October 15, 2012
From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Motshabi Hoaeane.
Making headlines:

The Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance says the public must know the toll details.

Libya's national assembly elects former diplomat Ali Zeidan as prime minister.

And, South African Reserve Bank Deputy Governor Daniel Mminele says South Africa may revisit its growth outlook after the strikes.

The Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (or Outa) says that the details of the electronic toll collection contract should not be kept confidential.

Outa chairperson Wayne Duvenage said that this information shouldn't be confidential because it is taxpayers' money that is being used to pay the tolls. As a result taxpayers should know what the money is being used for.

Duvenage was responding to a report in a daily newspaper on Monday that said that parts of the high court review of the project in November could be held in camera because of the confidentiality agreement. This meant that taxpayers might never know the full agreements, pricing and subcontracts surrounding e-tolling.

Duvenage said however, that there was nothing Outa could do about this, the alliance agreed to sign a confidentiality agreement.

Libya's national assembly elected a new prime minister on Sunday. He will be the second within a month to face the daunting challenge of forming a government acceptable to the country's many factions.

Ali Zeidan, a former career diplomat who had defected in the 1980s to become an outspoken critic of Muammar Gaddafi, was elected in a televised count just a week after the last prime minister was dismissed in a vote of no confidence.

Zeidan told a news conference he would focus on restoring security to Libya. He said the security file would be his top most priority because all the problems that Libya suffers stemmed from security issues. The government would be an emergency government to solve the crises that the country was going through, he said.

South African Reserve Bank Deputy Governor Daniel Mminele said that South Africa's growth forecasts would likely need to be reexamined given the impact of widening labour unrest on Africa's biggest economy.

Mminele said that growth was expected to average 2.1% for the 2008 to 2012 period, significantly lower than the 4.8% that South Africa averaged over the previous five years.

Ratings agency Standard and Poor's on Friday cut South Africa's credit rating by one notch to BBB with a negative outlook, saying the strikes and social tensions could reduce fiscal flexibility as well as damage growth.

Also making headlines:

Ghana's former first lady Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings has announced her decision to run for president.

Eskom eyes African hydropower and transmission prospects.

And Public Protector Thuli Madonsela rejects Julius Malema’s claims that she failed to offer him a right to reply in the Limpopo tender fraud case.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today.