June 21, 2012

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Reggie Sikhakhane

Making headlines:

Former director general in the presidency Frank Chikane says South Africa is at a crossroads. He says that something is not right within the African National Congress (ANC), and needs to be corrected.

Chikane points out that the policy document on organisational renewal is an indication of the ruling party realising that something is wrong and must be fixed.

He urged members and non-members of the ANC to await the outcome of the ruling party's policy conference next week with baited breath, as he believes what will transpire there could affect the running of the country.

Meanwhile, ANC national executive committee member Joel Netshitenzhe believes the significant change in South Africa’s class structure in the past 18 years has implications for the ruling party.

He explains that the fundamental implication of these social dynamics is the changing class structure within the black community, which happens because of opportunities in the political or public sphere.

Netshitenzhe cautions that the ANC has to consider whether this should be dealt with only as an internal issue, as it could negatively affect infrastructure spending; the delivery of text books; the quality of legislation passed by Parliament; and salary demands of the lower middle strata in the public service.

Algeria's government has been paralysed by arguments over who should be anointed as favourite to be the next president. This has exposed divisions within the ruling elite that could shatter the country's fragile stability.

The most visible sign of the discord within the ruling elite is that President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has not appointed a prime minister for over a month after he was expected to announce the decision.

A breakdown of cohesion and control with which Algeria's establishment runs the energy exporting sector, could re-ignite a conflict with Islamist militants, send ripples of instability through a wider region already in turmoil after the Arab Spring, and potentially jeopardise the Algerian natural gas exports on which Europe relies.

Also making headlines:

Major emerging economies may set up a joint anti-crisis fund if they do not have enough say in decision making at the International Monetary Fund under proposed voting reforms.

And, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan's decision to head to a climate change conference in Brazil as dozens are killed in sectarian clashes this week has angered allies and opponents.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today.