Friday March 2, 2012

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Brad Dubbelman

Making headlines:

Political support and efficient communication between the public, concessionaires and governments are key to toll road implementation in Africa, African Investment Infrastructure Managers infrastructure equity fund manager Mikesh Pema said. “It is cardinal to get public buy-in to ensure successful toll road implementation in Africa. This can be achieved by focusing on effective customer service. The public must see the benefit of paying toll fees and concessionaires should seek to deliver continued improvement,” he stated at the sixth Africa Roads convention, in Sandton. Adding to this, he said it was important that concessionaires involve governments in the toll-rate setting process.

Zimbabwe's demand that foreign companies turn over majority stakes to locals is being driven by upcoming elections, and scaring investors away, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said. Mining firms, banks and retailers have grown increasingly worried about the law, pushed by Tsvangirai's rival and coalition partner, President Robert Mugabe. Tsvangirai said politicians can make promises of bringing riches to the masses, but the law states market prices must be paid for the stakes in foreign firms and there is not enough money in private hands to make that happen.

The Black Business Council (BBC), which was formally relaunched at an elaborate ceremony in Midrand yesterday, confirmed that unity negotiations with Business Unity South Africa (Busa) had "deadlocked" and that it would be moving to establish itself as a distinct business voice over the coming months. Newly installed president Ndaba Ntsele indicated that talks with Busa, which got under way formally in November, had broken down over the divergent views on the principle of "equality", with Busa indicating that BBC demands in this regard were "unworkable". Head of policy Mxolisi Zwane denied that BBC had "closed the door" on further unity talks. But he said the eight negotiation sessions had not borne fruit and had reached a point where an impression was created that Busa was not negotiating in good faith.

Also making headlines:

Guinea's electoral commission said it would hold its delayed Parliamentary election on July 18, a vote that could help the West African State unblock donor aid potentially worth billions of dollars.

And, US car giant General Motors has agreed to pay a symbolic sum of up to $1.5-million to victims of South Africa's Apartheid-era government, who are suing it and another four companies for helping prop up the white-minority State.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today.