Tuesday February 28, 2012

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Brad Dubbelman

Making headlines:

A task team comprising local and foreign media, and government officials will be established to deal with future news reports on former President Nelson Mandela's health. Government spokesperson Jimmy Manyi said the decision to form the team was taken during a meeting between media and government representatives yesterday. "The character of the meeting was very positive. There was agreement and a meeting of minds on concerns about former President Nelson Mandela," he said in a statement. "All parties expressed appreciation around the concerns regarding Madiba's privacy and sensitivity in communicating on his health status."

President Abdoulaye Wade said that he was leading a tight election race with his main rival, Macky Sall, as unofficial vote tallies pointed to a possible run-off between the two for the leadership of Senegal. But while Sall insisted a run-off was "inevitable", Wade announced he was leading the contest with half the votes counted by nearly 7 points and said a straight first-round victory for him or a deciding second round were both possible outcomes. The close race in Sunday's election followed weeks of violent street protests against the 85-year-old Wade's bid for a third term in office - despite a two-term limit - and international warnings that the West African country's reputation as a relatively peaceful democracy hangs in the balance.

Health and education will be the focus of Gauteng's infrastructure development programme to create jobs, the provincial government said yesterday. Infrastructure development MEC Bheki Nkosi said there was a lot of ageing infrastructure in the province, of which Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital was a prime example. "Baragwanath needs a big injection," he told reporters in Johannesburg. The provincial Department of Infrastructure Development, which falls under the umbrella of the Expanded Public Works Programme, drives job creation in the province.

Also making headlines:

Rebel groups in Sudan said they had captured a Sudanese army garrison near the border with South Sudan in an operation that Khartoum blamed on the south's army.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today.