sscan2009

Policy issues from South Africa and its neighbours. Reports every two weeks. v20/19 23 September 05 For subscription details ... PDF file Full report CONTENTS [Page numbers are in PDF file] Region: SA may ditch visas as Zimbabwean refugees flood in P.1 Zambia: Mwanawasa warns on constitutional protests P.2 Mozambique: Anti-corruption chief sacked P.2 Economy continues to grow, leaving out poor P.2 Congo: Neighbouring countries may help disarm Hutu rebels P.2 Strikers angered by scandals and mismanagement P.4 Region: Burundi’s rebels remain reluctant to open peace talks P.4 SA French spat prefigures conflict in Cote d’Ivoire P.5 6,000 troops for SADC brigade P.6 More SA police head for Sudan P.7 SA politics: New party breaks away from Inkatha P.7 ANC seeks to develop Black capitalists and keep them at bay P.7	Region: SA may ditch visas as Zimbabwean refugees flood in [© SouthScan v20/19 23 Sept 05] South Africa’s National Intelligence Agency has set up a commission to probe the mass migration of Zimbabweans into the country, fleeing economic collapse. At the same time moves have begun to scrap visa requirements with Zimbabwe in an acknowledgement that attempts to halt the flood are useless. NIA chief Billy Masetla said this week the issue was of “huge concern” and that an audit was necessary to evaluate the extent of the growing influx. ... Local authorities ... >>>Full report __________ Zambia: Mwanawasa warns on constitutional protests [© SouthScan v20/19 23 Sept 05] Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa on Tuesday warned that police would deal heavily with civil society and political organizations planning to protest for constitutional reform (SouthScan v20/07;08 et.seq). Non-governmental agencies and political organisations have threatened to stage a series of peaceful mass countrywide demonstrations to press for a new republican constitution before the 2006 general elections. .... >>>Full report __________ Mozambique: Anti-corruption chief sacked [© SouthScan v20/19 23 Sept 05] The head of Mozambique’s anti-corruption bureau has been dismissed without explanation. Attorney-General Joaquim Madeira last week replaced assistant attorney-general Isabel Rupia by her assistant Rafael Sebastiao at the head of the renamed ‘Central Office for the Fight Against Corruption’. Rupia will continue in Madeira’s office as an adviser. Petty corruption is common practice in Mozambique, and businesses trying to set up there are effectively fined for their refusal to bribe, a demand made easier by the country’s intricate licensing requirements and opaque compliance regulations. Long delays in the granting of licences to foreign firms and in the release of goods from customs provide further avenues for soliciting bribes, according to a SA Institute of International Affairs survey recently. ...>>>Full report __________ Mozambique: Economy continues to grow, leaving out poor [© SouthScan v20/19 23 Sept 05] Mozambique’s economy continued to grow at a fast pace of 7.3 percent in the first half of this year despite, on the back of a few giant and largely South African-financed ventures. Since 1994 major SA investment in the economy has included SA Breweries’ $25m in 1995; Standard Bank’s $6m in 1995; Anglo American’s $13m in 1996; Shoprite Checkers’ $3m in 1997; Industrial Development Corporation and others’ $1.34bn in 1997; Illovo Sugar’s $52m in 1997; Basil Read, Stocks and Stocks and other construction companies in the Maputo Development Corridor $1bn in 1998; Eskom’s $120m in 1998; Southern Sun Hotels’ $13m in 2000; and the IDC and others’ $860m in 2001. ... Poverty remains ... Kenya air link ... >>>Full report __________ Congo: Neighbouring countries may help disarm Hutu rebels [© SouthScan v20/19 23 Sept 05] The DR Congo’s neighbours are considering a joint operation to disarm the Hutu rebels of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (DFLR) and Ugandan rebels inside the DRC. This is in the likely event that the rebels ignore the joint ultimatum launched by the governments of Kinshasa, Kigali and Kampala on August 25, which set them September 30 as the final deadline to disarm and return to their countries of origin. ... Avoiding contact ... Feasible project? ...>>>Full report __________ Congo: Strikers angered by scandals and mismanagement [© SouthScan v20/19 23 Sept 05] The DR Congo government has been confronted with an unprecedented wave of strikes amidst news of fresh scandals and mismanagement. In particular the recent delivery of 620 new Nissan four-wheel drive vehicles for the MPs and the senators of the transitional parliament, purchased at a cost of US$22,000 each, representing a total bill of $13.64 million, has provoked bitter comments and indignation in local newspapers. ... Union leader arrested ... Three papers closed ... >>>Full report __________ Region: Burundi’s rebels remain reluctant to open peace talks [© SouthScan v20/19 23 Sept 05] Burundi’s National Forces of Liberation, better known under their French acronym FNL, are not ready yet to open peace talks. Last week (September 13) the FNL spokesman, Pasteur Habimana, turned down a government ceasefire offer and said that the FNL did not recognize the government because it had been “imposed by the international community”. The next day new attacks with missiles and grenades were launched against army positions in the Northern outskirts of Bujumbura A house was destroyed in the Gihosha area and a man died in the incident. ... Internal divisions ... >>>Full report __________ Region: SA French spat prefigures conflict in Cote d’Ivoire [© SouthScan v20/19 23 Sept 05] As the situation in Cote d’Ivoire unravels South Africa has angrily denied that its mediation effort has failed and that it is pulling out. An official spokesman this week cited unidentified “forces that are bent on seeking the perpetuation of the destabilization in the region” for the reports, and fingered the French media. The announcement follows days of negative reporting in the South African media about the effort, including suggestions that SA President Thabo Mbeki has been overconfident in his ability to succeed in diplomatic mediation after SA’s success in Burundi and partial success in the DR Congo. ... ‘Ulterior motives’ ... >>>Full report __________ Region: 6,000 troops for SADC brigade [© SouthScan v20/19 23 Sept 05] South Africa has again expressed its satisfaction with progress towards the formation of a Southern African Development Community (SADC) brigade (SouthScan v20/05). Major General Les Rudman told a seminar in Pretoria on Tuesday that the region was on target with its contribution to a planned continental military standby force. SADC had met the deadline of June 30 for the first phase of preparations. An interim planning group for the SADC brigade is in place and preparing to hand over to a permanent structure by December.... >>>Full report __________ Region: More SA police head for Sudan [© SouthScan v20/19 23 Sept 05] A contingent of 42 members of the SA Police Service left last week for Sudan, bringing to 85 the number of SAPS members there. The new group included five women. The police contingent in the Sudan is under the command of South African Anand Pillay, Commissioner of the African Union Mission there. ... >>>Full report __________ SA politics: New party breaks away from Inkatha [© SouthScan v20/19 23 Sept 05] A new political party came into being as a breakaway from the Inkatha Freedom Party last week to take advantage of the country’s floor crossing procedures - gaining eight parliamentary seats from other parties. The National Democratic Convention (Nadeco) interim president is Ziba Jiyane, former IFP national chairman who quit last month. He has taken with him the entire IFP Youth League, as well as familiar IFP MPs such as Gavin Woods, Makhosazana Mdlalose, Chris Ngiba, and Vincent Ngema, as well as leading lights in other opposition parties, leaving IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi in charge of a party few believe has a future. ... >>>Full report __________ SA politics: ANC seeks to develop Black capitalists and keep them at bay [© SouthScan v20/19 23 Sept 05] The ruling African National Congress, reeling from attacks on mismanagement and corruption at its base, from its Left on the issue of sacked former deputy president Jacob Zuma, and from the media for some high-level scandals, has admitted that business interests have affected its internal culture to an unacceptable degree. The party’s national executive committee last week agreed to set up a team to regulate business involvement and called for more urgency in tackling what it called the “corrosive” effects of business involvement. Earlier its national general council meeting attempted to stop public officials from using their influence to win business deals. ... Fishing, telecoms, oil ... Zuma as catalyst... African investment ...>>>Full report

Region:

SA may ditch visas as Zimbabwean refugees flood in

[© SouthScan v20/19 23 Sept 05] South Africa’s National Intelligence Agency has set up a commission to probe the mass migration of Zimbabweans into the country, fleeing economic collapse. At the same time moves have begun to scrap visa requirements with Zimbabwe in an acknowledgement that attempts to halt the flood are useless.
NIA chief Billy Masetla said this week the issue was of “huge concern” and that an audit was necessary to evaluate the extent of the growing influx.
...
Local authorities
... >>>Full report

__________
Zambia:

Mwanawasa warns on constitutional protests

[© SouthScan v20/19 23 Sept 05] Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa on Tuesday warned that police would deal heavily with civil society and political organizations planning to protest for constitutional reform (SouthScan v20/07;08 et.seq).
Non-governmental agencies and political organisations have threatened to stage a series of peaceful mass countrywide demonstrations to press for a new republican constitution before the 2006 general elections.
....
>>>Full report

__________
Mozambique:

Anti-corruption chief sacked

[© SouthScan v20/19 23 Sept 05] The head of Mozambique’s anti-corruption bureau has been dismissed without explanation.
Attorney-General Joaquim Madeira last week replaced assistant attorney-general Isabel Rupia by her assistant Rafael Sebastiao at the head of the renamed ‘Central Office for the Fight Against Corruption’. Rupia will continue in Madeira’s office as an adviser.
Petty corruption is common practice in Mozambique, and businesses trying to set up there are effectively fined for their refusal to bribe, a demand made easier by the country’s intricate licensing requirements and opaque compliance regulations. Long delays in the granting of licences to foreign firms and in the release of goods from customs provide further avenues for soliciting bribes, according to a SA Institute of International Affairs survey recently.
...>>>Full report

__________
Mozambique:

Economy continues to grow, leaving out poor

[© SouthScan v20/19 23 Sept 05] Mozambique’s economy continued to grow at a fast pace of 7.3 percent in the first half of this year despite, on the back of a few giant and largely South African-financed ventures.
Since 1994 major SA investment in the economy has included SA Breweries’ $25m in 1995; Standard Bank’s $6m in 1995; Anglo American’s $13m in 1996; Shoprite Checkers’ $3m in 1997; Industrial Development Corporation and others’ $1.34bn in 1997; Illovo Sugar’s $52m in 1997; Basil Read, Stocks and Stocks and other construction companies in the Maputo Development Corridor $1bn in 1998; Eskom’s $120m in 1998; Southern Sun Hotels’ $13m in 2000; and the IDC and others’ $860m in 2001.
...
Poverty remains
...
Kenya air link
...

>>>Full report

__________
Congo:

Neighbouring countries may help disarm Hutu rebels

[© SouthScan v20/19 23 Sept 05] The DR Congo’s neighbours are considering a joint operation to disarm the Hutu rebels of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (DFLR) and Ugandan rebels inside the DRC.
This is in the likely event that the rebels ignore the joint ultimatum launched by the governments of Kinshasa, Kigali and Kampala on August 25, which set them September 30 as the final deadline to disarm and return to their countries of origin.
...
Avoiding contact
... Feasible project?
...>>>Full report

__________
Congo:

Strikers angered by scandals and mismanagement

[© SouthScan v20/19 23 Sept 05] The DR Congo government has been confronted with an unprecedented wave of strikes amidst news of fresh scandals and mismanagement. In particular the recent delivery of 620 new Nissan four-wheel drive vehicles for the MPs and the senators of the transitional parliament, purchased at a cost of US$22,000 each, representing a total bill of $13.64 million, has provoked bitter comments and indignation in local newspapers.
...
Union leader arrested
...
Three papers closed
...
>>>Full report

__________
Region:

Burundi’s rebels remain reluctant to open peace talks

[© SouthScan v20/19 23 Sept 05] Burundi’s National Forces of Liberation, better known under their French acronym FNL, are not ready yet to open peace talks. Last week (September 13) the FNL spokesman, Pasteur Habimana, turned down a government ceasefire offer and said that the FNL did not recognize the government because it had been “imposed by the international community”.
The next day new attacks with missiles and grenades were launched against army positions in the Northern outskirts of Bujumbura A house was destroyed in the Gihosha area and a man died in the incident.
...
Internal divisions
...
>>>Full report

__________
Region:

SA French spat prefigures conflict in Cote d’Ivoire

[© SouthScan v20/19 23 Sept 05] As the situation in Cote d’Ivoire unravels South Africa has angrily denied that its mediation effort has failed and that it is pulling out. An official spokesman this week cited unidentified “forces that are bent on seeking the perpetuation of the destabilization in the region” for the reports, and fingered the French media.
The announcement follows days of negative reporting in the South African media about the effort, including suggestions that SA President Thabo Mbeki has been overconfident in his ability to succeed in diplomatic mediation after SA’s success in Burundi and partial success in the DR Congo.
...
‘Ulterior motives’
...
>>>Full report

__________
Region:

6,000 troops for SADC brigade

[© SouthScan v20/19 23 Sept 05] South Africa has again expressed its satisfaction with progress towards the formation of a Southern African Development Community (SADC) brigade (SouthScan v20/05).
Major General Les Rudman told a seminar in Pretoria on Tuesday that the region was on target with its contribution to a planned continental military standby force. SADC had met the deadline of June 30 for the first phase of preparations. An interim planning group for the SADC brigade is in place and preparing to hand over to a permanent structure by December....

>>>Full report

__________
Region:

More SA police head for Sudan

[© SouthScan v20/19 23 Sept 05] A contingent of 42 members of the SA Police Service left last week for Sudan, bringing to 85 the number of SAPS members there. The new group included five women.
The police contingent in the Sudan is under the command of South African Anand Pillay, Commissioner of the African Union Mission there.
...
>>>Full report

__________
SA politics:

New party breaks away from Inkatha

[© SouthScan v20/19 23 Sept 05] A new political party came into being as a breakaway from the Inkatha Freedom Party last week to take advantage of the country’s floor crossing procedures - gaining eight parliamentary seats from other parties.
The National Democratic Convention (Nadeco) interim president is Ziba Jiyane, former IFP national chairman who quit last month.
He has taken with him the entire IFP Youth League, as well as familiar IFP MPs such as Gavin Woods, Makhosazana Mdlalose, Chris Ngiba, and Vincent Ngema, as well as leading lights in other opposition parties, leaving IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi in charge of a party few believe has a future.
...
>>>Full report

__________
SA politics:

ANC seeks to develop Black capitalists and keep them at bay

[© SouthScan v20/19 23 Sept 05] The ruling African National Congress, reeling from attacks on mismanagement and corruption at its base, from its Left on the issue of sacked former deputy president Jacob Zuma, and from the media for some high-level scandals, has admitted that business interests have affected its internal culture to an unacceptable degree.
The party’s national executive committee last week agreed to set up a team to regulate business involvement and called for more urgency in tackling what it called the “corrosive” effects of business involvement. Earlier its national general council meeting attempted to stop public officials from using their influence to win business deals.
...
Fishing, telecoms, oil
...
Zuma as catalyst...

African investment
...>>>Full report