Wednesday, July 15, 2009
From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I'm Brindaveni Naidoo.
Making headlines:
The South African government, which has placed infrastructure expenditure at the heart of its response to the global economic crisis, warns that the country is at risk of running into a "a procyclical trough" within the next year, unless new projects are identified to replenish the current pipeline, still dominated by World Cup-related projects.
Speaking at the release of the Medium Term Strategic Framework, Minister in The Presidency responsible for planning Trevor Manuel indicated that it is becoming urgent for new projects to be unearthed, particularly as tournament-related projects are nearing completion.
The MTSF document itself, which sets the framework for expenditure priorities and resource allocation for the next five years, positions the country's R787-billion infrastructure programmes at the centre of an aspiration to "defy the economic forecasts on the upside".

South Africa is viewed as "playing a very positive role" in climate change negotiations, says British Climate Change Minister Joan Ruddock. She adds that South Africa's influence in the Southern African region is also notable.
Ruddock says that she remains optimistic that a post-2012 climate deal will be reached, but emphasises that it must be fair. The financial package involved, is one of the major sticking points to finalising the deal, ahead of the major climate change summit in Copenhagen in December.
Referring to the perceived split between developed and developing world negotiators, Ruddock stresses that we are all in this together. It is also understood that developing nations, like South Africa, will need substantial financial support, from the developed world, as emissions in developing nations threaten to overtake the emissions of the developed countries.

Congress of the People cofounder Mluleki George says that the fledgling party's problems are in its leadership.
Cope has been plagued by infighting, with its former election head Simon Grindrod being suspended and former second deputy president Lynda Odendaal resigning last week.
The new opposition party's former spokesperson, Sipho Ngwema, yesterday published a scathing letter to Odendaal on the social networking site Facebook, calling her a novice, and the "Sarah Palin" of Cope.

Also making headlines:
The Police Ministry says that the final arrangements for the transition of the Scorpions crime fighting unit into the new Hawks unit have been made.
Correctional Services Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula shows that corruption in her department will not be tolerated, by suspending two officials.
The Presidency's Joel Netshitenzhe says that government will launch an expenditure review in a bid to seek out savings.
And, the Democratic Alliance calls for South Africa to stand up against the African Union's opposition to the International Criminal Court, and arrest Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir.

That's a roundup of news making headlines today.