Wednesday May 11, 2011

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Brad Dubbelman

Making headlines:

The South African government has denied a report that it intended reopening the claims process to compensate families who were moved from their land. The SABC reported that the process would be reopened to include those who had missed earlier deadlines and those whose ancestors were uprooted before 1913. The Department of Rural Development and Land Reform said that the government received a proposal from claimants on Monday asking that the process be reopened. However, the proposal, made to Rural Development and Land Reform Minister Gugile Nkwinti, would have to be referred to the Cabinet and the President before it could be considered by the government, he said.

The R16,5-billion acquisition of Massmart by the world’s largest retailer, Wal-Mart, if successful, could open up the South African retail market to further acquisitions by foreign companies. Econometrix senior economist Tony Twine said that there are other companies in the retail sector that could also be targeted. But, Twine alluded to the potential acquisition of Massmart by Wal-Mart, and the increased potential for foreign ownership in South Africa’s retail sector, as pointing more towards using South Africa as a springboard into Africa and not only the expansion into the local retail sector.

Somebody must take responsibility for the unenclosed toilets in Viljoenskroon, in the Free State, African National Congress (ANC) Youth League president Julius Malema said on Tuesday. "Heads must roll," he said nearly a week before South Africa goes to the polls in the local government elections. Malema was inspecting unenclosed toilets in the Rammulotsi township, near Viljoenskroon, in the ANC-run Moqhaka municipality. He said no municipalities should provide unenclosed toilets. “It should not even cross their minds.” Malema said if a municipality did not have enough money to build a fully-enclosed toilet, it should not even begin.

Also making headlines:
Libyan rebels said they had made gains by driving back Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's troops on the eastern and western edges of the port city of Misrata and encircling them at the airport.
Countries using nuclear energy must ensure their reactors are built to withstand multiple disasters after Japan's accident revealed gaps in safety standards, United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon said.
And, there are as many as 829 800 unfilled positions in high-skilled occupations in South Africa, human capital group Adcorp said.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today.