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• South African Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi resigns as head of international crime fighting body, Interpol. The news follows President Thabo Mbeki's announcement that Selebi, who faces allegations of corruption, fraud, racketeering and defeating the course of justice, will be taking an extended leave of absence. In a statement following the resignation, Interpol stress that the allegations against Selebi relate to his capacity as Commissioner of the South African Police Service and have nothing to do with his position as president of Interpol or the work of the organisation.
• On a visit to South Africa, Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern meets with Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Nqcuka on bilateral relations and development issues. Ahern, accompanied by the largest-ever Irish trade mission to South Africa, announces that the Irish government has approved a €5-million grant for building township houses in South Africa. The houses are to be built by the Niall Mellon Township Trust the largest provider of charity housing in South Africa, responsible for building more than 5000 houses for shack-dwellers over the past six years.
• The China/Africa Development Fund, a government-backed institution to help Chinese firms invest in Africa, launches its first investment plan, pumping $90-million into four projects on the continent. The fund, financed by policy lender the China Development Bank, was unveiled in June 2007, honouring a promise made by Chinese President Hu Jintao at a summit with African nations in Beijing in November 2006.
Also making headlines:
• Kenya's Parliament elects a speaker from the opposition, heralding serious legislative problems for President Mwai Kibaki after his disputed re-election last month unleashed a wave of bloodshed.
• Criticism is levelled against South African Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke, following reports that comments made by Moseneke at his sixtieth birthday party showed disdain for delegates to the African National Congress National Conference held in December.
• An official Chinese newspaper's assertion that Kenyan political turmoil shows that Africa is unsuited to Western democracy, touches a nerve on a continent trying to overcome the legacies of colonialism and dictatorships.
This bulletin has been compiled with the assistance of Reuters and Sapa.
Also available on the Polity website are a number of recommended reports and documents that provide for interesting reading, including:
• The sworn affidavit of South African Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi, which was included in an urgent application to the South African High Court to halt charges being brought against him by the National Prosecuting Authority.
• ‘The Global Economic Prospects 2008’ report, which takes an in-depth look at the current level of, and recent trends in, technological achievement, and the main factors that determine the extent to which countries succeed in implementing foreign technologies. And;
• The African National Congress January 8, 2008, statement.
Also freely downloadable on the site are several new pieces of South African legislation and a collection of important addresses made by South African government leaders and other leading figures from around the African continent.
That’s a roundup of this week’s activities on Creamer Media’s polity.org.za.
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