Thursday July 28, 2011

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Brad Dubbelman

Making headlines:

Business Unity South Africa (Busa) said that questions around the economic and business implications of Gauteng’s toll roads have still not been answered. Busa had submitted questions to Deputy Transport Minister Jeremy Cronin and the South African Rail Agency Limited on July 13, but said it was still waiting for adequate answers. Some questions included the construction costs of all the phases of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project, electronic toll collection costs, general assumptions for off-peak periods and frequent users and possible compliance risk assumptions.

Foreign groups are meddling in Egypt and stirring up unrest, Egypt's army chief said, days after protesters marched to the Defence Ministry to urge their military rulers to speed up reforms. "There are foreign players who feed and set up specific projects that some individuals carry out domestically, without understanding," Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, head of the ruling military council said in an address to officers.
Scores of people were injured during Saturday's march in Cairo when thousands of demonstrators fought opponents, hurling stones and firebombs. Military police, armed with tasers and batons, fired in the air to stop the demonstrators from approaching the Defence Ministry but did little to intervene in the clashes.

The Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (DPCI), also known as the Hawks, raided the offices of the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) in Pretoria and Kimberley yesterday. Hawks spokesperson McIntosh Polela said the raids followed allegations of fraudulent activity related to the awarding of prospecting rights. He said that the Sishen Iron Ore Company, which is 74% held by Anglo American’s Kumba Iron Ore, had laid criminal charges with the South African Police Services. “The charges relate to a second company fraudulently receiving mining rights with assistance from people at the DMR,” Polela explained.

Also making headlines:
Pressure increased on Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi as the rebels opposing him won diplomatic recognition from Britain and their leadership withdrew an offer for him to stay in Libya if he gave up power.
A global labour federation plans to bring African unions together to battle the expansion of US retailer Wal-Mart on the continent, a senior group member said.
And, a South African man was found guilty of assault for spilling a whisky and water drink near President Jacob Zuma at the country's premier horse race last year, local media reported.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today.