October 4, 2012
From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Motshabi Hoaeane.
Making headlines:

South African President Jacob Zuma is thrown a political lifeline.

The European Union Election Observation Mission arrives in Sierra Leone to oversee the elections.

And, Minister in the Presidency Trevor Manuel says adequate and appropriately positioned housing is the key to South Africa’s development.

Shifts in the African National Congress’ (or ANC’s) membership within South Africa's provinces have given President Jacob Zuma a fighting chance of holding on to the party leadership and the presidency.

This December 4 500 ANC delegates will gather to elect a party leader for the next five years.

As the race gets underway, the ANC announced that a surprising 36% rise in membership in KwaZulu-Natal means at least 974 of the 4 500 conference delegates will come from Zuma's home province.

However, Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe is widely tipped as a possible challenger. It is forecast that he could announce his candidacy as soon as this week. According to a recent TNS poll Motlanthe has a 51% approval rating compared with Zuma's 48%.

A team of European Union observers has flown into Sierra Leone's capital Freetown to monitor the upcoming elections. The elections are viewed as crucial to recovery in the civil war scarred nation.

The presidential, parliamentary and local council elections on November 17 will be the third since the war ended 10 years ago. The 1991 to 2002 civil war killed 50 000 people, maimed many more and ruined the country's infrastructure. Production from vast deposits of iron-ore and other minerals ground to a halt.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton said that the elections are "very significant for the stability and the democratic development of the country".

Minister in the Presidency responsible for the National Planning Commission Trevor Manuel said that if South Africa failed to implement sustainable human settlement solutions, the effects would be felt for a long time.

He pointed out that the events at the Marikana mine, in Rustenburg, revealed the socioeconomic issues faced by South Africans that further indicate that a paradigm shift is required.

Manuel said South Africa needed to develop adequate and appropriately positioned housing infrastructure. This would allow communities access to education, water, electricity, health services, affordable public transport networks and employment opportunities.

Manuel added that the fact that only 15% of individuals in South Africa were able to take care of themselves independent of the State was a “failure of mass proportions”.

Also making headlines:

The inter-Ministerial committee will announce the e-toll resolution on Friday.

Global development group Oxfam urges the World Bank to freeze land investments.

And, Nigerian police make arrests following a college massacre in Adamawa state.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today.