Monday, July 6, 2009
From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I'm Amy Witherden.
Making headlines:
The Young Communist League has backed African National Congress Youth League president Julius Malema's call for the nationalisation of mines, adding that banks should also be included, in accordance with the 1955 Freedom Charter.
YCL president David Masondo said at a South African Students Congress meeting this weekend, that ownership of the country's economic resources by the people, would mean greater participation in decisions on the utilisation of resources.
Last week, Malema called for the nationalisation of mines, citing the current economic crisis as a time "when imperialist forces are accepting the failures of capitalism".
The ANC has dismissed nationalisation, saying the policy is not on the table.
The Congress of South African Trade Unions has also pledged its support for the idea of nationalisation.

US President Barack Obama's choice of Ghana for his first official trip to Africa next week, has triggered a bout of self-questioning in Nigeria and Kenya, where many see his decision as a deliberate snub.
Obama states that he wants to hold Ghana up as a democratic model for Africa, where polls are too often marred by vote rigging and violence. His decision has, however, dented the pride of States which consider themselves equally important and worthy of a visit.
Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation and a major supplier of oil to the US, was already sensitive to the growing influence of Ghana, particularly since Ghana will itself become an oil producer by the end of next year.
While Obama's own father was born in Kenya, the US President says that he is concerned about how political parties do not seem to be moving towards a permanent reconciliation in that country after last year's election violence.
Some analysts say that Obama's choice of Ghana is symbolic, as it was the first African country to gain independence from colonial dominance, as well as being advanced in its transition to a democratic form of governance.

South Africa will maintain its policy of targeting inflation, which has helped to stabilise prices and encourage economic growth, says Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan.
Inflation targeting has been a source of friction between the African National Congress government and its allies in the communist party and trade union movements, which want the policy scrapped on the grounds that it has impoverished their members.
The Reserve Bank's recent decision to leave rates unchanged at 7,5% further angered unions, which have threatened strikes to force bigger and more rate cuts to drive the economy out of recession.

Also making headlines:
African National Congress President Jacob Zuma calls for the merger of his party with the Inkatha Freedom Party.
The Group of Eight rich nations is expected to back a new approach to food aid and development at its summit this week.
Zimbabwe is to withdraw its army from the Marange diamond fields following criticism over human rights abuses.
And, African Union leaders have voted against cooperation with the International Criminal Court in its prosecution of Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir.

That's a roundup of news making headlines today.