November 21, 2013
From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Motshabi Hoaeane.
Making headlines:
 

The United Nations says children who are at risk of AIDS should be tested at birth.

Transport Minister Dipuo Peters says e-tolling is expected to go live on December 3.

And, the US pledges $40-million for Central African Republic peacekeepers as violence in the region escalates.

 

The United Nations said on Wednesday that more than a quarter of a million children each year are born infected with the virus that causes AIDS, but too few are being tested early to receive treatment and prolong their lives.

Michele Sidibe, executive director of UNAIDS, called for diagnostic kits to be improved for detection in babies of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (or HIV) that causes AIDS, and for their "still high" current price of $25– $50 to be brought down. He said children are the "forgotten" victims of the AIDS epidemic, yet 260 000 babies joined their ranks last year, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa.

According to senior UNAIDS officials US-based Abbott Laboratories and Swiss drugmaker Roche are among the main manufacturers of HIV diagnostics.

According to the Geneva-based agency some 3.3-million children under age 15 have HIV, but only 1.9-million of them require treatment today. Fewer than 650 000 or 34% of the 1.9-million received antiretroviral AIDS drugs in 2012, still a rise of 14% from the year before, the agency said.

 

Transport Minister Dipou Peters announced on Wednesday at a media briefing in Pretoria that the contested Gauteng e-tolling system, which is part of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP), is set to start on December 3.

She noted that the date of implementation was not influenced by the upcoming festive season, stressing that e-tolling had to be implemented according to law, namely the Transport Laws and Related Matters Amendment Act approved by President Jacob Zuma in September.

Peters said the South African National Roads Agency Limited should be allowed to start collecting toll fees to begin repayment of the R20-billion debt incurred owing to work undertaken under the first phase of the GFIP.

Sanral CEO Nazir Alli said the announcement of the e-tolling start date was “good news”, adding that Sanral could now get on with its business of building, maintaining and improving South Africa’s national road network.

 

The US expressed concern on Wednesday about growing violence and lawlessness in Central African Republic (or CAR) and pledged $40-million toward an African Union-led peacekeeping force to bolster security throughout the country and protect civilians.

Secretary of State John Kerry said the US saw no evidence that the CAR transitional government has the capacity or political will to end the violence, especially the abuses committed by elements of the Seleka rebel alliance that are affiliated with the government.

Kerry called on the international community to support the peacekeeping force "in order to restore security in the country" and said the US would work with other nations to press for a credible political transition.

Thousands of people have fled clashes between former rebels and local militias in recent days and concern is rising about violence between Muslims and Christians.

 

Also making headlines:

Internet penetration is expected to add $300-billion to Africa’s GDP.

Public Protector Thuli Madonsela has vowed to depoliticise the report on the security upgrades to President Jacob Zuma's Nkandla homestead.

Nigeria extends the state of emergency rule in violence-hit states where the military is battling Islamist militants.

And, The Central African Republic has been in contact with warlord Joseph Kony and his Lord's Resistance Army fighters to urge them to surrender.

 

That's a roundup of news making headlines today.