June 1, 2012

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

Making headlines:

Business Unity South Africa (or Busa) has requested a meeting with the Inter-Ministerial Committee established to deal with the current opposition to and legal interdict against the implementation of e-tolling on Gauteng’s upgraded motorways.

The committee is led by Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe and includes several Ministers.

Motlanthe said yesterday that, while government remained convinced that the user-pay option was the most “viable, fair and equitable” way to fund the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Programme, and that e-tolling was the “most appropriate mechanism for collection of toll fees”, the committee remained open to consultation.

Busa said it would like to raise possible long-term solutions to the broader financing and roll-out of future road and transport infrastructure.

The World Bank said on Thursday that while Africa may have enviable economic growth rates by global standards, they are still not enough to pull its growing population out of poverty.

The IMF this month revised down its growth forecasts for Africa in 2012 to 5.4%, lower than previous forecasts.

Africa's growth has remained above 5% in the last eight years, underpinned by strong prices for its natural resources, better governance and growing disposable incomes, but poverty is not falling anywhere near as fast.

Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan has insisted that any additional financial support extended to stabilise the financial position of the South African National Roads Agency Limited will have no impact on South Africa’s Budget deficit position.

It was confirmed on Thursday that government was considering the implementation of an additional Appropriation Bill to assist the embattled roads agency meet its short-term financial obligations.

Gordhan stressed, however, that government wouldn’t pursue interventions that could result in an increase in the deficit.

Also making headlines:

Sudan will keep police forces in the disputed Abyei region bordering South Sudan for now.

And, South Africans live for the now, ignoring calls by government to save for the future.

That’s a round-up of news making headlines today.