Tuesday September 20, 2011.

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

Making headlines:
The ANC postponed Parliament's vote on the Protection of State Information Bill at the eleventh hour on Monday for further consultation, but said the legislation would be finalised by the end of the year.

Ruling party chief whip Mathole Motshekga said the decision was made because interest groups, which he declined to name, had asked for another chance to make input on the state secrets legislation.

The bill was expected to be passed by the National Assembly on Tuesday, thanks to the ANC's overwhelming majority and despite threats from the opposition, media and rights groups to take it on constitutional review.

However, Motshekga strenuously denied media reports that the ANC's national executive committee was split over the bill, which critics see as an infringement of freedom of expression.

Public Works Minister Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde said on Monday that tender irregularities of about R3-billion were uncovered in a probe into the Public Works Department.

She said the department was aware of more than 40 cases where tenders were awarded improperly, where procedures were not followed and dishonesty took place.

Criminal charges were likely to be brought against several officials and outsiders.

The Minister, who was appointed ten months ago, admitted that her department had failed South Africans, and she vowed to root out corrupt personnel.

Libya's interim government said its forces seized the airport and fort in Sabha, one of the last strongholds of forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi, which also controls the main route south out of Libya.

Any advance on the town would be an important boost for government forces who have struggled to contain disunity in their ranks and faced stark reversals on other parts of the battlefield.

Nearly a month after Gaddafi was driven from power, his loyalist holdouts have beaten back repeated assaults by NTC forces at Bani Walid and Sirte, Gaddafi's birthplace. NTC fighters have been sent fleeing in disarray after failing to storm Gaddafi bastions.

Also making headlines:
The US is concerned by localisation stipulations in South Africa’s renewables tender.

Zambians to head to the polls in a close presidential race.

And, South Africa could lose out on carbon financing if the EU moves ahead with its least developed countries plan.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today.