Thursday November 10, 2011

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Jessica Hannah

Making headlines:

The possible inclusion of a public interest defence in the Protection of State Information Bill has been welcomed by the South African National Editors' Forum (Sanef) and the Right 2 Know Campaign. Sanef chairperson Mondli Makhanya says they look forward to further progress in ensuring that this Bill is a democratic instrument for the management of sensitive information, rather than a tool to suppress the free exchange of information and ideas that are central to South Africas constitutional dispensation. Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe discussed the controversial bill with Parliament's Press Gallery Association on Tuesday.

Political manipulation of Congo's security forces has brought crackdowns on opposition parties and may lead to bloodshed in this month's election, a UN report states. Human Rights Watch says the report documents just a fraction of the actual abuses. The European Union and African Union issued separate warnings of a deteriorating political situation in the Central African country. Congo is due to hold presidential and parliamentary elections on November 28, but preparations are far behind schedule, the early stages of campaigning have been increasingly violent and there are fears of results being challenged in unrest.

South Africa played down suggestions from rating agency Moody's that political pressure could lead to a further deterioration in public finances, saying Pretoria was committed to a sustainable fiscal path. Treasury spokesperson Bulelwa Boqwana says the country's debt metrics have not deteriorated compared to its counterparts and, looking at how the country is managing its debt, makes it clear that although the deficit is widening it is not borrowing more.
 Moody's cut South Africa's A3 rating outlook to negative from stable, voicing concern that pressure from unions and black voters wanting greater economic redress for the ills of apartheid could erode the country's finances.

Also making headlines:
The Development Bank of Southern Africa said that the Jobs Fund investment committee has approved R352-million in cofunding for seven projects, which will create a projected 115 226 jobs.
And, Liberia's main opposition candidate says he might seek the annulment of a presidential run-off boycotted by his supporters, raising the prospect of confrontation in a country recovering from civil war.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today.