November 9, 2012.

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Samantha Moolman.

Making headlines:

Opposition parties table a motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma.

Military action in Mali could have a significant humanitarian cost.

And, MPs urge that CEO salaries be curbed.

Parliamentary Leader of the Opposition Lindiwe Mazibuko gave notice of a motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma in the National Assembly on Thursday afternoon.

The motion was brought on the grounds "that under Zuma’s leadership the justice system has been politicised and weakened; corruption has spiralled out of control; unemployment continues to increase, the economy is weakening, and, the right of access to quality education has been violated".

The motion was "mandated" by eight opposition parties, including the African Christian Democratic Party, the Azanian People's Organisation, the Congress of the People, the Democratic Alliance, the Freedom Front Plus, the Inkatha Freedom Party, the United Christian Democratic Party and the United Democratic Movement.

The African National Congress, however, in a statement issued later on Thursday by its chief whip's office, labelled the notice of motion a "desperate, if not silly, publicity stunt".

A military intervention in northern Mali against Islamist militants will have a high humanitarian cost, says the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Access for aid workers is already precarious in the north, where 500 000 people – half the remaining population – depend on foreign aid.

Military experts from Africa, the United Nations and Europe have drafted plans to recapture northern Mali, which fell to rebels in March after a coup in the capital Bamako led to a power vaccum.
ICRC President Peter Maurer urged foreign leaders to bear the humanitarian cost in mind as they planned action.

Cope MP Nick Koornhof says the level of CEO remuneration in the private and public sector is sending out the wrong message to the average worker.

Koornhof said the huge gap between the rich and poor meant the country should condemn the exorbitant salaries paid to CEOs of private companies and state-owned enterprises.

Despite the economic downturn in 2008, CEOs were still able to double their earnings.

ANC MP Gloria Borman welcomed the debate.

Also making headlines:

South Africa is still the most attractive foreign direct investment destination in Africa, despite the recent negative perceptions that the country is losing momentum, says advisory firm Ernst & Young.

Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir vows a 'painful response' to the alleged Israel bombing in Khartoum.

And, the UN says public pressure in Libya mounts for security reform.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today.