South Africa

JOHANNESBURG – Cosatu General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi says the conflict between the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Cosatu at a protest in Johannesburg was a politically significant event. The DA-organised march is an attempt to pit workers against workers when it is in fact a class battle. He says the confrontation with the DA made clear the differences between the two groups, and that their guiding principles are "fundamentally different". Rocks flew when DA supporters marched to express support for a youth wage subsidy near Cosatu headquarters in the city centre. Police used teargas and water cannons to disperse Cosatu members. The confrontation is an indication of what could come unless joblessness and poverty were not addressed in a radical and different way. Vavi says “we are sitting on a ticking bomb”. "Unemployment and poverty are worse now than ever before." Workers in minibus taxis, described by Vavi as "glass coffins", on their way to work, saw the wealth of others and their frustration was growing. He says the DA protest is an attempt by a political party that represented the rich and company bosses to exploit the country's poor. The most critical issues facing the country are now deepening unemployment, dehumanising poverty, and inequality. He also says the leadership debate and Mangaung is not the major focus. He chastised the media for what he labelled as one-sided reporting on the protests, claiming the DA had come to the protest with a truckload of rocks. Four Cosatu members were badly injured, which was unreported, Vavi claims. "I condemn violence, all violence even from Cosatu members. It is not good for anyone."

BLOEMFONTEIN – President Jacob Zuma says there is "no need for alarm" regarding former crime intelligence boss Lt-Gen Richard Mdluli. There is "concern" over recent negative publicity related to crime intelligence, despite the "sterling" work police continued to perform, he said at a business briefing. Zuma did not mention Mdluli by name, but referred to "the matter affecting the police crime intelligence unit". "Our country has enough instruments to ensure that there is no abuse of power or resources to further any objectives, especially by our intelligence and security services." Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa had established a task team to look into the matter, and a report was expected within a month. "In addition, the inspector general of intelligence has the legal mandate of oversight with regard to the financial management of crime intelligence." Zuma says the inspector general, Faith Radebe, is also empowered to look into any other matters that could be brought to light by the investigation. The presidency says reports that Zuma interfered in Mdluli's investigation, and that he attended a party to celebrate Mdluli's acquittal, are "complete fabrications". "We wish to urge the media to be cautious and stick to the facts when reporting such matters," it says. Mthethwa announced Mdluli would be move from head of crime intelligence to another position within the police. Non-profit organisation Freedom Under Law applied for an urgent interdict preventing Mdluli from serving in the police. It also wanted to interdict Mthethwa from moving Mdluli to a new position before a review of his reinstatement. Last year, Mdluli faced fraud and corruption charges relating to the alleged misuse of a crime intelligence fund, the purchase of luxury vehicles and the hiring of family members. He also faced a murder charge following the murder of a former lover's boyfriend, Oupa Ramogibe. Both sets of charges were withdrawn and Mdluli was reinstated as head of crime intelligence. The murder investigation became an inquest.

JOHANNESBURG – Expelled African National Congress (ANC) Youth League leader Julius Malema denies receiving money from Cabinet Minister Tokyo Sexwale, but says he would have welcomed such a donation. “I have not received any money from comrade Tokyo. I wish I had received some money,” Malema said in Johannesburg at his first news conference since his expulsion on April 24. Malema, describing Sexwale as a “suitable” candidate for President, laughed and said: “Even now, it is not late. If he has got something to give me, [I’ll accept it].” Dressed in a crisp white dashiki, embroidered in the green, gold and black of the ruling party that kicked him out, and a mini beret, Malema was responding to a report in City Press over the weekend. According to the report, a company started and partly owned by Sexwale had paid at least R100 000 into the Ratanang Malema family trust as Sexwale “is seriously stepping up a new campaign to become ANC president”. Malema says all those he supported, even President Jacob Zuma, have never given him money. “I know money and I know what money can do. We can’t sell the organisation and the views and the aspirations of our masses for R100 000. We can’t do that. Anyway, Tokyo qualifies to be a President of the Republic of South Africa.”

DURBAN – Government is being urged by the African National Congress (ANC) in KwaZulu-Natal to reduce privatisation measures and play a bigger role in the economy. Provincial secretary Sihle Zikalala says this will require government to play an active role in the strategic sectors of the economy, particularly in mining, the financial services industry, agriculture and land redistribution. This emerged in the declaration made by the party at its provincial congress held in Newcastle. The declaration calls on the State to “play a more involved role” in growing the economy. The conference adopted a number of resolutions that will be passed along with the declaration of the party’s national policy conference in June. A resolution adopted by the ANC in the province is needed to regain support for the party in the Indian, coloured and white communities. Cyril Xaba, the Premier’s adviser, says the conference noted “the decline of ANC membership in the minority communities and that the ANC is still struggling to attract especially young Indians, coloureds and whites.”

CAPE TOWN – Entrepreneur and analyst Moeletsi Mbeki says the African National Congress (ANC) will not rule South Africa two or three decades from now. “South Africa, politically, is actually quite unstable,” he tells Sapa, speaking after delivering an address at Stellenbosch University. Asked if he thought the ANC would still be in power 20 to 30 years from now, Mbeki, the younger brother of former President Thabo Mbeki, responded: “No, I don’t think so.” Asked which party he thought would replace the ANC, he said: “I think there are new political parties… [there are] awakenings happening in the country that I think will create [this alternative].” Earlier, he told University of Stellenbosch students there was potential for the “emergence of a new political party, driven by organised labour and business”.

Africa & the world

ABYEI – The UN Security Council has called Sudan to immediately and unconditionally withdraw troops from the disputed Abyei border region but Khartoum pledged only to do so after a joint military observer body was created for the area. The 15-member council renewed a UN peacekeeping mission in Abyei, a region containing fertile grazing land that is claimed by both Sudan and South Sudan, and expressed deep concern at delays in establishing an Abyei Area Administration. Khartoum took Abyei in May last year – triggering the exodus of tens of thousands of civilians – after an attack on a Sudanese army convoy from the south. There are 3 800 Ethiopian peacekeepers in Abyei after the council initially authorised the deployment last June. South Sudan withdrew its 700-strong police force from Abyei last week but Sudan's deputy UN envoy, Idris Ismail Faragalla Hassan, criticised the move as the wrong approach. "The withdrawal should take place simultaneously and it should be monitored by a body agreed upon by the two parties," Hassan told reporters. "What happened is that the government of South Sudan took a piecemeal approach, not the comprehensive approach that the government of Sudan is calling for." South Sudan seceded from Sudan in July, six months after a referendum agreed under a 2005 peace deal, ending decades of civil war that killed more than 2-million people. A referendum also had been planned for Abyei to decide if it would join the north or the south but was never held because the sides cannot agree on who can participate. Hassan says former South African President Thabo Mbeki, head of a high-level AU panel given the job of resolving the north and south disputes, is in Khartoum to meet with Sudanese officials and that positive results could be expected.

ALGIERS – European Union (EU) observers gave a qualified endorsement to an Algerian Parliamentary election, which handed victory to the ruling party, bucking the trend of the ‘Arab Spring’ revolts. Some opposition forces expressed suspicion there had been manipulation of votes, a charge the authorities have denied. Jose Ignacio Salafranca, head of the EU’s observer mission in Algeria, says there are shortcomings in some technical aspects of the election but there are “as many positive points as there are weak points”. “This election constitutes a first step on the path to reform, which should lead . . . to a deepening of democracy and human rights,” he told a news conference. The National Liberation Front, the party of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, won 220 seats in the 462-seat Parliament. The RND party, led by Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia, came in second place and a moderate Islamist alliance with links to the ruling establishment came third, according to the official results.