda and other Islamist militants in northern Mali. The Council also called on the secretary-general to submit funding options. France asked that the process of deployment be accelerated after Paris launched air strikes and deployed some 2 150 ground forces this month to halt a surprise Islamist offensive toward the Mali capital Bamako.

Ban said that if the council decided to approve the second option of full UN logistical support for the African force in Mali, it would take a minimum 120 days "to implement the full range of services under the logistics support package."

Member of the mayoral committee on transport Rehana Moosajee said job creation and localisation would form an important part of the City of Johannesburg's future procurement programmes for its Rea Vaya bus rapid transit system.

Moosajee pointed out that although the first Rea Vaya buses were imported from Brazil fully assembled, between 80% and 90% of the bodies could be sourced locally, while the chassis would also eventually be locally produced.

In terms of the city's Metropolitan Bus Service, Moosajee said the ageing fleet meant that a refleeting plan would have to be developed within the next year to 18 months. Here too, localisation and job creation would form critical aspects of the process.

Moosajee asserted that the proper integration of all modes of transport was important and that the City of Johannesburg aimed to achieve transport-orientated economic development by concentrating development along transit corridors and bringing housing closer to these corridors.

Also making headlines:

A stiffer jail sentence has been urged for former Liberian president Charles Taylor.

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Richard Baloyi says the Sasolburg merger has been stopped.

And, Economic Development Deputy Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize says South Africa is likely to miss the 2020 job creation targets, as a result of strained relations between the government and private firms.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today.