Media Monitor, 29 March 2011

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1. Workers

1.1 War declared against domestic worker abuse

Luphert Chilwane, The New Age, 29 March 2011

The South African Domestic Service and Allied Workers’ Union (Sadsawu) has declared a war against the abuse of domestic workers. The union has urged workers to report unfair labour practice to their nearest labour centres.

“It is high time that these vulnerable workers fight back for their labour rights. As a union we are here to help them,” said Eunice Dhladhla, Sadsawu’s national organiser”

“Our members are being abused on a daily basis, intimidated behind those big electrified walls and we are saying that must stop,” she said.

Domestic service has long been a major sector of the SA labour market, particularly for black women, but the government has only lately begun to consider stipulating minimum employment conditions in this sphere.

Dhladhla said her union had received numerous complaints from domestic workers alleging that their employers were not complying with the minimum employment conditions prescribed by the Department of Labour.

These conditions require an employer to pay a domestic worker at least the minimum wage and every domestic worker must be granted wage increases of at least 8% every year.

According to the department’s updated tables for this sector, the minimum wage for the period 1December 2010 to 30 November 2011 should be at least R1506.34 per month. The wage increases must be calculated on the domestic worker’s actual wage in the preceding month.

Dhladhla’s statement comes after the recent complaint by a domestic worker who works for an Indian family in Lenesia, south of Johannesburg.

The woman, who did not want to be identified, called The New Age last week asking for help.

“I have been working for this family for almost five years now but I am still earning R800 per month. I have, on several occasions, asked them to increase my salary and even asked whether I was registered with the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF). They never attended to any of my requests,” she said.

She works from 6am to 8pm, cleaning the house, looking after children and doing laundry. “I’m only allowed to visit my two children in Mafikeng on Saturdays.”

Dhladhla said domestic workers were the “oil in the wheel” and without them many societies and economies could not function.

“They work abnormal hours doing the house work while their employers are participating in the world economy.”

She said most domestic workers were still not liberated. “They are not unionised, are subjected to meagre salaries and intimidated and sexually assaulted by their bosses,” she said”

“Noncompliance with the laws is still a major problem. It is high time for them to come out and fight for their rights – and they must do that without fear.”

Earlier this year, the department sent inspectors to various households to check the level of compliance . Their findings were still being consolidated, according to an inspector, who did not want to be named.

Sadsawu’s general secretary, Myetle Witbooi, said domestic workers were often not regarded as workers and in many countries were excluded from labour legislation.

“The majority of domestic workers do not have access to social protection. Because their workplace is a private home, many domestic workers suffer abuse, including rape and other forms of violence,” she stressed.

She said decent work for domestic workers was an effective way of reducing their and their families’ poverty. She said that to this end, this year was particularly important for domestic workers worldwide.

“The second and last reading of an international labour standard, and International Labour Conference convention, will be negotiated in June in Geneva.”

“If adopted, it will give recognition to billions of domestic workers and lay the basis to ensure minimum protection for one of the most vulnerable categories of workers,” she said.

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1.2 Rising health costs are biggest worry for workers

Zinhle Mapumulo, The New Age, 29 March 2011

Medical scheme members also believe their benefits are steadily decreasing.

A survey has found that rising healthcare costs are the biggest concern for employers, brokers and medical schemes.

It also revealed medical schemes are still struggling to contain these costs while members believe the benefits are steadily decreasing.

The survey conducted by OMAC Actuaries & Consultants confirmed what Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said last week. Motsoaledi labelled the private health sector as “destructive and unsustainable” at the World TB Day event in Durban.

He said, “The rising costs in this sector that only caters for a minority of people in this country will destroy itself.”

More than 100 companies, including 83 employers, 15 brokerages and 21 medical schemes, participated in the survey.

All the participants viewed the overall cost of prescribed minimum benefits (PMBs) as a major driver of rising healthcare expenses. PMBs are a set of 270 medical conditions and 26 ongoing, serious chronic diseases that medical schemes must cover under every option of their offering.

Margaret Hulme, head of healthcare consulting at OMAC Actuaries & Consultants, said, “In order to retain their affordability, most schemes have been forced to reduce benefits where possible by introducing co-payment structures and reducing other, non-prescribed minimum benefits.

“However, members do not perceive the PMBs as valuable enough to offset the reduction in other benefits.

“Schemes are very aware that if they cannot meet the affordability challenge, the introduction of the national health insurance (NHI) could radically alter the format of medical schemes. Because there is little confirmed detail regarding the implementation of the NHI, the majority of respondents have adopted a wait-and-see approach to the NHI for now,” she said.

Another key finding is the failure of disease management and wellness programmes to add significant value, in spite of a dramatic increase in uptake by employers.

The implementation of disease management programmes in the workplace increased significantly from 26% of employers surveyed in 2005 to around 90% of employers surveyed in 2010.

The use of wellness programmes increased from 12% in 2005 to 63% of employers using open schemes and 18% of employers using closed schemes in 2010.

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1.3 SA job seekers stretching their horizons to overseas

The New Age, 29 March 2011

More than three-quarters of South Africans would be willing to relocate for the right job, with many even prepared to move to another country or continent in order to secure their preferred position, the Kelly Group said yesterday.

“By far the most mobile workers are among Gen Y (aged 18-29), who are more footloose than their Gen X (aged 30-49) and baby boomer (aged 50-65) counterparts,” said the group.

A total of 77% of some 1100 respondents said they were prepared to move for the right job. While 46% were prepared to move within the country, 32% were willing to relocate to another country or continent.

The most desirable destination for globe-trotting South African job-seekers is Europe, nominated by 39%, well ahead of North America (18%), elsewhere in Africa (9%), South America (6%), Middle East (6%), and Asia Pacific (5%).

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1.4 Sasfu fights deregistration

The New Age, 29 March 2011

The South African Security Forces Union (Sasfu) has brought an urgent application in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria to interdict the Registrar of Military Trade Unions, JT Crouses, from de-registering Sasfu.

Sasfu contended that the registrar’s decision was irregular and not based on correct information and true facts about the union.

The high court ruled that there was no urgency as Sasfu was still legally allowed to continue as a military trade union and could continue operating within the Sandf with the full protection of the law.

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1.5 64 of Sactwu bursars graduate

The New Age, 29 March 2011

A TOTAL of 64 bursars of the Cosatu-affiliated Southern African Clothing & Textile Workers Union graduated in 2010, a report tabled at the union’s national executive committee meeting held last week, showed.

The union paid out R3.3m in 2010 bursary fund assistance to needy students from poor working class families. Of the 64 graduates, 43 graduated with degrees and 21 with diplomas. The graduates include six accountants, two lawyers, five economists, four engineers, two medical doctors, one architect, one lab technician, one forensic technician, two nurses, two geologists and others.

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1.6 Higher education stability needed

The New Age, 29 March 2011

The National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) has voiced its concern over the lack of stability and the level of anger coming from students and workers in a number of higher education institutions.

“This instability and anxiety needs to be dealt with immediately before a lot of learning time is lost.

“Our union has raised a number of issues with the Department of Higher Education and Training requesting their intervention, without success,” said union spokesperson Sizwe Pamla.

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2. South Africa

2.1 Vavi: Independents ‘show middle finger’

By Michelle Pietersen, Pretoria News, 29 March 2011

The rise of independent candidates emerging from the structures of the ANC and its alliance partners was the biggest challenge the ruling party faced in the run-up to the May 18 general elections, Cosatu boss Zwelinzima Vavi warned.

“These people basically showed the middle finger to everyone. It’s the biggest crisis we are facing and if we don’t stop it we are all doomed,” Vavi told the Pretoria News.

His warning came after reports that a number of aggrieved members of the ANC and its allies, the SACP and Cosatu, had registered as independent candidates after being rejected or overlooked during the taxing list process.

He cited a case in Limpopo where members of the National Union of Mineworkers had registered as independent candidates.

Vavi said this was a general problem and not isolated to the ruling party.

He condemned the decision of wayward members deciding to contest elections themselves, saying corruption bred in climates where the desire for self-enrichment topped party loyalty.

“We made it very, very clear that we won’t support independent candidates. The list process and guidelines were developed with the ANC and its alliance partners to drive the process, but I have come to accept that you can design the best process, but people are people. Humans beings will find a way around the best processes.”

Vavi said the rise of independents posed a big threat to the ANC and the nation as a whole.

He would not elaborate on how he thought the challenge posed by independent candidates would affect the number of votes the ANC would garner in the polls, as he was duty bound to support the ANC and not deter voters.

But he decried the “it’s about me” attitudes of the independent candidates.

“The leaders can go jump, society can go jump - it’s unbelievable. Corruption is there and has risen,” said Vavi.

Concern about people’s unhappiness with self-serving councillors led the ANC - for the first time - to allow communities to have a say in deciding whose names should be put forward as candidates on the party’s lists.

This has led to a backlash, with protests at ANC offices engineered by those unhappy at losing their salaries as councillors, or those who felt they deserved the nomination.

In some cases, communities have protested where they felt their choice of candidates was overruled by local party structures.

SACP spokesman Malesela Maleka echoed Vavi’s sentiments.

He said he had received unconfirmed reports that a number of SACP members had registered as independent candidates.

However, the party would only be able to determine the number once the Independent Electoral Commission had finalised party lists.

Responding to allegations that SACP boss Blade Nzimande had backed SACP and ANC member Sandile Ngcobo as an independent candidate in his home town of KwaDambuza, outside Pietermaritzburg, Malesela said the occurrence was not isolated to that area.

“This process (of independent candidates) started in various provinces,” he said.

“I received SMSes asking me to handle this and that problem since December. It’s just now that people picked up on it because it’s juicy and sexy as it’s Blade’s hometown.”

KwaZulu-Natal SACP spokesman Themba Mthembu said: “We did voice our position about concerns. We don’t encourage independent candidates and we don’t support it.”

Other SACP members said they were “dissatisfied with the process conducted” and said the SACP’s voice had been overshadowed by the ruling party.

The Sunday Times reported that discussion on Ngcobo’s candidacy took place at a meeting two weeks ago, when Nzimande met Ngcobo and others.

Despite being supported by the community, Ngcobo was rejected as a candidate by the ANC’s list committee. This created tensions that spilt over into a violent clash last Sunday between ANC and SACP supporters, the newspaper reported. Ngcobo registered as an independent candidate on Friday.

Maleka said the claims were part of a continuing campaign aimed at ousting Nzimande from his SACP leadership position. There is a view within the SACP and Cosatu that Nzimande has been compromised by becoming a member of President Jacob Zuma’s cabinet, where he serves as Higher Education Minister, at the expense of the party - and the interests of workers.

Nzimande could not be reached for comment. He left South Africa on Saturday on a four-day working visit to the US, accompanying Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe and other ministers.

ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu said independent candidates from within the party’s ranks would not be a challenge for the party.

“How would it be a challenge when we don’t even know who the independent candidates are?

“No, we have not picked up (a rise of independent candidates who are members of the ANC). We will not allow independents or anyone to determine how we engage in our election game, we will take them on like we did before,” said Mthembu.

He said the issue had not been addressed by the ANC in any of its meetings and said it would not be on the agenda when the party’s top six office bearers had their routine Monday meeting. - Political Bureau

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2.2 Cosatu NWest calls on members to remain in the ANC

The New Age, 29 March 2011

Cosatu in the North West on Monday called on its members to remain in the ANC after disappointment over the party's list process.

"We are requesting and appealing to all members of the federation and loyal members of the ANC in all regions that we must go out and work for the ANC to win the election; let's close the book of complaining," said Cosatu provincial secretary Solly Phetoe in a statement.

"Cosatu calls all its members to remain in the movement of the people, the ANC."

This after the ANC had made changes to its candidate lists without informing Cosatu.

"As Cosatu we want to be on record that we condemn and reject strongly that the federation was not informed regarding the changes on [the] ANC list," he said.

"Those who know very well that they were not nominated by the real ANC branches and supported by members of the communities will remain with sins in their heart during the election work and when they are in council to perform their duties as per the ANC manifesto."

There was a spate of protests over the ANC candidate lists in the North West last week. ANC provincial secretary Kabelo Mataboge at the time said the party was not attending to any more complaints as it had already dealt with them. He could not immediately be reached for comment on Monday.

Phetoe condemned the choice of some members to contest the election independently, the burning of government property and those who planned to resign from the ANC after their names were removed from the lists.

The removals arose from the factional battles leading up to the province's elective conference earlier this year, he said.

"As the federation in the NW we are calling for a cool down from all those who are removed from the list due to factions, due to friends, due to business opportunities including populists in the ANC.

"The ANC is not for sale; those who are imposed on the communities will not fail the ANC in the long run like those who are removed before the end of their term."

He said Cosatu in the North West was "on the ground" to make sure the ANC won the 2011 local elections and warned the Democratic Alliance to "stop promising our poor people things that they did not do when their friend the National party [was] in power".-Sapa

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2.3 ANC infighting brings municipality work to a halt

Sowetan, 29 March 2011

SIMMERING divisions within the ANC in North West are taking their toll of governance following a campaign to "recall" pro-Zuma municipal mayors, suspended staff appointments and contracts with service providers being reviewed.

The ANC leadership in the Bojanala region yesterday attempted to oust the mayor of the Bojanala Platinum district municipality, Raymond Motsepe, and to replace him with new regional chairperson Louis Diremelo.

But Motsepe did not turn up, causing the council meeting to be postponed to Thursday.

The Bojanala ANC region, a strong backer of provincial strongman Supra Mahumapelo, called a "special emergency council meeting" via SMSes over the weekend.

The mooted recall of Motsepe, a fierce rival of Mahumapelo since their support for Zuma and former president Thabo Mbeki, respectively, at the Polokwane elective conference in 2007, yesterday brought work in the municipality to a standstill.

Sources in the Bojanala municipality said Mahumapelo, the ANC provincial chairperson, attended the ANC caucus before the controversial council meeting.

Mahumapelo was accompanied by his ally and new provincial treasurer Philly "Mr Cash" Mapulane and deputy provincial secretary Gordon Kegakiloe.

The Bojanala ANC leadership has also instructed all five local municipalities that make up the district to stop employing new staff.

The affected municipalities are Rustenburg, Moses Kotane near Sun City, Kgetleng in Swartruggens, Madibeng in Brits and Moretele near Hammanskraal.

Zuma and Mbeki supporters recently exchanged blows outside the Bojanala municipal offices over the removal, shifting or total exclusion of Zuma supporters on the election lists. As a result six wards around Rustenburg have registered candidates who were not included in the final list to contest the elections as "independents".

Meanwhile, Cosatu in the province has called on its members to vote for the ANC despite changes on the nomination lists.

ANC members in several Durban townships clashed over the lists last week. Similar clashes were also reported in the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and Gauteng.

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2.4 SA retailers look to local clothing

By Samantha Enslin-Payne, Business Report, 29 March 2011

Retailers facing rising costs in China want to source greater quantities of clothes from local suppliers, but to do so they need better prices from local manufacturers and certainty that problems in the industry will be resolved.

Michael Lawrence, the executive director of the National Clothing Retailers Federation (NCRF), said yesterday: “I certainly think retailers would look to improve local sourcing if pricing was better.”

He added that the local clothing manufacturing sector had good turnaround times and produced quality products, but the disarray in the industry, where many companies faced closure over non-compliance with minimum wages, was also a serious concern.

The bargaining council has writs of execution against 471 companies, which employ about 18 000 people, for about R141 million. These companies operate in Botshabelo, Bloemfontein, Kimberley, the Durban metro, Newcastle, Thaba Nchu and the Western Cape.

The first deadline to phase in the minimum wage is the end of March when companies have to be at least 70 percent compliant.

Lawrence said if the bargaining council implemented the writs of execution, a significant aspect of local manufacturing would be phased out.

Retailers are watching this development closely as they cannot confidently source from local suppliers if they face the nightmare of empty shelves.

“The systemic uncertainty in manufacturing needs to be resolved as a number of retailers are avoiding local manufacturing due to these risks,” he said.

Asked whether NCRF members source from non-compliant businesses, Lawrence said given the complex local supply chain “it is very possible we end up with goods on our shelves from non-compliant companies”.

The Apparel Manufacturers of South Africa (Amsa) believes its proposed wage model for entry-level workers could resolve non-compliance and it will insist that this be the content of wage talks with the union next month.

Amsa executive director Johann Baard said cost pressures in China had resulted in factory prices rising by about 35 percent in the past 18 to 24 months primarily due to rising labour costs there. As a result, South African retailers wanted to source from home, but they needed a price point below the current status quo and a reliable domestic supply chain.

“With this guarantee, retailers will start planning their return to sourcing from South Africa,” Baard said.

He said Amsa confirmed its presence for the negotiations this year, but it was inconceivable for the trade union to expect a conventional exchange under circumstances where half the industry did not comply with current minimum wage, which Amsa members did.

“What is the point of negotiating for a wage increase that is not affordable,” Baard said.

But Wayne van der Rheede, the deputy general secretary of the Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers Union (Sactwu), said if employers said they were coming to discuss an alternative wage model and would not engage on wage negotiations, then that was a disguise for boycotting wage negotiations.

He said discussions on a new wage dispensation fell under the industry accord that was facilitated by the Department of Economic Development. “Clearly we are open to dialogue that seeks to sustain the industry, but Sactwu cannot entertain proposals that will reduce wages to 1985 levels. We are willing to talk about other issues to support the industry,” Van der Rheede said.

He added that the prospect raised by employer organisations of the imminent closure of non-compliant factories was scaremongering. He said from April 1 the bargaining council would assess how many non-compliant businesses had met the deadline to be 70 percent compliant. Once that was determined a strategy would be decided upon.

The weekly minimum wage for a machinist working in a non-metro area is between R489 and R579, and R738 for those working in a city. - Business Report

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2.5 SACP dissolves Limpopo leadership

NEWS24, 29 March 2011

Polokwane - The SACP has dissolved its Limpopo provincial executive committee, spokesperson Malesela Maleka said on Monday.

The announcement followed reports of a plan to dislodge SACP general secretary Blade Nzimande by the party's Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal offices.

Maleka said the SACP's central committee decided, "given the challenges confronting the SACP in the province", that it would be best to dissolve the current PEC and replace it with an interim one.

The interim PEC would "lead the organisational renewal process in Limpopo", he said.

"The team is expected to lead the organisational renewal process which will include an intensive political education process, resuscitation of party campaigns in the province and make an assessment, in conjunction with the central committee, of the state of readiness for the provincial congress."

The new team was also tasked with establishing "sound working relations" with the SACP's alliance partners, the ANC and the Congress of SA Trade Unions.

'Nzimande campaign to intensify'

"The SACP is quite mindful that dissolving a structure has its own complications and should be a measure of last resort in the organisation.

"The latest intervention is however necessary in order to restore organisational functionality in the province."

The interim provincial secretary is Gilbert Kganyago, the interim chairperson Stan Mathabatha, the interim treasurer Polly Boshielo, deputy secretary Jacob Teenage Monama, and deputy chairperson Moss Tembe.

The Sunday Independent quoted a central committee member which it did not name saying there was a "high level of factionalism" in the SACP.

According to the report, the campaign to oust Nzimande would intensify after the May 18 local government elections.

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2.6 Malema takes aim at Zuma

By Matome Sebelemetsa, Beauregard Tromp and Moloko Moloto, The Star, 29 March 2011

A defiant Julius Malema has publicly questioned President Jacob Zuma’s leadership and judgment.

Speaking at an ANC Youth League conference in Limpopo, Malema also accused Zuma of abandoning Nelson Mandela’s foreign policy principles by siding with the “imperialists” for supporting a UN no-fly-zone resolution against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Now the firebrand ANCYL leader could be thrown out of the ANC for openly defying the party’s national disciplinary committee.

Last year, the committee convicted him for implying that Zuma was worse than Thabo Mbeki after the president warned Malema against publicly criticising him and causing divisions in the party.

Malema was let off with a warning that he would be expelled from the party if he breached the ANC’s constitution again.

Addressing a regional conference in Tzaneen, Limpopo, at the weekend, Malema said Zuma had made poor decisions since being elected ANC president in 2007.

Read the full story in today's print edition of The Star

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2.7 ANC dodges Malema questions

Business Report, 29 March 2011

The ruling ANC questioned on Tuesday why it should take disciplinary action against youth leader Julius Malema, based on “rumours”.

“Why would we be taking disciplinary action on the basis of allegations that are made? We don't act on rumours,” African National Congress spokesman Jackson Mthembu told Sapa.

He was reacting to a report in The Star newspaper on Tuesday that Malema had criticised President Jacob Zuma at a weekend conference in Limpopo, a move that could land him in hot water with the ruling party.

“All we are saying is, even if we were to take disciplinary action, we won't tell you,” added Mthembu.

Last May, Malema had to make a public apology to Zuma after criticising him in public.

An ANC disciplinary committee also warned him that, should he be found guilty of contravening rule 25.5 (i) of the ANC constitution within the next two years, his membership would be summarily suspended.

ANC Youth League spokesman Floyd Shivambu questioned the accuracy of Tuesday's newspaper report.

But The Star newspaper said it stood by its story, which quoted Malema as saying, referring to the situation in Libya: “South Africa voted in favour of imperialists, and we cannot smile about that.

“The ANC of Nelson Mandela would never have voted for the killing of fellow Africans imposed by our former masters.

“Since he got into power, comrade Zuma has been surrounded by bad advisers. I'm dismayed and shocked at the way our country makes its decisions. How can they vote for the interests of the UN and the United States of America, a country which clearly wants control over oil reserves?”

Shivambu said Malema had criticised the government's move for supporting a United Nations no-fly zone resolution in Libya, where leader Muammar Gaddafi's rule was under attack.

But he said Malema did not personally attack Zuma.

“He 1/8Malema 3/8 never said that. He never said anything about all those things,” Shivambu told Sapa, claiming that The Star reporter was not at the conference.

In a statement issued later on Tuesday morning, Shivambu said:

“The ANC Youth League is in possession of an unedited video footage of the address by ANCYL president and it shows that there was no mention of President Jacob Zuma on the address.”

But the English daily said three journalists had worked on the story and one of them had attended the conference and had made notes of Malema's comments.

Last year, Malema faced disciplinary action in the ANC.

This came after several incidents, including the youth leader chasing a BCC reporter out of a press conference after calling him a “bastard” and a “bloody agent”; he also expressed support for Zimbabwe's Zanu-FP while Zuma was trying to finalise a political settlement between them and Movement for Democratic Change formations; and Malema complained about being publicly rebuked by Zuma.

He also sang the words “shoot the boer” in public after it was banned by a high court.

The youth leader was ordered to make a public apology to Zuma, attend a course at the ANC's political school and pay a R10,000

fine to a youth development project.

“I make this apology unconditionally as I accept that as a leader of the ANC and of the ANC Youth League my conduct and public utterances should at all times reflect respect and restraint,” he said in his statement of apology last May. - Sapa

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2.8 Motlanthe defends affirmative action

The Star, 29 March 2011

Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe on Monday weighed in on the Jimmy Manyi controversy while on a visit to the United States.

Motlanthe said there were people who were seeking to undermine affirmative action who were taking advantage of Manyi’s remarks. He did not name specific people or organisations.

“They wait for a black person, who sees things in black and white, to make a statement and then they say, ‘that is racism in reverse’,” Motlanthe told an audience at a public lecture at New York University.

He joked that while it was difficult to find a white person who supported apartheid, there were still some who wanted to “backslide”.

“You will not find one single white South African who ever supported apartheid. Not one. All of them had black friends,” said Motlanthe to the audience’s laughter. “But some people will want to backslide.”

Motlanthe was joined at the event by Minister of Higher Education, Blade Nzimande.

Development challenges in Africa offerred opportunities for academics in the United States and elsewhere to make a meaningful contribution, Motlanthe told his audience.

“We call upon the American people in different fields of human endeavour to once again join hands with us so that together we can contribute to the achievement of these important goals of reconstruction and development.

“In effect, challenges of development in Africa offer opportunities for academics and intellectuals in the United States and elsewhere in the developed world to make a meaningful contribution in this regard,” he said.

“The partnership we are calling for works out to a win-win situation in that Africa is ripe with opportunities. “What this means is that while the American partners bring invaluable capital investment, they also stand to gain in terms of healthy returns,” he said.

Motlanthe said the “dismal picture” painted of Africa after independence had now been replaced by “optimism of an Africa determined to turn the corner and claim its place in history”.

“The sustainability of all our attempts to build an Africa that can claim its place and catch up with the rise and speed of development of the emerging powers, will largely be informed by sound institutions necessary to provide support to commerce-driven development, under free, just and democratic political arrangements,” he said.

Motlanthe is on a four-day working visit to the US to strengthen bilateral, political and economic ties. He will visit New York, Washington and Chicago. - Sapa

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