July 29, 2014
For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I'm Motshabi Hoaeane.
Making headlines:

US President Barack Obama urges African nations not to make economic 'excuses.'

Communications Minister Faith Muthambi says there’s nothing wrong with cabinet members having business interests provided they pose no conflict of interest.

And, Numsa agrees to a wage deal to end a four-week steel sector strike.
 

US President Barack Obama said African nations should look inward for solutions to economic woes and not make "excuses" based on a history of dependence and colonisation. He was speaking at a preview of a summit he will hold with African leaders next week.

Speaking to 500 young Africans finishing a six-week Washington leadership fellowship, Obama said while it was important for developed countries to consider providing some targeted debt relief, it was time to end the notion that all of African nations' problems resulted from "onerous debt imposed by the West."

"At some point, we have to stop looking somewhere else for solutions, and you have to start looking for solutions internally," Obama told the enthusiastic audience.

Next week’s US-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington will convene economic and political leaders from across Africa to discuss the continent’s development and the US role in partnership and investment.

Communications Minister Faith Muthambi says there’s nothing wrong with Cabinet members having business interests as long as there was no conflict of interest.

Her statement comes after a report over the weekend that 19 members of the 72-person strong government cabinet – including President Jacob Zuma – had private business interests. Muthambi said government had noted media reports that highlighted the private business interests of Zuma and members of the executive.

According to records from the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (or CIPC), Zuma is listed as owning an active company called Michigan Investments that was registered in 1992. However, presidential spokesperson Mac Maharaj said that the company wasn’t in operation and that Zuma was looking at having it removed from the CIPC register.

Muthambi said the Executive Members Ethics Act, and the Ministerial Handbook were the key frameworks within which members of the executive operated. The purpose of the disclosure was to ensure that the officials serve the public in a fair and transparent manner and to hold them accountable for their exercise of power, she said.

Ministers, deputy ministers and Members of Parliament would have until August 15 to make full declarations of their business interests to Parliament.

 

South African engineering union National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (or Numsa) has agreed to end a four-week strike after accepting a wage increase offer from employers, union leader Irvin Jim said on Monday.

Numsa, South Africa's largest union, has accepted a 10% annual pay rise fixed for three years for its lowest-paid workers, Jim said, adding that members are due to return to work today.

The walkout by engineering and metals workers had halted production at automakers and affected construction at new power plants in a country struggling with electricity supply.
 

Also making headlines:

Sweden resumes aid to Uganda after suspending it over its controversial anti-gay laws.

Trade union Solidarity accepts the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of South Africa’s revised wage offer.

And, South Africa will use the upcoming US-Africa Leaders' Summit to appeal for a 15-year extension of the nonreciprocal Agoa trade arrangement, as well as South Africa’s ongoing inclusion as a beneficiary.
 

Also on Polity:

The Institute for Security Studies’ latest Peace and Security Council report considers the recent decision to lift Egypt’s suspension from the AU.

Keep a look out for the latest speeches and statements from Government and political parties.

And be sure to tune in to the latest video interviews with Professor Raymond Suttner.

Follow us on Twitter @PolityZA for updates on breaking news

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today.