HARARE – Zimbabwean information minister who threatened to jail journalists should retract his statement and honor an agreement to implement media reform, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Information Minister Webster Shamu made the threat on August 4 against journalists who used information he said had been leaked from cabinet meetings. Shamu said that journalists and ministers could face jail sentences of up to 20 years under the 1970 Official Secrets Act for using confidential information from cabinet proceedings to “further their political agendas”, according to news reports. The legislation, which dates back to the Republic of Rhodesia, prohibits government... Continue Reading
JOHANNESBURG – Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale; Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane; MEC for Local Government and Housing Kgaogelo Lekgoro and the Executive Mayor of Johannesburg, Amos Masondo, will tomorrow, August 17, officially launch the Lufhereng housing development in Soweto by handing over some of the completed houses to beneficiaries. Established in line with the Breaking New Ground policy, the development is aimed at building a sustainable community located closer to economic opportunities and able to provide residents with social and economic amenities such as schools, crèches, churches, clinics, parks as well as business nodes. Lufhereng is the biggest mixed housing... Continue Reading
By Samantha Perry – The Professional Journalists’ Association of South Africa supports calls made by City Press editor Ferial Haffajee and Wits University’s Prof Anton Harber last night at the Critical Thinking Forum, hosted by M&G and Amandla, for the ANC to take the proposed media appeals tribunal off the table. While ProJourn believes that there is room to evaluate and strengthen the mechanisms through which the print media regulates itself, it fully agrees with comments made during the debate last night that such impetus for self-improvement should not come from the ANC, but rather from within the media itself.... Continue Reading
SEOUL – Equatorial Guinea’s President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, on his first trip to Korea since the two allies formed diplomatic ties three decades ago, has met with Korea’s President Lee Myung-bak during a bilateral summit in Seoul, Korea. President Obiang said the agreements reached at the meetings in Korea will be of great benefit–technologically and economically–to both nations. President Lee mentioned his expectation for Korean investments to move forward in Equatorial Guinea, while President Obiang asked Korean businesses to take advantage of the country’s vast opportunities in natural resources, including oil, gas and agriculture. Equatorial Guinea’s Minister of Agriculture and... Continue Reading
Issued By Jackson Mthembu, ANC National Spokesperson African National Congress It is very unfortunate that Helen Zille in her desperate attempt to justify the swallowing of the Independent Democrats by the Democratic Alliance when addressing a press conference resorted to peddling misleading lies about corruption thriving under the ANC governance and about the Constitution being under threat. These are tired scarecrow tactics that could not sustain COPE and that would not hold DA-ID marriage together. We will not dwell on refuting the vows of this marriage founded on a lie and which can only be sustained by more lies. All... Continue Reading
