November 19, 2012.

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Motshabi Hoaeane.

Making headlines:

The Democratic Alliance says the National Prosecution Authority's efforts to prevent an article being published is concerning.

Britain freezes financial aid to Uganda over corruption concerns.

And, Equal Education says Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga settles out of court.

The Democratic Alliance said on Sunday that it was concerning that the National Prosecuting Authority (or NPA) went to such a great deal of trouble to prevent a Sunday Times story from being published. The story is based on a 300 page series of leaked internal communication within the NPA, that led to criminal charges against President Jacob Zuma being withdrawn. According to the newspaper, the official communications reveal that top prosecutors believed they had a firm case against President Jacob Zuma.

DA MP James Selfe said that the public had a right to know why the decision was taken to drop charges against Zuma, and that Members of Parliament also deserved to know whether this decision was rational and based on a sound legal opinion rather than a political decision.

The DA has since launched another court application to gain access to the reduced record. This court case is expected to be heard early next year.

UK Development Secretary Justine Greening says that Britain has suspended all aid to the government of Uganda over new evidence that British taxpayers' money may have been stolen.

Britain had planned to channel a total of £27-million in aid money through the Ugandan government this financial year. The announcement consequently means that Kampala will not receive the remaining £11-million that had been due by the end of March.

The Department for International Development said that unless the Government of Uganda could show that UK taxpayers' money was going towards helping the poorest people uplift themselves out of poverty, then the aid would remain frozen. In this respect, the British government will, therefore, expect repayment, administrative and criminal sanctions.

Equal Education (or EE) said on Sunday that Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga had agreed to promulgate the minimum norms and standards for school infrastructure.

EE chairperson Yoliswa Dwane said that, according to the settlement, the norms and standards would be published for public comment by January 15, and finalised by May 15.

The regulations will require that every school in South Africa meet a minimum, but acceptable, level of school infrastructure that is conducive to both learning and teaching.

The norms and standards must provide for the availability of classrooms, electricity, water, sanitation, a library, laboratories for science, technology, mathematics and life sciences, sport and recreational facilities, electronic connectivity at a school and perimeter security.

Also making headlines:

Sierra Leoneans flock to vote with their hope set on the minerals boom.

Tanzania and Malawi agree to appoint an international mediator over a long-running border dispute.

And, DRC rebels advance to the outskirts of the eastern city of Goma.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today.