May 11, 2012

For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Henny Ngoveni.

Making headlines:

The ANC bowed to pressure on the Protection of State Information Bill.
The ruling party is proposing a raft of changes in response to sustained criticism of the bill over the past two years.
These includes a compromise on a public interest defence as a way of protecting journalists and whistle-blowers who risk prison to expose state wrongdoing.

The officer who led a military coup in Mali wants to take back power when the term of a caretaker president ends later this month.
The military nominally handed over power last month to Dioncounda Traore.
Regional bloc ECOWAS, Mali's foreign donors and many political parties want him to stay in office to oversee a transition back to civilian rule.

Former chief justice Arthur Chaskalson says a review of the Constitutional Court should find that no provision of the Constitution has been an obstacle to transformation.
He says Social and economic transformation is possible within its framework.
Chaskalson says minor amendments can be made if necessary.

Also making headlines:

South Sudan says it is ready to resume talks with Sudan at anytime.

And, State Security Minister Siyabonga Cwele says his ministry will take a tough approach towards corruption.

That’s a round up of news making headlines today.