November 12, 2012.
From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Motshabi Hoaeane.
Making headlines:

Reports reveal re-election nominations for President Jacob Zuma and Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe.

Poor nations are dismayed by the looming climate aid gap.

And, the Economic Community of West African States will commit over 3 000 troops in the Mali battle plan.

According to reports on Monday, the African National Congress Women's League (or ANCWL) in KwaZulu-Natal has nominated President Jacob Zuma for re-election as party president while the ANC's Liliesleaf Farm branch in Gauteng favours Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe.

The ANCWL provincial chairperson Celiwe Madlopha said that the League would also back businessperson Cyril Ramaphosa as deputy president, Baleka Mbete as chairperson, and Gwede Mantashe as secretary-general.

The ANC’s Liliesleaf Farm branch said that as a leader of society, it is requesting comrade Kgalema as a matter of urgency to restore lost confidence, lest the country go through the same political cul-de-sac that all African liberation movements went through after their 20 years in power, or, alternatively lose to the Democratic Alliance in the 2014 elections.

Rich nations are dismaying developing countries with pledges merely to continue aid to help them combat climate change in 2013. This is despite past promises of a tenfold surge to $100-billion a year by 2020.

A looming gap in aid pledges after a 2010 to 2012 "fast start" programme of $10-billion a year is a big source of tension.

Spokesperson for the 54-nation African group at UN negotiations Seyni Nafo of Mali said that "there should be a transparent process to scale up finance" towards 2020 and that the poor needed more than "an indication that funding will not fall off a cliff".

Major donors such as the European Union, the US and Japan are only giving reassurances about continued aid for 2013, but, without firm numbers. The donors are also putting off any probability of a surge.

The Economic Community of West African States (or ECOWAS) chairman said that the West African regional bloc agreed on Sunday to commit 3 300 troops to help recapture northern Mali. This will be part of battle plans that will be sent for United Nations approval by the end of November.

Ivory Coast President Alassane Outtara said that the troops would mostly come from Nigeria, Niger and Burkina Faso. However, other West African countries and two or three non-African States may also contribute forces.

Malian army sources said that the plan covers a six-month period, beginning with a preparatory phase for training and the establishment of bases in Mali's south, which will be followed by combat operations in the north.

Ecowas signed off on the latest draft on Sunday but said it still hoped to avoid conflict through negotiations.

Also making headlines:

A South African court gives a Thai rhino poacher a record jail sentence of 40-years.

And, the South African government explores ways to unlock rural wealth.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today.