Monday, May 3, 2010

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I'm Amy Witherden.

Making headlines:

African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) leader Julius Malema's diary has been cleared of one of the two complaints that he was meant to face today. The Equality Court in Johannesburg was expected to hear a hate speech complaint against him, lodged by Afriforum Youth, for singing "shoot the boer", but this has been rescheduled to May 20. That leaves Malema's disciplinary hearing by the ANC.
Malema is expected to appear before a disciplinary hearing at Luthuli House in Johannesburg for bringing the ruling party into disrepute. The hearing's chairperson Derek Hanekom said at the weekend that a notice had been served on Malema, but ANCYL spokesperson Magdalene Moonsamy said that she "was not aware" of him receiving a notice to appear at the hearing.
Top ANC officials will decide on Malema's future in the party, with a hearing that could end in a reprimand, suspension or even expulsion. Some weekend papers speculated that Malema could plead guilty to avoid a harsh sentence.

The European Union (EU) will not impose trade sanctions against African States under controversial leadership, including Madagascar, for fear of unfairly punishing ordinary citizens, said development director for the European Commission's trade arm Peter Thompson, adding that diplomatic pressure through the United Nations and other international organisations remains the best route to seeking political reforms in Africa.
Speaking during a visit to Nigeria's capital Abuja, Thompson said that the EU has never used trade sanctions against African nations, because trade is seen as helping deliver development to the people, not the government.
This comes as Madagascar's former leader, Marc Ravalomanana, last month urged the EU to follow the African Union's lead and impose sanctions on President Andry Rajoelina for failing to install a unity government with opposition groups. Although the EU has not barred trade, it has suspended aid worth hundreds of millions of dollars to Madagascar.

Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina said on Saturday, that the time for talks is over after failed power-sharing negotiations and that he would press ahead with forming a new government on the Indian Ocean island.
Rajoelina, ousted President Marc Ravalomanana and former Presidents Albert Zafy and Didier Ratsiraka attended three days of talks this week in Pretoria, organised by mediators from France, South Africa and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
The SADC said after the summit that the four leaders had agreed to meet again in two weeks, but Rajoelina's comments upon his return to Madagascar have cast doubt on that meeting. "I showed patriotism and humility. But it was the last chance. There won't be any more," Rajoelina said.

Also making headlines:

Congress of the People general secretary Charlotte Lobe denies disunity in the party ahead of its elective conference.
Dozens have been injured in clashes between supporters of competing political parties in Zambia during Parliamentary by-elections.
Former Eskom CEO Jacob Maroga will not be reinstated to his position as his relationship with Eskom's board is found to be irretrievably broken down.
And, Eritrean rebel groups pledge to build a joint military front to depose a government that they say is pursuing ethnic persecution and becoming a growing threat to regional security.

That's a roundup of news making headlines today.