Friday January 7, 2011

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Shannon de Ryhove

Making headlines:

Data published by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) showed that South Africa’s power consumption increased by 2,6% to 19 742 GWh in November. In the first 11 months of 2010, power consumption increased by 4,1% compared with the same period in 2009. Stats SA reported that electricity production rose by 3,4% in November, and by 4,2% in the first 11 months of 2010. The country bought 11 263 GWh of electricity from outside its borders, which was an increase from the 11 183 GWh that it purchased in the same period in 2009. The volume of power sold to neighbouring countries increased by 5,3% in the 11 months.

The US Treasury Department has barred US citizens from financial dealings with Côte d’Ivoire leader Laurent Gbagbo until he steps down, while his rival guaranteed his safety if he goes. The US sanctions are the latest bid by world powers to convince Gbagbo, who has ruled for more than a decade, to cede power to rival Alassane Ouattara, widely believed to have won a November 28 election. The standoff has killed more than 200 people and could restart a civil war. Adam Szubin, director of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control says that "today's designation will isolate him and his inner circle from the world's financial system and underscores the desire of the international community that he step down."

Sudan's former vice-president says that Sudan's north and south need a common authority to coordinate political and economic issues after a referendum on January 9, which will likely see the south secede. Joseph Lagu told Reuters in an interview in the southern capital Juba that such a body would be similar to the East African Community, a five-nation trade bloc, and would aim to resolve disputes and coordinate policies between the two States. Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir visited Juba on Tuesday offering a hand of peace to southerners as he appeared to accept that Sudan would split into two after the referendum. His visit was seen as allaying fears that Khartoum would refuse to let go of the south, which has most of Sudan's oil output.

Also making headlines:

Côte d’Ivoire Presidential claimant Alassane Ouattara says that his rival Laurent Gbagbo had "blood on his hands" because of post-election violence, but would still be offered a guarantee of safety if he steps down.
A governorship election in one of Nigeria's main oil states, seen as a litmus test ahead of nationwide polls, passed without major unrest on Thursday, although there were isolated acts of sabotage.
And, more than 275 000 Zimbabweans applied to Home Affairs to legalise their stay in South Africa, the department said on Thursday.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today