February 19, 2013.

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Motshabi Hoaeane.

Making headlines:

The ANC say Mamphela Ramphele’s party political platform is grievance driven.

Zimbabwe seeks funds from local firms for its referendum.

And, Anglo American Platinum's Rustenburg operations are hit following violence at the mine.

The ruling ANC says political activist Mamphela Ramphele's new party political platform is grievance driven. Ramphele announced her new party political platform called Agang SA, which means "build South Africa" in Sepedi, on Monday.

ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu said the ruling party welcomed her to the political environment and hoped that she had the necessary staying power, adding, however, that the initiative by Ramphele provoked South Africans to participate at the periphery of the ANC’s political dispensation. He said that the ruling party would meet her where it mattered most – in the hearts and minds of South African people.

Congress of South African Trade Unions spokesperson Patrick Craven said that, as with any new party, there is inevitable political demagoguery. He said Ramphele's economic policies were indistinguishable from those of the Democratic Alliance, who wanted to free the market economy so that it could exploit the workers more ruthlessly and increase the profits of big business.

Mamphele meanwhile said she intended on using the platform to contest the 2014 national elections.

 

Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has announced that the destitute country plans to borrow from local companies to raise the $100-million it needs to hold a referendum on a new constitution.

The southern African country will vote in March on whether to adopt a new charter approved by parliament. The charter seeks to curb sweeping presidential powers while strengthening state institutions such as the cabinet, parliament and the judiciary.

Tsvangirai and one of his deputies in government, Arthur Mutambara, said the government wanted to borrow from firms, including mines and banks, as well as issuing Treasury bills.

Finance Minister Tendai Biti had already approached the United Nations to help raise money for general elections, which by law are due when the current presidential and parliamentary terms expire at the end of June.

 

Anglo American Platinum (or Amplats) spokesperson Mpumi Sithole says workers at its Rustenburg operations in South Africa are likely to stay away from work on Tuesday following violence at the mine on Monday.

Rubber bullets and machetes wounded at least thirteen workers during the fighting at Amplats' Siphumelele shaft. This follows clashes between rival unions in the first major violence this year after deadly strife in the sector in 2012.

The unrest is likely to unnerve investors in Africa's biggest economy, home to the world's largest known reserves of platinum.

Amplats this month reported its first ever annual loss, battered by six weeks of violent strikes last year, soaring costs and weakening platinum prices

 

Also making headlines:
 

Fighting breaks out in Sudan's Blue Nile border state between the military and rebels trying to overthrow President Omar Hassan al-Bashir.

The US could resume direct support for Mali’s military should democracy be restored through upcoming elections.

Opposition supporters hold protests across Guinea to demand a free and fair parliamentary election on May 12.

And, Tunisian Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali fails to form a new cabinet to stem unrest in the country.

 

That’s a roundup of news making headlines.