Monday, September 27, 2010

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I'm Brad Dubbelman.

Making headlines:

President Jacob Zuma has criticised the African National Congress Youth League's (ANCYL's) push for a change in the ruling party's top leadership structures.
In an interview with The Star newspaper, Zuma responded to the ANCYL's campaign for a so-called generational mix in the national executive committee, saying that "there is a lot of youth there, so what are you talking about?"
It is widely known that the ANCYL wants its former leader, Fikile Mbalula, now Deputy Police Minister, to become secretary-general of the ruling party, a position currently held by Gwede Mantashe.
"We have a system in the ANC on how do we deal with the question of lobbying and nomination... so why introduce a new culture?" asked Zuma. He said that the lobbying for positions in the ANC despite instructions not to do so, "is a huge thing that should be stopped".

Zimbabwe must show greater respect for human rights and political freedoms before US sanctions on the impoverished African nation can be removed, the US State Department says.
The State Department said that its top diplomat for Africa and other US officials met three Zimbabwean Ministers last week and had praised the economic advances but raised concerns "that political progress has not been as successful." "Zimbabwe must make further progress for the removal of targeted sanctions," US officials said.
"As long as human rights violations, land seizures, and intimidation of those participating in the political process continue, the sanctioned individuals and entities on the list who continue to perpetrate and benefit from these acts are unlikely to be removed," the US State Department said.

South African President Jacob Zuma said on Sunday that he would ask his Cabinet Ministers to set their own performance targets that he would then monitor to try to improve the delivery of services to citizens.
Zuma said that the ruling African National Congress (ANC) had emerged united after a policy meeting that ended on Friday and he now saw renewed energy in the government's performance. "The mood in the country has become more positive because any perceived tension within the ANC affects all our people," Zuma said. "We will put more energy into changing the way government works."
South Africans have protested and criticised the government over poor service delivery, prompting Zuma to sign performance agreements with Ministers in April. The agreements will now be followed with the setting up of targets.

Also making headlines:

Presidential spokesperson Zizi Kodwa denies reports of plans to reshuffle Cabinet Ministers and remove underperforming Ministers.
The African Union urges the United Nations to put war crime charges against Sudanese leader Omar Hassan al-Bashir on hold, warning that they could destabilise the region and endanger the upcoming referendum.
Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa says that South Africa will hand out harsh punishments to perpetrators of xenophobic attacks against migrants.
And, the leaders of north and south Sudan vow to work for peace as world leaders pressured them to hold a referendum on southern independence peacefully and on time.

That's a roundup of news making headlines today.