Reserve Bank Governor Gill Marcus told MPs on Tuesday that the expanded mandate of the bank passed to her by Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan last Wednesday, which explicitly requires the bank to consider economic growth and job creation, does not mean that the bank has a specific role in these matters. She also made it […]
WB puts new Congo deals on ice until row resolved
The World Bank’s private investment arm, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), will not make new commitments in the Democratic Republic of Congo until a dispute over a cancelled mining contract is resolved, a spokesman said. The IFC owns 7,5% of a 553m copper and cobalt project led by Canada’s First Quantum Minerals that the Congo […]
Sudan: Khartoum offers to share power with rebels
Khartoum will offer Darfur’s most powerful rebel group government posts as part of a future peace deal to end conflict in Sudan’s west, according to documents setting out the terms of negotiations. The documents were the first concrete sign that Khartoum is prepared to share power with its bitter foe in the western region — […]
South Africa: No freebies, cut prices for World Cup
World Cup tickets will not be discounted or given away. At a conference at Sun City, Fifa general secretary Jerome Valcke lashed out at journalists following reports that ticket prices had been cut. Valcke said the football federation had made a pact with President Jacob Zuma that World Cup venues would be filled but this […]
English papers out to sabotage South Africa — Jordaan
WORLD football’s governing body Fifa went on the offensive yesterday in a growing row with English tabloid newspapers over the readiness of England’s base camp for the World Cup finals. A visibly irritated general secretary Jerome Valcke and his South African local organising committee counterpart, Danny Jordaan, used a news conference to refute allegations that […]
Command centre to co-ordinate World Cup traffic
The Department of Transport is to launch a “command centre” that will co-ordinate the transport plans for the nine host cities of the Soccer World Cup. The command and call centre would serve as a central hub of co- ordination for transport operations, information management and risk assessment throughout SA during the World Cup. Host […]
South Africa notifies UN of seized North Korea arms
South Africa has notified the UN Security Council that it recently seized a shipment of North Korean arms bound for Congo in violation of UN resolutions, diplomats said on Tuesday. One diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the South Africans on Monday informed the council’s panel monitoring sanctions imposed on North Korea that spare […]
South Africa: Business interests fine – JZ
President Jacob Zuma yesterday said there was nothing to prevent ANC Youth League President (ANCYL) Julius Malema from having undeclared business interests, because he is not an elected public official. “Malema is not a government employee, he’s not a director of any thing. He is Malema, he’s a politician, he’s the leader of the ANC […]
South Africa: Vavi belittled on audits
President Jacob Zuma has put Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi in his place over his call for lifestyle audits of politicians and public servants. Addressing the Parliamentary Press Gallery Association yesterday, President Zuma also manoeuvred carefully on the storm raging over ANC Youth League president Julius Malema and his business dealings, while emphasising that the […]
South Africa: Zuma says student did 'something untoward'
President Jacob Zuma on Tuesday said the student who allegedly gave his convoy the finger had recognised that he did something “untoward” because he had apologised for his actions. “The man apologised. The fact that he’s apologising, he must then know that there is something untoward,” Zuma told the parliamentary press gallery association. UCT student […]