September 9, 2013.
From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Motshabi Hoaeane.
Making headlines:

Unions call an end to South Africa’s motor and gold industry strikes.

The investigation into possible misappropriation of State funds for President Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla estate continues.

And, Mali's new President, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, names the first post-rebellion cabinet.
 

Workers in South Africa's motor and gold industries will return to work this week after strikes that have crippled operations at some of the country's biggest producers were resolved on Sunday.

Prolonged labour disputes in these two key exporting industries had threatened to compound the woes of Africa's largest economy, which is still reeling from last year's violent strikes in the mining sector and continuing problems in the platinum sector specifically.

This brings to an end the gold industry strike that started on Tuesday night. Workers at gold majors such as AngloGold Ashanti and Sibanye Gold returned to work on Friday after accepting the industry offer of an increase of between 7.5% and 8%.

National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa's deputy general secretary Karl Cloete said the union recommended that workers accept an increase of 11.5% for this year and 10% in each of the next two years.

 

The Department of Public Works has rejected allegations that Cabinet Ministers tried to pursuade Public Protector Thuli Madonsela to drop her investigation into the upgrade of President Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla estate.

This comes after a Sunday newspaper report on Zuma's R208-million upgrade of his private Nkandla estate.

The newspaper reported that Madonsela held two separate meetings with members of Zuma's Cabinet and Madonsela's spokesperson Kgalalelo Masibi confirmed that there had been a meeting.

Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi said in a statement that officials and other Ministers had met the Public Protector to discuss issues pertaining to her investigation, and that these meetings had nothing to do with these sensational claims. Nxesi said his department would co-operate with the public protector.

Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita on Sunday revealed his new Cabinet, tasked with reviving the West African nation following a turbulent 18 months that saw a coup and a rebellion plunge the gold exporter into crisis.

The announcement of the make-up of the 34-member Cabinet on State television follows the nomination of Oumar Tatam Ly, a technocrat and senior official with the regional BCEAO central bank, as Prime Minister last week.

The announced Cabinet replaces a transitional authority established to lead Mali to presidential elections, which are seen as a necessary step to restoring democratic order and unlocking billions of dollars in foreign aid.

Also making headlines:

President Jacob Zuma has been granted leave to appeal the High Court in Johannesburg against the order to release the so called "spy tapes".
 

Egypt's army-backed authorities decided to annul the Muslim Brotherhood's non-governmental organisation status.  

And, Deputy International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ebrahim Ebrahim says United Nations inspectors dispatched to Syria must be given the opportunity to conclude their assessment on whether the Assad regime used chemical weapons.
 

That's a roundup of news making headlines today.