Tuesday April 17, 2012

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Shannon de Ryhove

Making headlines:

ANC Youth League spokesperson Floyd Shivambu's public criticism of ANC appeals chairperson Cyril Ramaphosa was made in his personal capacity and does not represent the League’s official position, its deputy president Ronald Lamola said. "We agree with the ANC that the attack on Ramaphosa's personal integrity and standing in society was unwarranted and did nothing to advance a comradely political debate," Lamola said. In an article published in the Sunday Times, Shivambu questioned Ramaphosa's motives for punishing Youth League president Julius Malema.

Sudan has denied its warplanes bombed an oilfield seized by forces from South Sudan and blamed the south for any damage to the facility during fighting that has raged since last week. South Sudan's Information Minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin told reporters in Juba that aerial bombardment of the oil facility in the Heglig region had caused serious damage. "They are bombing the central processing facility and the tanks to rubble," he said. The fighting in the border area has drawn widespread condemnation from global powers and raised fears the former civil war foes could resume full-blown conflict.

Consumption continued to trump production in South Africa, Absa Investments GM Craig Pheiffer said on Monday. Real retail sales grew by 3.9% year-on-year (y/y) in January and manufacturing grew 4.1% y/y in February, while mining production fell by 14% y/y, following a series of safety stoppages and strikes at mining groups such as Impala Platinum, AngloGold Ashanti and Harmony. Industrial activity continued to weaken internationally, but this slowdown was consistent with China’s rather “soft landing”, Pheiffer said.

Also making headlines:

The World Bank chose Korean-born American health expert Jim Yong Kim as its new president, maintaining Washington's grip on the job and leaving developing countries frustrated with the selection process.

And, water-stressed South Africa needs to invest a massive R573-billion in water infrastructure, services and demand management over the next decade, but has budgeted for less than half this amount, government said.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today.