July 10, 2012

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Natalie Greve.

Making headlines:

Head of astronomy at the National Research Foundation Nithaya Chetty says African countries need more scientists for research on the Square Kilometre Array (or SKA) telescope to succeed.

He said it was essential for the continent to start investing in human capacity development.

He noted that the question around human capital is relevant not only to South Africa but throughout Africa, stating that the SKA is not a South African project but an African one.

South Africa partnered with other countries in the southern hemisphere in its bid to be selected as the location of what will be the largest radio telescope ever built.

The central part of the telescope will be in the Karoo region of the Northern Cape province whilst outlying stations would be erected in Botswana, Madagascar, Namibia, Ghana, Mozambique, Zambia, Kenya and Mauritius.

Wartime rebel prime minister Mahmoud Jibril took an early lead in Libya's national assembly election, according to partial tallies released on Monday that pointed to a weaker than expected showing for Islamist parties.

If confirmed, that trend would set Libya apart from other Arab Spring countries such as Egypt and Tunisia where groups with overtly religious agendas have done well – although Jibril insists his multi-party alliance is neither secular nor liberal and includes sharia Islamic law among its core values.

Saturday's poll was the first free national vote in six decades and drew a line under 42 years of rule under former dictator Muammar Gaddafi. International observers said it went well despite violent incidents that killed at least two people.

Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa says a feasibility study to find long-term solutions for acid mine drainage in the Witwatersrand would be completed in February next year.

In her response to a Parliamentary question posed by the Democratic Alliance’s Gareth Morgan, she stated that the R17.72-million study, which started in January, was conducted by the Department’s Chief Directorate: Integrated Water Resource Planning, supported by three professional service providers and specialist advisers.

Molewa added that her department was investigating the option of an earlier request for proposals, which would run parallel with the feasibility study. The RFP could start as early as September.

Also making headlines:

The Department of Trade and Industry will establish a cooperatives development agency.

The Limpopo department of education is appalled at media reports quoting information "leaked" by the agencies investigating it.

And, one year on, the US sees the Sudans in a 'mutual suicide' struggle.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today.