June 22, 2012

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Reggie Sikhakhane

Making headlines:

Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa says Police officers are shunning the psychiatric services provided by the government, often to their own detriment.

He says that, In many instances they are not emotionally and psychologically equipped to handle stressful situations which frequently lead to catastrophic impact on their mental wellness, resulting in unfortunate outcomes.

The official opening of a block of offices for the South African Police Service Medical Scheme, in Pretoria, comes after what Mthetwa terms “well below optimal levels of uptake and utilisation of the available psychiatric benefits through the psychiatric disease risk management programme.”

A South African couple kidnapped by Somali pirates 20 months ago aboard a yacht in the Indian Ocean has been freed and flown out of Somalia.

Looking thin and stressed, one of the sailors, Bruno Pelizzari, reveals that the release followed a negotiated settlement. However, he did not say whether a ransom had been paid.

The South African government has thanked the Somali government and Italy for their roles in securing the release of the couple, although details to these roles have not been given.

Thousands of protesters filled Cairo's Tahrir Square overnight as Egypt's rival presidential candidates, an Islamist and former general, accused each other of trying to steal an election whose result is still not known five days after polling ended.

Meanwhile, across town, in a luxury international hotel, former general Ahmed Shafik, who was Hosni Mubarak's prime minister when the army forced out the dictator to appease the Tahrir protesters, challenged the Brotherhood’s Mohamed Morsy's self-proclaimed victory and says he is sure of election victory, despite Islamist pressure on officials.

Another two days of uncertainty and name-calling seem likely over the weekend, though there has not been immediate violence.

Also making headlines:

The government and the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance says Cabinet will consider proposed alternatives to e-tolling.

And, President Jacob Zuma says the world must assess what progress has been made in creating a sustainable future.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today.