July 30, 2014
For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I'm Natalie Greve.
Making headlines:
 

Human Settlements MEC Jacob Mamabolo says Gauteng’s housing budget stands at R5-billion.

The Obama administration kicks off its bid to renew Africa’s trade programme.

And, the National Prosecuting Authority's integrity management unit head Prince Mokotedi plans to resign.

Human settlements MEC Jacob Mamabolo announced that the 2014/15 budget for the Gauteng department of human settlements is R5-billion.

Mamabolo was presenting his budget vote for adoption in the Gauteng legislature. He said rapid urbanisation meant Gauteng's government was under immense pressure to provide new homes.

"Of this amount, R4.4-billion will go towards all housing programmes within the department and we shall ensure that this allocation translates into new hopes for the many citizens who look up to us to provide this basic need.” Mamabolo said the housing department was well placed to build a racially integrated society through the use of land and housing.

This included buying land that was well located for housing construction and providing affordable rental accommodation. More than R50-million was set aside for the procurement of well-located land parcels. The department would continue with mixed-income housing development projects throughout Gauteng.

The Obama administration on Tuesday pushed for Congress to renew a 14-year-old trade programme giving African countries duty-free access to US markets. It warned, however, that allowing the programme to expire would disrupt trade flows between the two regions.

US Trade Representative Michael Froman said the African Growth Opportunity Act, or AGOA, which expires on September 30 next year had both benefited African countries and supported 120 000 US jobs.

Froman's remarks came just days before the White House is set to host 50 African leaders at a three-day US-Africa summit aimed at strengthening relations. AGOA, which is at the heart of US-Africa trade ties, will be a key issue.

The National Prosecuting Authority's (or NPA's) suspended integrity management unit head Prince Mokotedi plans to resign on August 1, the prosecuting authority said on Wednesday.

NPA spokesperson Nathi Mncube said Mokotedi had informed the National Director of Public Prosecutions in June about his decision to resign,  saying again on Tuesday that he intends submitting a letter of resignation this Friday, August 1.

Last month, Mokotedi was suspended after a document on former prosecutor Glynnis Breytenbach was leaked to the media.

Also making headlines:
 

The Ebola virus claims the life of the doctor leading Sierra Leone's fight against the disease.

The National Assembly has adopted a revised code of ethics for MPs which prohibits all elected public representatives from doing business with the state.

And, Libyan militants overrun a Benghazi special-forces base as the chaos deepens.

Also on Polity:

Watch the latest weekly analysis by Professor Raymond Suttner in Suttner’s View , as well as an interview with the director of the Johannesburg-based Brenthurst Foundation, Greg Mills on his book ’Why States Recover’.

Follow us on Twitter @PolityZA for updates on breaking news.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today.