ANC News Briefing 2 Februaru 1999
ANC Department of Information and Publicity
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A N C D A I L Y N E W S B R I E F I N G
MONDAY 1 FEBRUARY 1999
PLEASE NOTE: This News Briefing is a compilation of items from South
African press agencies and as such does not reflect the views of the
ANC. It is for reading and information only, and strictly not for
publication or broadcast.
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@ REGISTER-NORTHWEST
WINTERVELDT Jan 29 Sapa
NW REGISTRATION BEGINS: ZIP-ZIP MACHINES PROVIDE SOME HICCUPS
Voter registration began on Friday in the eastern areas of the
North-West Province with a few hitches, including the
malfunctioning of the "zip-zip machines" which scan bar codes on
identity documents.
Potential voters braved the early morning heat to get to
polling stations before they opened on time at 9am.
At stations which were operating smoothly, potential voters
each took about three minutes to complete the registration process.
Premier Popo Molefe is expected to visit polling stations
around the province later on Friday.
@ BOMB-PRECAUTIONS
CAPE TOWN Jan 29 Sapa
SAFETY MEASURES FOR POLICE STATIONS IN EASTERN METROPOLE
Twenty-four police stations in Cape Town's east metropole on
Friday announced extra safety measures following Thursday's
pipe-bomb explosion at the central police station at Caledon
Square.
Area Commissioner Niel van Heerden said the callousness and
heartless way in which the police, the guardians of law and order,
were the targets of ruthless people was totally unacceptable and
intolerable in any civil society.
He said administrative personnel would be used for visible
policing duties in their station precincts. The immediate
perimeters of the police stations would be cordoned off and no
parking would be available near police premises.
Members of the public visiting police stations would be
subjected to security checks.
He called on the community to have understanding and empathy
for the police and said it was important to have these measures in
place to ensure the safety of police officers and the community.
@ REGISTER-FREESTATE
BLOEMFONTEIN Jan 29 Sapa
FREE STATE REGISTRATION PROCEEDS SMOOTHLY
More than a thousand registration stations in the Free State
opened on time on Friday morning as the second campaign to register
voters in the province got underway, the Independent Electoral
Commission said.
Provincial IEC chairman Chris Mepha said, unlike the last round
of registration in the Free State in December which were plagued by
staff shortages, the IEC had received an overwhelming response from
civil servants to its call for volunteers.
Some stations have double the staff needed to deal with
registration, Mepha said.
Stations in Botshabelo and Thaba Nchu in the eastern Free State
opened as scheduled at 9am, with electoral officers reporting that
registration was proceeding smoothly.
Only a trickle of potential voters had arrived at stations
early on Friday, but the pace was expected to increase at lunchtime
and after 5pm.
The Free State has the highest registration statistics so far
following the registration campaigns in November and December,
during which about 9,6 million of a potential 25 million voters
registered nationally.
@ REGISTER-GAUTENG
JOHANNESBURG Jan 29 Sapa
REGISTRATION SLOWED AFTER VOLUNTEERS FAIL TO ARRIVE
Volunteer workers failed to arrive at several voter
registration stations around Johannesburg on Friday, delaying the
registration process, the Independent Electoral Commission said.
The IEC said the areas affected included Orange Farm south of
the city, areas east of the city and parts of Lenasia.
The deployment of SA National Defence Force volunteers had been
delayed because of transport problems.
One station in Centurion had not opened an hour after the
scheduled opening time of 9am. Although the point was advertised as
a registration station, staff in the area south of Pretoria said
they had not been informed that a station should be opened there
this weeken.
@ NDPP HOLDING URGENT TALKS TO DISCUSS BOMB BLAST
Issued by: David Barritt & Company (Pty) Ltd
SUPER-ATTORNEY GENERAL MEETS CABINET MINISTERS TO DISCUSS CAPE TOWN
BOMB BLAST
Bulelani Ngcuka, the director of the National Directorate of
Public Prosecutions (NDPP) is this morning holding urgent talks with
the Minister of Justice, Dullah Omar, Minister of Safety and
Security, Sydney Mufamadi and National Police Commissioner, George
Fivaz to discuss yesterday's pipe bomb attack in Cape Town. Ngcuka
flew to Cape Town this morning to attend today's meeting.
Ngcuka says this urgent top-level meeting is being held to
discuss what additional measures need to be taken in Cape Town to
end the spate of terrorist bombings which have plagued the city in
recent months.
Ngcuka also condemned in strongest terms yesterday's bomb blast
which occurred outside the Central Police Station in Buitenkant
Street leaving numerous pedestrians injured, three of them
seriously. "Such barbarism and urban terrorism will not be tolerated
and we will bing those responsible to book," he said.
Issued by David Barritt & Company on behalf of the Office of the
National Director of Public Prosecutions. For further information
contact David Barritt on 082 891 1629
@ KRIEGLER-FF
JOHANNESBURG Jan 29 Sapa
KRIEGLER'S CONCERNS ABOUT IEC THREATENS ELECTION CREDIBILITY:
FF
Justice Johann Kriegler's concerns about the independence of
the Independent Electoral Commission posed a serious threat to the
credibility of the forthcoming elections, the Freedom Front said on
Friday.
Deputy president Thabo Mbeki's dismissal of Kriegler's concerns
made no contribution to resolving the situation, FF spokesman
Pieter Mulder said in a statement.
"The only way Mbeki and the African National Congress
government can restore the independence and credibility of the IEC
is take Kriegler's concerns seriously," Mulder said.
Media reports on Friday released details of correspondence
between Mbeki and Kriegler in which Kriegler expressed concerns
about the impartiality of the IEC.
He said the IEC appeared to be unable to plan and compile a
voters' roll without government interference.
If Mbeki and the ANC did not take these concerns seriously
there would always be a question mark over the credibility of the
elections, which would result in international investors and
opinion-makers writing South Africa off as just another African
state, Mulder claimed.
Mulder also appealed to all opposition voters to register to
prevent the ANC from gaining a two-thirds majority in the election.
@ PAC DEMONSTRATORS MOB COURT
Issued by: East Cape News (Ecn)
GRAHAMSTOWN (ECN) - A mob of angry PAC demonstrators danced and
sang protest songs outside the Grahamstown Magistrate's Court here
yesterday (subs: Fri) morning.
They were protesting about alleged child-rapist and cricketing
legend Lorrie Wilmot, 55, who is appearing before the court in an
effort to get magistrate Ivan Munnik to allow him to come back to
the Albany District.
Coordinator of the Albany PAC Mr Zweliyadune Mtotoyi said: "We
are here because of Lorrie Wilmot who sexually abused children on
his farm." Demonstrators waved placards which said: "Sentence this
racial rapist Wilmot to hell. PAC demands justice for all in our
beloved Azania." Other placards stated: "We have no place for
Wilmot," and "Down with child abuse". Mtotoyi told ECN: "This is the
PAC against child abuse irrespective of race, colour or gender."
Wilmot, a former Eastern Province cricket captain and Albany
paprika farmer, told ECN at court yesterday he was "a broken man".
Since his arraignment his wife had divorced him and he had been
sequestrated. He is charged with three counts of rape and two of
indecent assault against two black girls of 13 and 14, and a
17-year-old.
Apart from bail of R5 000, Wilmot must report to the Kleinmonde
Police Station daily between 8am and 6pm. He is also prohibited from
entering the Albany district, or having contact with state
witnesses.
@ UNISA-PRINCIPAL
PRETORIA Jan 29 Sapa
MELCK CHOSEN AS UNISA'S NEW PRINCIPAL
The University of South Africa on Friday appointed Antony Melck
as its new vice-chancellor and principal.
In a statement in Pretoria, Unisa said Melck would start his
duties at the beginning of March on a two-year contract.
Melck was the acting principal of the university, and three
other candidates had also applied for the positions, said Unis
@ TERROR LEKOTA AT FUNERAL SERVICE
Issued by: African National Congress KwaZulu Natal Province
AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS KWAZULU NATAL PROVINCE
DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION AND PUBLICITY
PATRICK TERROR LEKOTA AT THE FUNERAL SERVICE OF VICTIMS OF THE
NDABEZITHA MASSACARE
ANC National Chairperson and Chairperson of the NCOP, Patrick
Terror Lekota will be a main speaker at the funeral service for
seven of the eleven victims massacred on Saturdey night last week at
Richmond. Funeral service will be held tomorrow, Saturday, 30
January 1999 at Ndaleni Mission Hall, Maswazini, Richmond at 09h00.
Cortege will then leave to Siber Cemetery for burial.
High profile leaders of the ANC will attend this funeral service
such as ANC Provincial Chairperson, Sbu Ndebele, his deputy, Dr
Zweli Mkhize; ANC NEC member, Dumlsani Makhaye; Provincial
Spokesperson on Safety and Security, Bheki Cele; Richmond Mayor,
Andrew Ragavaloo and others.
The ANC calls upon Richmond community to remain calm but
exercise maximum vigilance this weekend in particular.
Issued by: ANC KwaZulu-Natal Department of Information and Publicity
29 January 1999
Contact Mlungisi Ndhlela, ANC KZN Provincial Media Officer at 082
5519 184
@ REGISTER-KWANATAL
DURBAN Jan 29 Sapa
NO PROBLEMS REPORTED IN KWAZULU-NATAL REGISTRATION: IEC
Registration in KwaZulu-Natal proceeded without major problems
on Friday morning although report backs were still expected from
rural areas.
Independent Electoral Commission projects director, Mawethu
Mosery, said registration was going according to plan in the
province's towns and cities.
At the Durban city hall there was some confusion among
potential voters from rural areas who wanted to register. One came
from as far away as Shoshanguve in Gauteng province.
Registration in Richmond in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands was
postponed until Monday because of the violence which claimed the
lives of United Democratic Movement national secretary Sifiso
Nkabinde and 11 African National Congress supporters in and around
Richmond last Saturday.
@ TRADE-EU
DAVOS, Switzerland Jan 29 Sapa
MANDELA LIKELY TO MISS KEY TRADE MEETING
President Nelson Mandela is likely to miss a key meeting
scheduled for 11am local time on Friday with European Commission
President Jacques Santer and European Union commissioner Joao de
Deus Pinheiro aimed at resolving outstanding issues delaying the
adoption of a trade and development agreement between South Africa
and the EU.
Mandela was due to fly into Davos from Zurich via helicopter to
take part in the meeting but heavy snowfalls meant he had to be
driven the 148km to the alpine ski resort from the Swiss capital.
South African officials met on Thursday morning behind closed
doors at a hotel in Davos to prepare for the discussions with the
European officials, at which South Africa is likely to be
represented by Trade Minister Alec Erwin and its ambassador to the
European Union, Elias Links.
The trade deal has been under negotiation for more than three
years and has been stalled by the EU's insistence that South
African producers stop using the brand names port and sherry. There
were no initial indications as to whether South Africa would back
down on the issue.
Friday's talks coincide with the annual meeting of the World
Economic Forum, which Mandela is scheduled to address on Thursday
afternoon.
@ SWAZI-AIDS
MBABANE Jan 29 Sapa
SWAZILAND AIDS PROGRAMME WARNS AGAINST AIDS EXPLOITATION
The Swaziland National Aids programme on Friday warned AIDS
sufferers not to be exploited by vendors who claimed the potatoes
they sold could boost the body's immune system.
Aids programme manager Beatrice Dlamini said the potatoes were
being sold for up to R20 each and there was no evidence to
substantiate the vendors' claims.
She warned sufferers and their families not to allow people to
exploit their desperation to find a cure for the fatal illness.
@ FUEL-PRICE
JOHANNESBURG Jan 29 Sapa
DIESEL AND PARAFFIN PRICES UP, PETROL DOWN FROM WEDNESDAY
The price of petrol will fall by a cent, while diesel and
illuminating paraffin will go up by three cents from Wednesday next
week, the Department of Minerals and Energy announced on Friday.
Justifying the price adjustments, the Department said the
average international price of petrol for the month ended January
25 had decreased, while that for diesel and illuminating paraffin
had increased.
"In terms of the agreed mechanism, price changes will be
adjusted in such a manner that the over- or under-recovery during
the previous month will be corrected in the following month," the
Department said.
@ MINISTER MOOSA WILL ADDRESS SA UNIVERSITIES SRC'S
Issued by: The Ministry for Provincial Affairs and
Constitutional Development
The Minister for provincial Affairs and Consititutional
Development Valli Moosa will be addressing the Fourth Annual
Congress of the South African Universities SRC's. This conference -
a yearly gathering of all South Africa's University Student
Representative Council takes place at a time when voter registration
goes into its second round. It also takes place at a time when
tertiary institutions are faced with challenges over tertiary
education funding.
The minister is expected to address the issue of the role of the
student governing bodies and the general student population in the
run up to the 1999 elections. The minister will also use this
opportunity to address and field questions on a wide variety of
issues including:
* The funding of political parties for the 1999 elections.
* Students as the custodians of the values of the constitutions.
* The role of Universities and other institutions of higher
learning in a growing Democracy and in Civic Education.
Under the spotlight at the conference will be a variety of
issues mainly on how to consolidate students unity in the country
given the new challenges of student governance brought about the new
dispensation.
The congress will take place at WITS UNIVERSITY, FNB BUILDING,
COMMERCE FACULTY, WEST CAMPUS, 12 YORK ROAD JOHANNESBURG at 10H00 on
Sunday 31 JANUARY 1999.
For more information please contact ONKGOPOTSE J.J. TABANE at 082
465 6166.
Issued by the Public Relations Officer Ministry for Provincial
Affairs and Constitutional Development Friday 29 January 1999
@ LD-REGISTER
JOHANNESBURG Jan 29 Sapa
REGISTRATION PROGRESSING ADEQUATELY: KRIEGLER
Outgoing Independent Electoral Commission chairman Judge Johann
Kriegler, visiting a voter registration station on Friday, said
this weekend's second round of registration had got off to an
"adequate" start.
"The process is proceeding adequately," said Kriegler at a
station in Orange Farm, south of Johannesburg.
"It is early hours ... all of the problems are right at the
beginning, and we will find problems and solve them one by one."
Kriegler announced his resignation from the IEC on Tuesday
following what he described as tension between the commission and
the government, and disagreements over IEC funding and the
government's insistence on bar-coded identity documents as a
requirement for registration.
Correspondence between the judge and Deputy President Thabo
Mbeki, released by Mbeki's office on Thursday, pointed to deep
differences between the two men.
Despite Kriegler imminent departure, few serious problems were
reported as the 14800 voting stations began opening across the
country from 9am.
In Gauteng, technical problems with bar-code scanners and
shortages of the instruments slowed registration in some areas.
Staff were attending to this, the IEC said.
Longer queues formed at stations in Orange Farm, Lenasia and in
the eastern suburbs of Johannesburg after volunteer staff failed to
report for duty.
A registration point in Westdene was inactive for the whole
morning because IEC officials failed to turn up.
The SDA Primary School in Westdene was still turning potential
voters away at lunchtime on Friday. A school employee said the IEC
officials were expected before 9am but they did not arrive and had
not contacted the school to explain their absence or give a time
when they would be in place to register voters.
In Pretoria, registration got off to a slow but smooth start.
At eight of 11 registration points visited at random by Sapa
reporters, fewer than 20 people had registered in the first hour.
Three stations had registered fewer than 10 people in the first
hours while at one station, no one had registered because officials
were still figuring out how to work the bar-code scanner.
Among the high-profile figures on the road during the
registration process were Mbeki, who visited a station near the
site in Evaton in the Vaal Triangle where seven people were killed
in a massacre on January 19, and Democratic Party leader Tony Leon
who visited Alexandra township in Johannesburg.
KwaZulu-Natal IEC projects director, Mawethu Mosery, said
registration in the province's towns and cities was going according
to plan although only a few reports had been received from rural
areas.
At the Durban city hall there was some confusion among
potential voters from rural areas who wanted to register, with one
coming from as far away as Shoshanguve in Gauteng province.
All but one of the 1910 voter registration stations in Northern
Province opened as scheduled on Friday morning while some stations
in the province opened earlier than the 9am opening time.
After a slow start, long queues of potential voters began
forming at stations in the centre of Pietersburg and at the
University of the North, south of the provincial capital, according
to provincial electoral officer Dean Nevhutalu.
More than a thousand registration stations in the Free State
opened on time on Friday morning.
Provincial IEC chairperson Chris Mepha said, unlike the last
round of registration in the Free State in December which were
plagued by staff shortages, the IEC had received an overwhelming
response from civil servants to its call for volunteers.
At Mount Ayliff and Tabankulu in the Eastern Cape, where the
funerals of 21 people killed in a tornado earlier this month will
be held on Saturday, registration offices are to be open on Friday,
Sunday and Monday.
In troubled Richmond in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands, where the
funerals of slain United Democratic Movement national secretary
Sifiso Nkabinde and those of eight of the 11 African National
Congress supporters subsequently massacred will be held over the
weekend, registration is to take place on Monday, Tuesday and
Wednesday.
The number of potential voters - Suth African citizens who
are 18 and older - is estimated at 25 million.
Of these, 9,6 million registered in the first round late last
year during registration in the northern provinces in November and
in the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Western and Eastern Cape in
December.
IEC officials are hopeful that many of the potential voters who
have not yet registered will turn up this weekend, but the IEC has
made provision for a third and final round of registration in
February depending on the turnout this weekend.
Potential voters can register between 9am and 9pm on Friday and
Saturday and between 9am and 5pm on Sunday.
Members of the public can also find out where to register by
telephoning the IEC's helpdesk toll-free on 0800118000.
@ BOMB-RAID
CAPE TOWN Jan 29 Sapa
POLICE RAID CAPE FLATS HOMES: NO ARRESTS
Police searching for suspected bombers on Thursday night and
Friday morning raided a number of houses on the Cape Flats,
including the home of People against Gangsterism and Drugs leader
Abdus-Salaam Ebrahim.
The raids followed the pipe-bomb explosion in front of Cape
Town's central police station on Thursday in which 11 people were
injured.
Police spokeswoman Anine de Beer said several operations had
been launched, but would not give details saying this could
compromise police investigations.
Abeedah Roberts, national secretary of Pagad, confirmed the
raids and accused the police of tunnel vision.
"Whenever anything happens, whether it is a shooting or an
explosion the police target Pagad, instead of of taking a wider
look at the incident.
"When the policeman (Captain Bennie Lategan) was shot recently
the police also raided our chief co-ordinator's house. Nothing was
found and no arrests were made. Some houses of Pagad membershave
been raided between 10 and 14 times," she said.
Provincial police spokesman Superintendent Wicus Holtzhausen
confirmed that Thursday's pipe-bomb was similar to other explosive
devices used in a number of attacks in the Western Cape recently.
Bulelani Ngcuka, the director of the National Directorate of
Public Prosecutions was due to hold talks on Friday with Justice
Minister Dullah Omar, Safety and Security Minister Sydney Mufamadi
and National Police Commissioner George Fivaz.
Ngcuka said the urgent top-level meeting was being held to
discuss what additional measures needed to be taken in Cape Town to
end the spate of terrorist bombings.
He condemned Thursday's blast and said such barbarism and urban
terrorism would not be tolerated. "We will bring those responsible
to book," he said.
@ MOZ-SHOOTING
MAPUTO Jan 29 Sapa-AFP
MOZAMBIQUE'S NAVY COMMANDER SHOT; IN CRITICAL CONDITION
Mozambique's navy commander, Rear Admiral Pascoal Nhalungo, is
in a critical condition after he was shot by a lone gunman,
officials said Friday.
The general staff of the Mozambican Defence Force (FADM) said
in a statement that Nhalungo was shot at point-blank range on
Wednesday night in a suburb of the capital Maputo.
He is under intensive care at Maputo central hospital, where
his condition has been described as "very critical".
The motive for the attack is unknown, although car-theft has
been ruled out as he was found slumped in the front seat of his
vehicle.
Nhalungo is a former fighter for the Mozambique National
Resistance (RENAMO), which waged a 16-year war against the
government before signing a peace accord in 1992.
He was appointed navy commander when a new joint army of
government and RENAMO forces was formed in 1994.
@ SAFRICA-WHEAT
PRETORIA Jan 29 Sapa-AFP
SOUTH AFRICA'S WHEAT PRODUCTION ABOUT 33 PERCENT DOWN
South Africa's wheat crop for the 1998/99 season is expected to
be 33 percent down on the previous year's crop, according to a
fifth estimate received Friday from the National Crops Estimates
Committee.
The committee estimated production for the winter crop at
1,531,000 tonnes, nearly three percent higher than the 1,488,000
tonnes last estimated.
About 2,283,500 tonnes was produced in 1997/98.
The committee said harvesting was completed in the Western Cape
province but was still underway in the northern provinces.
It said around 748,000 hectares of ground had been planted with
wheat in 1998, a decrease of 46 percent from the previous year's
planting.
The drop was due to widespread drought in the growing areas and
to lower wheat prices.
The committee estimated the 1998 barley crop at 215,100 tonnes,
an 18 percent increase on the 182,000 tonnes of barley produced
last year.
The committee also delivered a preliminary estimate of land
planted with summer crops for the 1998/99 season.
It said about 2,828,300 hectares of land had been planted with
commerical maize, about 4.3 percent less than the 2,956,000
hectares planted in the 1997/98 season.
About 7,082,000 tonnes of maize was harvested last year.
"There is a three percent swing towards white maize," committee
chairman Kobus Smit said. "There is also a huge swing from maize in
general towards sunflower seed."
The area planted with sunflower seed increase by 48 percent
from 511,000 hectares to 754,000 hectares, he said.
Groundnuts also increased drastically from 59,000 hectares to
111,000 hectares planted.
"The mains reasons for these increases are good prices and
favourable planting conditions," Smit said.
Sorghum, however, decreased from 131,000 hectares to 88,000
hectares planted.
@ LUYT-MANDELA
JOHANNBURG Jan 29 Sapa
MANDELA AND MBEKI DIFFERENCES AFFECT GOVERNING OF SA, SAYS LUYT
The personal and political differences between President Nelson
Mandela and Deputy President Thabo Mbeki were having a negative
influence on the governing of South Africa, Federal Alliance leader
Louis Luyt claimed on Friday.
Luyt said it was clear the differences between Mbeki and
Mandela were having a detrimental affect on decision-making
processes.
He was referring to a newspaper report on Thursday which
indicated Mandela was seeking a compromise with political parties
on the issue of bar-coded identity documents.
But, he said, interference from Mbeki and Justice Minister
Dullah Omar had resulted in the withdrawal of the compromise.
He said it was unthinkable that a "short-sighted" decision by
the government, Mbeki and Omar would lead to millions of South
Africans being disenfranchised and unable to vote during elections
because they did not have a bar-coded identity document.
@ REGISTER-WESTCAPE
CAPE TOWN Jan 29 Sapa
`REASONABLY BUSY' START TO WESTCAPE VOTER REGISTRATION
The vast majority of the Western Cape's 1312 voter registration
stations opened on time on Friday morning, the first day of the
second round of voter registration in the province.
Only 27 stations failed to open on time as the registration
process got off to a "reasonably busy" start, said acting
provincial electoral officer Joppa le Roux at a media briefing in
Cape Town.
All the late-opening stations were located within the Cape Town
metropolitan area, and by noon all but eight of these stations had
opened. These eight were expected to be operational by 1.00pm, he
said.
"The few problems that were encountered with regard to
equipment were speedily dealt with through our back-up system,
mostly before or within an hour of opening," Le Roux said in a
statement.
"In all the cases of stations not opening on time, it was the
result of personnel not arriving on time."
He said registration stations throughout the Cape Metro were
reasonably busy, with the exception of the Pinelands station which
was "very busy".
Earlier on Friday, Labour Minister Shepherd Mdladlana addressed
a registration rally at the Oscar Mpetha High School in Nyanga on
the Cape Flats.
He told pupils at the school that registering to vote was
crucial to consolidate the country's democracy, and urged those who
were 18 or older to do so.
According to the recent population census, there are an
estimated 2776110 potential voters in the Western Cape. Only 28,82
percent of them registered during the first round of registration
in November last year.
@ REGISTER-NPROV
PIETERSBURG Jan 29 Sapa
YOUNG PEOPLE FLOCK TO REGISTRATION CENTRES IN NORTHERN PROVINCE
Large numbers of young people queued to register as voters in
the Northern Province on Friday morning as the second round of
registration gained momentum, the Independent Electoral Commission
said.
Provincial electoral officer Dean Nevhutalu said the station at
the University of the North, south of Pietersburg, was one of the
busiest in the province.
He said the eagerness of the students to register was a
positive development. Hundreds of other young people were lining up
at rural stations to get on the voters' roll.
It was hoped this trend would dispel fears that young people
were indifferent to the registration process, Nevhutalu said.
Nevhutalu reported that all but one of the 1910 voter
registration stations in Northern Province opened as scheduled on
Friday morning, while some stations in the province opened earlier
than the 9am opening time.
Large numbers of potential voters had gone through stations in
central Pietersburg.
By lunchtime, the IEC had not experienced any manpower
shortages but staff were being stretched to the limits in areas
where pensioners had asked to be registered at home, Nevhutalu
said.
The IEC had been able to meet all these requests. Similar
requests had come from disabled people and hospital patients.
In the only remarkable incidents in the registration process in
the province, a truck carrying equipment broke down on Thursday
night and a car also carrying equipment was involved in an
accident, Nevhutalu said.
No-one was injured.
@ FISH
CAPE TOWN Jan 29 Sapa
RECREATIONAL FISHING PERMITS PROVING TO BE POPULAR
The Department of Sea Fisheries had sold more than 100000
permits to angling and recreational fishermen since the permit
system was introduced recently, the Department said in a statement
on Friday.
According to the Marine Living Resources Act of 1998,
recreational fishermen, including anglers, subsistence fisherman
and commercial fisherman, should pay for their fishing rights in
South Africa. The value of the permits bought so far exceeds R7
million.
The department said permit fees paid by the fishermen
contributed towards the management, research and conservation of
the marine resources and had been approved by Environment Affairs
and Tourism Minister Pallo Jordan and Finance Minister Trevor
Manuel.
Sea Fisheries chief director Dr Monde Mayekiso reminded
fishermen that from February 1 anyone found without a permit would
be prosecuted and could face five years' imprisonment.
The following permits are available from post offices:
Angling R35, spearfishing R50; cast/throw net R50, marine
aquarium fish R50, abalone R50, west coast rock lobster R50, east
coast rock lobster R50, mud crab R50, and molluscs including
octopus, worm, other invertebrates, aquatic plants, shells and
shellgrit R50.
The department said abalone recreational fishing was limited to
Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from December 16 1998 to
April 13 1999. Rock lobster can be fished throughout the week from
November 16 1998 to April 30 1999.
Children under 12 do not require permits.
@ RICHMOND-FUNERAL
DURBAN Jan 29 Sapa
TIGHT SECURITY FOR FUNERAL SERVICE OF RICHMOND MASSACRE VICTIMS
A strong contingent of police and troops would be deployed in
Ndaleni in Richmond to ensure the funeral service of eight African
National Congress supporters was not disrupted.
Police spokesman Senior Superintendent Henry Budhram told Sapa
on Friday that about 350 troops and policemen would be on full
alert and would monitor the area during the night vigil on Friday
and on Saturday during the funeral service.
He said day-and-night foot and horse patrols would be conducted
in the area.
Eleven members of Ndabezitha family were massacred last
Saturday night by four gunmen who burst into their house.
The attack happened just hours after the assassination of
United Democratic Movement national secretary Sifiso Nkabinde.
Among those killed were relatives who had come for a funeral of
a family member earlier that day.
The victims were identified as Adelaide Ndabezitha, 52,
Zwelakhe Ndabezitha, 49, MaDlamini Ndabezitha, 46, Sibusiso
Ndabezitha, 45, Siyabonga Ndabezitha, 26, KwaZi Ndabezitha, 26,
Simosezwe Ndabezitha, 17, Zamekile Ngwenya, 78, Ntombifuthi Nyawo,
28, Pauline Gumede, 48, and Tano Kunene, 60.
Seven people were seriously wounded. They were identified as
Neli Ndabezitha, 36, Sithembu Njilo, 32, Justice Ndlovu, 29,
Lindeni Myeni, 28, Willie Sosibo, 27, Tholi Sosibo, 24, and Ne
Nxele, 23.
Provincial ANC spokesman Mlungisi Ndhlela said in a statement
on Friday that the service would be attended by ANC national
chairman Patrick Lekota, the provincial ANC leadership, and
Richmond mayor Andrew Ragavaloo.
The service will be held at the Ndaleni Mission Hall.
Ndhlela said the ANC called on the Richmond community to remain
calm, but to exercise maximum vigilance over the weekend.
@ PROSECUTE
CAPE TOWN Jan 29 Sapa
NATIONAL PROSECUTION POLICY RELEASED
South Africa's first national policy on prosecutions, contained
in a document designed to guide prosecutors in decision-making and
to help ordinary people understand why they make those decisions,
was made public on Friday.
The 20-page document was officially handed to Speaker of the
National Assembly Dr Frene Ginwala by National Director of Public
Prosecutions Bulelani Ngcuka, who was obliged by law to submit a
policy document to Parliament within six months of his appointment
on August 1 last year.
Ngcuka said the document had been drawn up in consulation with
provincial directors of public prosecutions, prosecutors, judges,
non-government organisations, professional organisations, and the
public.
It would regulate prosecutors' exercise of the discretion th
law allowed them.
"There will be consistency, there will be transparency, there
will be certainty," he said.
It would cut down awaiting-trial imprisonment by allowing
prosecutors to decide, when they first saw a docket, whether a case
was worth pursuing all the way to trial.
The policy says prosecutors must at all times act in the
interest of the community, but not necessarily in accordance with
the wishes of the community.
It says members of the prosecuting authority must act
impartially and in good faith, unclouded by their personal beleifs.
Cases should be presented fearlessly, vigorously and skilfully,
but prosecutors should also present the facts of a case to a court
fairly, disclosing information favourable to the defence, even
though this may affect the prosecution's case.
Prosecutors should show sensitivity and understanding to
victims and witnesses.
It notes that there is no rule in law which says all provable
cases must be prosecuted.
@ KWANATAL-WATER
JOHANNESBURG Jan 29 Sapa
FIRST PRIVATISATION OF WATER SERVICES GRANTED IN KWAZULU-NATAL
South Africa's first 30-year privatisation contract for water
and waste water services, worth about R1 billion, was granted to
the Siza Water Company on Friday.
The concession was granted by the Borough of Dolphin Coast to a
consortium led by Saur International.
The Dolphin Coast, which has a population of 56000, is situated
in KwaZulu-Natal, 70km north of Durban.
The contract covers the management of water and waste water
services, the take-over, maintenance and replacement of the
existing infrastructure and the financing and construction of new
infrastructure, Saur International said in a statement on Friday.
Water and sanitation services will be provided to communities
within the municipal boundaries of the Dolphin Coast as well as
areas such as Ballito, Chaka's Rock, Zimbali, Salt Rock, Umhlali,
Shaka's Kraal, Tinley Manor, Etete, Nkobongo, Shaka's Head and
Sheffield Beach.
The contract was approved by Provincial Affairs and
Constiti Moosa.
The company said the privatisation of water services allowed
municipalities to improve and expand their water and waste water
systems through private investment and gave communities improved
access to services.
@ DRCONGO-REBELS by Anna Borzello
KAMPALA, Jan 29, Sapa-AFP
DR CONGO'S REBELLION MENDING INTERNAL RIFT
Arthur Zahidi Ngoma, the disgruntled vice president of the
insurgency in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has agreed to
talks with the group's leadership, rebel supremo Ernest Wamba dia
Wamb told AFP Friday.
"We had an arrangement to meet (Ugandan) President (Yoweri)
Museveni. ... We found Professor Ngoma here and then of course we
had to deal with the issue," he said.
I think we agreed that he is coming back with us and we are
going to see how to handle the sorts of complaints he has about the
movement," said Wamba dia Wamba.
Ngoma had said Tuesday that he would not continue serving as
the number two in the Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD), the
rebels' political wing, saying it had become "isolated" and had
failed to mobilise the population.
"We were ready to negotiate with him and persuade him in the
interest of himself and especially of the Congolese people that he
should come back, as going away and creating dissension does not
strengthen the struggle against (DRC President Laurent) Kabila,"
Wamba dia Wamba added.
He said that another of Ngoma's criticisms was that the RCD
should be broadened, but that this issue had already been
addressed.
It was, however, not immediately clear whether Ngoma would stay
on as the RCD's vice president, Wamba dia Wamba said.
"The question of what he's been doing and whether he's
satisfied with his position or whether we will have to think of
something else
- that is something we will have to deal with inside the
organisation," he said.
Ngoma told AFP on Thursday that he would not rejoin the RCD as
vice president.
"I don't need a position. I'm here for the struggle of the
liberation of my country. You can call me a founder member of the
RCD," he said.
"I don't need a formal title. I don't think the job I can do
depends on the title. It depends on my capacity to mobilise people
and whether the people believe in me," he added.
Ngoma declined to comment on the extent to which Museveni had
helped bridge the disagreement.
But he added that he believed that after discussions the RCD
was in "total agreement" about the need "to put people together"
and mobilise the different forces in the DRC.
The RCD, backed by Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi - although
Bujumbura denies its troops are in the DRC - has waged a six-month
war in a bid to topple Kabila, who is backed by troops from Angola,
Chad, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
Uganda has in the past three months expressed concern that the
rebel movement had failed to mobilise the population and turn the
RCD into a popular movement.
In late October, Uganda began supporting a separate faction of
the rebellion, the Movement for the Liberation of Congo, which is
led by businessman Jean-Pierre Bemba, largely because Kampala felt
the RCD had failed to consolidate its military gains with political
mobilisation.
Ugandan officials argue that the only way to guarantee
long-term security along its western border is to have a stable and
secure DRC, which they believe will be achieved only if the RCD is
a popular and representative political force.
@ DEBEERS-EMPOWERMENT
JOHANNESBURG Jan 29 Sapa
DE BEERS SIGNS MAJOR DIAMOND EMPOWERMENT DEAL
The world's leading diamond producer and marketer, De Beers,
signed a deal Friday that gives black business a significant stake
in diamond mining and exploration in South Africa.
The transaction involves the high grade Marsfontein mine near
Portgieterus in the Northern Province.
De Beers said it was transferring its 60 percent stake in the
mine, which it holds in a joint venture with Canadian-listed
SouthernEra Resources, to a new company (Newco) with effect from
January 1 this year in return for a consideration of R200 million.
De Beers will then sell off up to 49 percent of this company to
a consortium of black economic empowerment partners consisting of
New Diamond Corporation (NDC), Domba Investments, Umnotho we Sizwe
Investment Holdings and Vuwami Projects.
Marsfontein which came into production in mid-1998 earned
almost R460-million from diamond sales in a six month production
period.
Although small - in De Beers' terms - the mine is in the
rare, fortunate position of having not only high grades, but high
value per carat.
Of 116000 tons treated at a cost of some R200/ton from the MI
Pipe at Marsfontein, 532337 carats were recovered. This equated to
457,16 carats per 100 metric tons - far above the industry average
- at a price of R861,96 a carat.
De Beers managing director Gary Ralfe said there was also "blue
sky" potential at Marsfonteen which should be producing, albeit at
a lower yield, well into 2001. There are already plans to exploit a
mineral resource on farm to the east of the mine.
Ralfe, who described Marsfontein as "an extremely rich mine"
added however: "Nature delivered a curved ball in that it's only a
small pipe."
The structure of Newco will see De Beers with a 51 percent
stake, NDC - 24 percent, Domba - five percent and Umnotho we
Sizwe and Vuwani - both with three percent.
Ralfe said a 14 percent interest in Newco was being held in
trust "for other partners who could bring in value."
De Beers is assisting the other stakeholders to buy into the
project with non-recourse finance at what it describes as
"competitive interest rates".
De Beers stated:"The primary aim of the transaction is to
develop Newco and position the company to participate in future
diamond mining ventures, several of which De Beers is pursuing in
the vicinity of Marsfotein.
"Newco is poised to examine the viability of certain existing
De Beers propects which are currently lying dormant and to secure
and develop prospects in its own right with a view to contributing
to black ownership and operational involvement in the diamond
industry."
The NDC comprises Kwezi Mining, Letlotlo Investment Holdings
and African Renaisssance Holdings.
Tiego Moseneke, a director of Kwezi Mining, said his company
would make use of black mining engineers and geologists in the
project.
He added that the NDC would be looking at other projects and
intended to be "a significant player" in the diamond mining sector.
The empowerment deal is also expected to have financial
spin-offs for local communities in Northern Province with new
business enterprises, such as a transport company, being formed.
Ken Freeman, vice-president: Operations of SouthernEra told
Sapa his company welcomed the black empowerment deal and said there
was a role for the consortium members on the operation's management
committee.
@ ZIM-JOURNALISTS
HARARE Jan 29 Sapa-AFP
EU CONCERNED OVER TREATMENT OF ZIMBABWEAN JOURNALISTS
The European Union expressed concern Friday over the alleged
torture of two Zimbabwean journalists detained for reporting an
alleged coup plot against President Robert Mugabe.
A statement issued in Harare called on Zimbabwe's government to
investigate reports that the journalists were tortured and "if
true, bring the perpetrators to justice."
The EU said it was particularly concerned by the allegations of
torture, the detention of civilians by military authorities, the
threat to an independent judiciary by the military's rejection of a
court order, and the violation of freedom of the press.
The statement, by one of Harare's major aid donors, said the
treatment of the journalists had done "serious damage" to
Zimbabwe's image.
A delegation of western diplomats in Zimbabwe met acting
Foreign Minister Nathan Shamuyarira on Friday to present their
concerns.
A doctor who examined the two journalists, Standard newspaper
editor Mark Chavunduka and reporter Ray Choto, has confirmed their
claims that they were tortured with electric shocks and beatings.
Both men, who have been released on bail, have been charged
with publishing false news likely to cause public "alarm and
despondency."
Lawyers acting for the two journalists are pressing for
contempt of court charges to be brought against Defence Minister
Moven Mahachi, whose ministry initially defied a court order to
free Chavunduka.
They are also preparing statements and medical reports to
present to the attorney-general for action to be taken against the
alleged torturers.
@ REGISTER-NORTHWEST
MABOPANE Jan 29 Sapa
POLICE ON ALERT AFTER WAR OF WORDS BETWEEN ANC AND UDM
Voter registration in Mabopane north of Pretoria got off to a
tense start on Friday when police reinforcements were deployed to
monitor African National Congress and United Democratic Movement
factions in the area.
Public order policing reinforcements were deployed in the
Itsoseng section of Mabopane following heated verbal exchanges
between UDM and ANC supporters early on Friday morning in the
streets near a voting station.
The unit's Captain Elias Majola said the Mabopane police
station had asked his unit to monitor tensions in the area.
The two factions had, however, dispersed by the time the unit
arrived on the area.
In the high-density population squatter settlements of
Winterveldt, the police were keeping a close eye on the 24
registration stations following widespread intimidation during the
last round of voter registration in November.
At the time, a mob linked to the Winterveldt Crisis Committee,
a rival of the ANC-controlled local council, allegedly intimidated
people attempting not to register.
Meanwhile, the conviction of Winterveldt UDM branch chairman
Khehla Nyamakazi has dealt a blow to the party's election campaign
in in the area, according to local UDM members.
Winterveldt is viewed as a politically strategic area since it
forms part of the "constituency" of Deputy President Thabo Mbeki in
terms of the areas allocated by the ANC to its MPs.
Mbeki is scheduled to visit voter registration stations in
neighbouring Themba north of Pretoria on Saturday, while North-West
Premier Popo Molefe is scheduled to visit Winterveldt on Sunday in
his capacity as provincial chairman of the ANC.
@ ANGOLA-POLITICS
LUANDA Jan 29 Sapa-AFP
`EXCEPTIONAL PERIOD' DECLARED IN ANGOLA AS WAR HEATS UP
President Jose Eduardo dos Santos of Angola on Friday declared
an "exceptional period" in his country, scrapping the post of prime
minister and reiterating his determination to crush UNITA rebels.
In a message to parliament, Dos Santos said he would scrap the
post of prime minister and set up a "permanent commission" under
the cabinet to manage the military crisis which has steadily
escalated since mid-1998.
The president said he would shortly give the army precise
instructions aimed at defeating the National Union for the Total
Independence of Angola (UNITA) and to "reestablish state
administration across the country."
Last year the army began attacking areas held by UNITA,
accusing it of reneging on peace accords signed in 1994 in Lusaka.
For his part, UNITA leader Jonas Savimbi accused Luanda of
excluding his movement and vowed to defend his positions.
Fighting now rages on several fronts in different parts of the
country and the government, determined to pursue the military
option to the end, is preparing to enroll young Angolan men into
the army.
Dos Santos fell short of declaring a state of emergency per se,
saying this could threaten "fundamental civil rights and
democracy."
The post of prime minister, hitherto held by Fernando Franca
van Dunem, would be reestablished only at the end of the
"exceptional period and when constitutional normality is a
reality," the president said.
"During this period, the president will lead the state, the
government and the armed forces under constitutional law," the
message said.
Dos Santos said he would name a "new structured and readjusted
government which will have to respond effectively to the challenge
of managing and changing the state of things."
He went on to refer to the "interference of certain African
countries" in Angola's military crisis and spoke of "external
elements contributing to the worsening of the country's economic,
financial and social situation.
On Thursday, the army claimed to have taken control of Nharea,
previously held by UNITA rebels, and said they were marching on the
south-central rebel base town of Andulo.
"We took Nharea today and we are marching towards Andulo," army
spokesman General Jose Manuel said in the southern town of
Catumbela.
Andulo is located some 460 kilometers (285 miles) southeast of
Luanda.
The spokesman said that rebel plans to take power in Luanda had
"failed" and that government forces were continuing their
counter-offensives at several other fronts in the rekindled civil
war.
@ BOMB-REWARD
CAPE TOWN Jan 29 Sapa
R1M REWARD OFFERED AFTER CAPE BLAST
Business Against Crime on Friday posted a R1 milion reward for
information leading to the arrest and conviction of those
responsible for this week's terror bombing in Cape Town, and the
assassination of Western Cape policeman Captain Bennie Lategan.
At the same time, Safety and Security Minister Sydney Mufamadi
announced that a special Cabinet committee would meet next week at
an undiclosed venue for a briefing from police on the fight against
terrorism.
He told journalists at a briefing in Cape Town that if the bomb
was an attempt to intimidate the police and make it difficult to
implement the Western Cape anti-terror Operation Good Hope, it was
"an exercise in futility".
"They've done what they did yesterday, but we are certain we
are going to have the last laugh," he said.
Eleven people were injured when a pipe bomb exploded in front
of the Caledon Square police station on Thursday afternoon, while
Lategan, who was investigating Pagad and Western Cape bombings -
including the two Waterfront explosions - was gunned down when he
stopped at a Cape Flats intersection on January 14.
Business Against Crime Western Cape managing director John
Penberthy told journalists that the reward, which would be made
availabe through the police, was a clear mesage that the business
community would not stand idly by while criminals and terrorists
targeted the police service.
Mufamadi said he, his Western Cape counterpart Mark Wiley, and
National Director of Public Prosecutions Bulelani Ngcuka, earlier
in the day met the strategic management committee charged with
ensuring the success of Operation Good Hope for a briefing and
exchange of views.
"We are certain that members of the committee are going to
fine-tune their plans in the light of the discussions we had with
them," he said.
"We did note a number of indicators pointing towards
improvement. We are certain that we have laid a firm basis for...
what we have set out to achieve through this operation."
Next week's meeting of the Cabinet ministers deputed last year
to oversee policy on terrorism would hear a report compiled after
consultation with detectives on the ground, intelligence
operatives, and members of the prosecuting authority.
The presentation would look at what had been done to deal with
urban terror, the difficulties experienced by those combating it,
and remedial steps.
There might ultimately be a need to review legislation.
A state of emergency would be a last resort: Operation Good
Hope was still in its formative stages, and would mature in time.
"Hopefully it won't be necessary to declare a state of
emergency because it will impact negatively on your ability to
report," he told the journalists.
Wiley and Ngcuka would also be invited to attend the meeting.
Mufamadi said government was disturbed by leaks on security
issues from within the security forces and agencies, and planned to
ask editors not to encourage these leaks.
Wiley said he and Mufamadi had had their difference, but the
challenge they were now facing was of national magnitude.
"I'm fully satisfied that the measures being taken are the best
that the country can offer," he said.
He said anyone with information on the bombing or Lategan's
killing should phone 021-9516665.
@ ANGOLA-UNITA
LUANDA Jan 29 Sapa-dpa
ANGOLAN FORCES PREPARE AMID RUMOURS OF UNITA ADVANCE ON OIL AREA
Angolan government forces were in position amid
speculation Friday that UNITA forces of rebel leader Jonas Savimbi
were targeting the town of Soyo at the mouth of the Congo River - a
U.S. and French oil exploration centre.
Observers were quick to poin out that Savimbi could see France
and the United States included in his circle of enemies if his forces
do try to take over an oil installation there.
A senior Angolan army officer also speculated that UNITA
(National Union for the Total Liberation of Angola) intended to seize
control of a strip of northern towns in their bid to halt oil
production.
The French-owned Elf and U.S. companies including Chevron have
offices and large installations in Soyo, in addition to their large
offshore operations.
Soyo produces a small percentage of the 750 000 barrels of
mainly offshore oil per day in Angola (1997 estimate). The United States
takes eight percent of its oil imports from Angola.
A few days ago UNITA attacked the strategic northern town of
Mbanza-Congo in Zaire province. Government and diplomatic sources
believed this marked the first step of an advance on Soyo along the
coast, some 200 kilometres away.
"The government will do everything possible to guarantee the
security of workers and the expatriates, as well as the installations
at Soyo," Deputy Interior Minister Higinio Carneiro promised.
Soyo is now reported well fortified, after additional Angolan
Army Forces (FAA) were deployed. Yet diplomatic and non-governmental
organisation sources remain puzzled over Savimbi's motives.
For two months in 1993, UNITA occupied Soyo, which borders the
Congo river south of Cabinda, another Angolan offshore oil
exploration enclave in Democratic Republic of the Congo territory.
The sources said another UNITA occupation of Soyo would have
little impact on oil production, while Savimbi could be setting
himself up to be even more unpopular than he already is.
@ FEATURE-TRAUMATISED
JOHANNESBURG Jan 29 Sapa-AFP
AFRICANS TRAUMATISED BY WARS
Conflicts in southern Africa have littered the region with
severely traumatised people, some of them suicidal, an
international conference on traumatic stress heard here this week.
South Africa, which created the Truth and Reconciliation
Commission (TRC) to deal with its apartheid past, was home to many
of those afflicted, experts who deal with people left traumatised
by war, conflict and crime, said.
"We would say most South Africans experience post traumatic
stress and repeated trauma," conference coordinator Sherbanu Sacoor
told AFP.
"We have had over the past 10 to 15 years been experiencing a
transition from political to criminal violence," explained Sacoor,
from the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation.
The TRC has revealed horror stories of the wide-ranging human
rights abuses committed on both sides of the fight against
apartheid.
These scars and the current high crime rate have shocked many
South Africans, who have become "hyper-vigilant" and sometimes
"numb," said Sacoor.
Despite the many conflicts in Africa, most research on trauma
is based on Western models, psychologist Tina Sideris told the 150
trauma experts attendig the conference.
"In 1996, close to half the countries in Africa were affected
by armed conflict," she said.
"The deaths that occurred during that conflict accounted for
half the war-related deaths world wide.
"And yet, there is very little literature on how Africa and
particularly African women deal with trauma...and survive in the
aftermath."
As part of research to understand the experience of trauma,
Sideris spent two years working with Mozambican women who fled to
South Africa to escape the war between the rebel RENAMO and ruling
FRELIMO forces.
The 16-year civil war in Mozambique, which ended in 1992,
created an "extended trauma," she said.
"People experienced multiple trauma - most people experienced
up to 16 or more traumatic events, including rape, sexual abuse,
combat situations, witnessing the murder of a friend, physical
mutilation..."
About 80 percent of the women she worked with were abducted by
RENAMO rebels and taken to camps "where they spent up to three or
four years where they were continuously raped and used as sex
slaves."
The rapes traumatised whole communities, she said. "Men were
forced to be mattresses on which their wives were raped (and) were
rendered powerless and were a result traumatised.
"Women who bore the children of their captors were rejected by
their families and communities."
She said the ways in which rebels raped women "perverted social
norms," adding to the trauma.
"Women were raped by children - it was a common practice of
RENAMO to initiate 12-year-olds into raping women. Men were forced
to rape their wives and daughters; women who watched their husbands
being killed were taken in force to be wives of murderers."
Zimbabwean psychologist Shari Eppel said that pre- and
post-independence conflict left most people in the country's
southern Matabeleland province severely depressed, and some
suicidal.
Zimbabwe achieved independence in 1980 after a decade-long war
against Ian Smith's white minority government.
But the killings continued in Matabeleland, where government
agencies, including the notorious 5th Brigade established by
President Robert Mugabe, were ordered to root out the rival ZAPU
party, she said.
The little-acknowledged conflict, which ended in 1987, left
thousands of people traumatised, Eppel said.
"People still feel very under threat, they have never had an
apology...they have no guarantee that this will not happen again,"
Eppel said.
"There is a lack of understanding about why (post-independence
violence) happened, and there has never been any justice, in fact,
the person most responsible (Mugabe) still runs the country."
People are still "more depressed and apathetic than angry."
However, "If their voice remains unheard...tragically, there is
a very real danger of ethnic violence in Zimbabwe in the not too
distant future."
Delegates at the conference expressed deep commitment to
helping the people of the world cope with the traumas that
politicians thrust on them.
But speakers also warned of the toll, the "secondary traumatic
stress," of helping people cope with and understand humanity's
crimes against humanity.
@ TRUTH-BELLINGAN
PRETORIA Jan 29 Sapa
BELLINGAN HAD EXTRA-MARITAL AFFAIR WHEN HE MURDERED WIFE: TRC
Former security policeman, Michael Bellingan, was accused at
the Truth and Reconcilation Commission's amnesty hearing on Friday
of having an extra-marital affair at the time he murdered his wife.
Bellingan who is applying for amnesty for the murder of his
wife Janine in September 1991, denied the allegation.
He told the amnesty comittee in Pretoria he had never had an
extra-marital affair and claimed his relationship with his wife had
been sound at the time.
The claim was made during cross-examination of Bellingan by Jan
Wagenaar, who is appearing for four former security policemen.
Wagenaar told the committee that according to the policemen who
once worked with Bellinghan, he spent a weekend at the police
holiday resort of Port Edward on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast, two
weeks before murdering his wife.
Wagenaar said the woman was his present wife, Renata, who he
married after he killed Janine.
Bellingan denied the claim and said he did not have a
relationship with his current wife until after Janine's death.
The former "dirty tricks" policemen is serving a 25-year-prison
sentence after being convicted in 1995 for killing her by beating
her with a wheel spanner and then strangling her with the cord from
a hairdryer.
Wagenaar said it was painful for him to bring up the matter of
an affair with another woman, but said he was obliged to do so
because his clients would testify about the alleged illicit
liaison.
"Maybe they will come and testify about something like this,
but I did not have an affair with another woman," Bellingan said.
He is applying for amnesty on the grounds that he had killed
his wife because she had threatened to expose sensitive security
police information which had come into her posssession.
However Bellingan has been unable to name a single person who
authorised him to take such drastic action and claims he did so out
of duty towards the (apartheid) state.
Wagenaar, who is appearing for former policemen Brigadier
Andries Oosthuizen and Deon Els and former security police generals
Johann van der Merwe and Gerrit Erasmus, put it to Bellingan that
he had no political motive for the murder.
Wagenaar also accused Bellingan, who during the course of his
work had intercepted cheques addressed to the National Union of
Metal Workers, of using the funds for his personal use.
"Your wife found out about this and threatened to expose you
and this would have caused considerable harm to your bright career
in the police," Wagenaar said.
"And coupled with this you were having an affair with another
woman, which led you to murder your wife without any political
motive whatsoever," Wagenaar said.
Bellingan gave no other answer but to deny the allegations.
The policemen will testify to the committee when the hearing
resumes on April 12 this year.
@ TRADE-SA
DAVOS, Switzerland Jan 29 Sapa-AFP
EU, SAFRICAN NEGOTIATORS REACH DEAL ON TRADE ACCORD: MINISTER
EU and South African negotiators have reached agreement on a
long-stalled bilateral trade accord, South African Trade and
Industry Minister Alec Erwin said here Friday.
"The negotiating teams are agreed. We just need the endorsement
of the various principles," Erwin told AFP on the sidelines of the
World Economic Forum annual meeting here.
South African negotiators held two hours of talks in Davos on
Friday with EU Development Commissioner Joao de Deus Pinheiro,
Erwin said.
"We will put a proposition to the European Commission and the
South African cabinet" Erwin said, adding he hoped an official
announcement could be made in about two weeks' time.
He refused to give details of the agreement, which he said
would be given in the official announcement.
Talks on the agreement have dragged on for three years, and the
two sides had already agreed on most points, except for the use of
the words "port" and "sherry" for fortified wines produced in South
Africa.
The EU has demanded that South Africa set a date for
eliminating the use of the two words on the domestic market, as it
had agreed to do for exports.
The accord would open EU markets to 95 percent of South African
exports over 10 years, while South Africa would allow 86 percent of
EU goods to freely enter its domestic market over the same period.
Negotiations on a compromise had focused on the possibility of
the EU paying compensation to South African producers who fear they
will lose markets as a result of the change.
The free trade talks began in 1995 with the EU promising a
generous deal that would boost the development of post-apartheid
South Africa and help build a pole of stability and prosperity in
the region.
But the negotiations have been repeatedly dragged out because
of a series of disputes, particularly over the access of South
African farm products to the EU market.
At a summit in Vienna in December, EU leaders called for a deal
to be concluded by the end of March amid concern that letting the
discussions drag on into South Africa's pre-election procedure
would scupper all chance of a deal.
@ KRIEGLER-BUTHELEZI
PRETORIA Jan 29 Sapa
BUTHELEZI DENIES GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE IN ELECTORAL PROCESS
There was no substance in assertions that the government had
interfered in
the electoral process, Home Affairs Minister Mangosuthu Buthelezi said
in
Pretoria on Friday.
He said this emerged clearly from the correspondence between Deputy
President Thabo Mbeki and former Independent Electoral Commission
chairman
Johann Kriegler that was released on Thursday.
"There is nothing really that is substantial to back up the view
that
there was any interference in the independence of the IEC," Buthelezi
told
reporters.
Kriegler resigned as IEC chairman on Tuesday. In a letter to Mbeki
before
announcing his move he said the IEC had lost the power to compile a
voters'
roll without government hindrance.
This was rejected by Mbeki in a responding letter.
The Department of Home Affairs, Buthelezi said, also did nothing to
undermine the independence of the IEC.
"My department was only a channel through which the IEC could get
through
to the Cabinet and Parliament. We tried not to interfere in any way."
Asked if he was disappointed at Kriegler's departure, Buthelezi
said: "It
does amount to a hiccup in the whole process of elections if the IEC
chairman
resigns. In that sense I am disappointed."
Buthelezi, who visited three voter registration stations in
Pretoria on
Friday, said he was not aware of any major problems in the second
round of
registration.
"I have received good reports so far, and things are going very
well,"
He said apathy among voters, especially the youth, could partly be
ascribed to the economic downturn and the threat of a recession.
"It makes young people despondent and not eager to register. I
would like
to appeal to them to exercise their constitutional right to vote,"
Buthelezi
said.
He reiterated that there was no merger on the cards between the
Inkatha
Freedom Party and the African National Congress.
@ UDM CLAIMS ANC DISRUPTED NKAHINDE MEMORIAL
Issued by: East Cape News (Ecn)
GRAHAMSTOWN (ECN) - A memorial service held by the United
Democratic Movement for slain UDM strongman Sifiso Nkabinde was
disrupted by ANC members in Port Elizabeth, says the UDM.
UDM provincial spokesperson Johan Malherbe said ANC councillors
had refused to open the doors to the Hellenvale Resource Centre in
Port Elizabeth.
He said the UDM had booked the venue for 3pm in order to conduct
a small memorial service.
Malherbe said at the main memorial service due to be held at the
Daku Hall in Kwazakele at 6pm the "ANC and their allies" had
occupied the hall and refused to leave.
He said the UDM had moved the meeting to an adjourning hall
where the meeting had begun an hour later than scheduled.
UDM Deputy Chair Cedric Frolick said "tensions were high" and
the ANC had been intolerant and "did not want to budge".
He said: "If this represents a trend in the lead-up to the
elections then we will have problems."
Pops spokesman Constable Siphiwo Hina said police had arrived at
6.30pm and found there was a venue problem.
He said other arrangements had been made and the two separate
gatherings had proceeded "smoothly".
ANC chairperson Nceba Faku said he had no knowledge of the
dispute.
@ REGISTER-RALLY
NGQELENI, Eastern Cape, Jan 29 Sapa
CONCERN OVER REPORTS OF UDM RALLY NEXT TO REGISTRATION STATION
Voter registration officials in the Eastern Cape expressed
concern on Friday over reports that United Democratic Movement
supporters were holding a rally next to a registration station in
this small town.
Goodman Socikwa, the Independent Electoral Commission official
in charge of Ngqeleni, Elliotdale and Port St Johns, said he had
received reports that the UDM was holding a rally next to the
Ngqeleni station on Friday afternoon.
He described this is as "a crisis".
Socikwa said he had spoken to UDM leaders in the region and
they said they would investigate the matter.
Socikwa said the UDM leaders had acknowledged that if the
reports were true, it would not be correct for a rally to be held
next to a station.
Apart from this incident, he said stations in the area under
his control were open and people are starting to "flock in".
@ REGISTER-EASTCAPE
PORT ELIZABETH Jan 29 Sapa
PE VOTERS "GET THE MESSAGE" AND REGISTER
Potential Port Elizabeth voters had "got the message" and had
gone out and registered, local electoral officer Graham Richards
said on Friday
He said registration was going well and that no insurmountable
problems had been encountered. People were more informed than in
the first registration phase, Richards said.
African National Congress Port Elizabeth chairman, Nceba Faku,
however, said he encountered several people who were still having
problems with their identity documents.
He said some people had temporary ID documents which were not
certified and others had experienced delays in the delivery of
their ID documents.
He said people were responding well although it was surprising
how few people had registered last time. He said he anticipated a
larger flow from this evening and tomorrow.
"I'm getting the impression that things are running smoothly."
A concerted effort was being made in Port Elizabeth to persuade
the coloured community to register in the second phase of voter
registration, according to Eastern Cape UDM deputy chairperson
Cedric Frolick.
Frolick said the drive followed a low 20 percent turn out by
the community in the area during the first registration phase in
December last year.
Frolick said coloured people felt left out of the process
because they had voted for the National Party which had not done
anything for them. He said it was dangerous when a group the size
of the coloured vote was sidelined.
@ THE WEST COAST ROCK LOBSTER ISSUE
Issued by: The Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
The Minister of Enironmental Affairs and Tourism in applying the
provisions of the new Marine Living Resources Act, 1998 (Act No 18
of 1998) granted rights to undertake commercial fishing for West
Cost Rock Lobster for the 1998/99 season to persons from the
previously disadvantaged sectors of society ad to small and medium
size enterprises who were previously precluded from enjoying such
rights in terms of the provisions of the old Sea Fishery Act, 1998
(Act No. 18 of 1998) (the old Act).
Whilst admitting such persons and businesses into the West Coast
Rock Lobster setor, the Minister also acceded to a number of
applications by persons/businesses who previously held "quotas" in
terms of the old Act whilst futher declining to accede to the
applications of some previous "quota holders". One of the factors
that motivated the Ministe in admittin "new entrants" into the
industry was the broadening of access to marine living resources,
thereby creating opportunities for the generation of income and
employmet of persons within the poorer sectors of society. The
Minister's admission of new entrants into the West Coast Rock
Lobster sector and refusal to accede to applications of some
previous "quota holders" has led to these "quota holders"
challenging the Minister's decision in the Cape High Court.
The High Court challenge by previous "quota holders" is
essentially based on the contention that the Minister should not
have applied the provisions of the new Act but rather the provisions
of the old Act, the application of which would have favoured them
and in effect meant the exclusion of "new entrants". This
contentionis based upon their interpretation of Section 85 of the
new Act. This Section provides that the Minister shall for period of
six months after coming into operation of the new Act (1 September
1998) exercise the powers of the old Quota Board. The "old quota
holders" contend that, becaus their applications had ben submitted
between 1 June and 31 July 1998 and the fact that the Quota Board
was abolished only on 31 August 1998, the Minister was obliged in
terms of Section 85 of the new Act to process their applications in
accordance with the provisions of the old Act and guidelines. A
further challenge by these "quota holders" to the Minister's
decision is that even if they are wrong in their interpretation of
section 85 of the new Act, the Minister should have advised them
that he was going to apply the provisions of the new Act to their
applications and afford them an opportunity of making
representations why their "quotas" should not be removed or reduced,
before he dis so. By failing to do so, they argue, they were
unfairly treted. On the other had, the Minister contends that the
purpose of the new Act constituted a break with the past in the
sense that the restrictions imposed on the Quota Board to admit new
entrants into the fishing industry were lifted. The major purpose of
the new Act, so the Minister argues, is to promote broader access to
msmall and medium size enterprises. The Minister accordingly
contends that the approach adopted by the "quota holders" to the
Minister's decision is that even if they are wrong in their
interpretation of section 85 of the new Act, the Minister should
have advised them that he was going to apply the provisions of the
new Act to their applications and afford them an opportunity of
making representations why their "quotas" should not be removed or
reduced, before he did so. By failing to do so, they argue, they
were unfairly treated. On the other hand, the Minister contends that
the purpose of the new Act constituted a break with the past in the
in the sense that the restrictions imposed on the Quota Board to
admit new entrants into the fishing industry were lifted. The major
purpose of the new Act, so the Minister argues, is to promote
broader access to marine living resources and permit the
participation therein of persons from historically disadvantaged
sectors of society as well as small and medium size enterprises. The
Minister accordingly contends that the approach accepted by the
"quota holders" to the interpretation of section 85 is too textually
based and ignores a purposive approach to interpretation of section
85 is too textually based and ignores a purposive of the "quota
holders" as to the meaning of section 85, the purpose of the new Act
would be frustrated for a period of six months. On the Minister's
argumet, this was certainly not the intention of Parliament which
was to give him power to put the provisions of the new Act into
operation. The Ministe accordingly dealt with the applications for
West Coast rock lobster in terms of the provisions of the new Act
and not the old Act.
On the question that the applications for West Coast rock
lobster for the 1998/99 season were not informed that their
applications will be dealt with in terms of the provisions of the
new Act, the Minister contends that they were so informed by way of
a media statement dated 31 August 1998. In fact, Mr Pharo, who
deposed to an affidavit on behalf of the all the "quotngs, admits that
he received this media statement
on 31 August 1998.
The judgement of the High Court unfortunately on 27 January 1999
did not finally address any of the disputed issues. After dealing
with the two competing interpretations of section 85 the court found
that this issue was too complex and difficult to make a final
decision on it on an urgent basis and that a full review court
should make a decision on it and on all the other issues rasied by
the "old quota holders". In other words, the learned judge found
that the old quota holders" made out at leasld be tested by a review
court. The effect of the judgement is that all the participants in
the West Coast Rock Lobsters sector are now interdicted from fishing
pending the determination of the challenge of the Minister's
decision.
The Minister's legal team, however, is presently exploring ways
and means of expediting the determination of the disputed issues
with the view to getting the West Coast rock lobster industry up and
going.
Enquiries: Dr Tanya Abrahamse : Tel: (012) 3103664
@ REGISTER-RALLY
NGQELENI, Eastern Cape, Jan 29 Sapa
CONCERN OVER REPORTS OF UDM RALLY NEXT TO REGISTRATION STATION
Voter registration officials in the Eastern Cape expressed
concern on Friday over reports that United Democratic Movement
supporters were holding a rally next to a registration station in
this small town.
Goodman Socikwa, the Independent Electoral Commission official
in charge of Ngqeleni, Elliotdale and Port St Johns, said he had
received reports that the UDM was holding a rally next to the
Ngqeleni station on Friday afternoon.
He described this is as "a crisis".
Socikwa said he had spoken to UDM leaders in the region and
they said they would investigate the matter.
Socikwa said the UDM leaders had acknowledged that if the
reports were true, it would not be correct for a rally to be held
next to a station.
Apart from this incident, he said stations in the area under
his control were open and people are starting to "flock in".
@ REGISTER-PRETORIA
PRETORIA Jan 29 Sapa
REGISTRATION IN PRETORIA GOES SMOOTHLY BUT SLOWLY
Voter registration in most stations around Mabopane and
Garankua in Pretoria went smoothly but slowly on Friday, a
correspondent reported.
Independent Electoral Commission spokeman in Garankua, Mothei
Kgware, said 20 people were registered per hour, and over 100 blind
people had registered at Itireleng Home for the Blind before 1pm,
assisted by registration officers and third witnesses.
At some schools around Mabopane where registration took place,
there were no school lessons. Many teachers at these schools
volunteered to assist in registering.
In Winterveld most people were turned down as they did not
qualify for registration.
An electoral officer at Ngak-Maseko highschool in Winterveld,
Shireen Lesola, said officials were taking precautionary measures
against illegal immigrants who arrived there to register.
More than 400 people were identified as foreigners who tried to
register in the last registration, she said.
Despite low turnout, long queues were experienced at Home
Affairs offices where people applied for temporary registration
certificates. The Home Affairs Department sent teams of officers
and photographers to neighbouring villages including Klipgat,
Makau, Kliipvoor and Winterveld to assist with temporary
registration certificates.
@ REGISTER-NORTHWEST
LICHTENBURG Jan 29 Sapa
VOTER REGISTRATION IN NORTH WEST ERRATIC
Patterns of voter registration in the North West towns of
Zeerust, Mafikeng and Lichtenburg were erratic with some stations
experiencing an increase while at others people were coming in
dribs and drabs.
By 3pm in Zeerust just over 160 people had registered.
IEC officials at the Zeerust town hall station attributed the
slow pace to the fact that people were at work and that many people
had already registered in the November registration drive.
In Mafikeng 140 people had registered at the Museum Hall but
numbers were increasing as people returned from work and school.
The Lichtenburg town hall registration centre was quiet with
intermittent bursts of activity.
By 3.45 only 147 people had registered but IEC officials were
expecting the number to increase.
At the neighbouring Boikhutso township, only a small number of
people were seen at the various registration centres.
The only complaint from registration officials was about the
food. They felt that packet soup, meatballs and bread was
inappropriate for the searing North West heat.
@ REGISTER-ALEXANDRA
JOHANNESBURG Jan 29 Sapa
NOT TOO MANY SHOW INTEREST IN VOTER REGISTRATION IN ALEX
Voter registration in the Johannesburg township of Alexandra
got off to a good start on Friday even though most people carried
on with their day-to-day activities.
There were not that many people to find in the registration
stations, but an electoral officer at Alexandra High School, Eddie
Rebese, told Sapa that hundreds had come earlier to register.
"It's been good. People started queuing as early as 7.45am," he
said.
At Houghton Primary School, only 141 had come to register
before lunch, said Independent Electoral Commission volunteer
Judith Hendriks.
She said three voting stations in the Houghton, Orange Grove,
Yeoville and Norwood areas were closed.
Hendriks said the station was supposed to have seven
volunteers, but only three arrived.
"This is not a problem though because there are very few people
as you can see. We can handle them".
The problem experienced at the station was of people from other
voting districts coming to Houghton Primary School to register.
those visited by Sapa.
@ REGISTER-ECAPE
BISHO Jan 29 Sapa
NO MAJOR PROBLEMS IN EASTERN CAPE REGISTRATION DRIVE
Voter registration stations in the Eastern Cape experienced no
major problems on Friday as the second round of registration since
December kicked off in the region.
Officials said they expected the pace of registration to pick
up in the late afternoon and to increase over the weekend.
Reports had been received from all 2573 registration stations
in the province, IEC spokesman Ntsiki Moleshle said.
The 89 stations in East London saw a big turnout when they
opened at 9am.
East London's provincial electoral officer Mardi Naidoo said
all stations in the city were "running smoothly ... there are no
problems or hitches".
"It's actually frightening. It's too good to be true," Naidoo
said.
He said the apparent success of the registration drive was
probably due to a successful "pamphlet drop" which was started
about two weeks ago. The pamphlets explained to people the
registration process and where they could register.
"I'm very optimistic. The structures are all in place and the
weather is also perfect," Naidoo said.
Naidoo said there was "absolutely no comparison between the
second phase of registration and the December registration drive.
It's like chalk and cheese. There has been a major, major
improvement."
Registration at the 119 stations in King William's Town was
running smoothly, according to the town's registration officer
Mandla Ngculana.
"This morning was quite slow. We'll only be able to determine
the number of people who registered after 7pm tonight. I'm hoping
that more people will come and register in the peak period this
afternoon."
Sipho Mnqayi, who is charge of the 21 registration stations in
Alice, said: "So far the registration process is going very well.
"It's moving slowly, but we're anticipating a major influx this
afternoon and tomorrow."
@ RICHMOND-METHODIST
JOHANNESBURG Jan 29 Sapa
METHODIST BISHOP DANDALA VISITS STRIFE-TORN RICHMOND
Bishop Mvume Dandala, Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church
of Southern Africa, together with a delegation of ecumenical church
leaders, held a prayer meeting at Ndaleni, Richmond, on Friday
where 11 people were killed in recent clashes.
They visited the family of assassinated Democratic Movement
general secretary, Sifiso Nkabinde, in Magoda. They also prayed
with members of the SA National Defence Force and police.
In conveying his condolences to the people in the area, Dandala
condemned the deaths as totally unacceptable and appealed to all
sides in the conflict to exercise respect for and sanctity of life,
the church said in a statement.
He called on education authorities to ensure that pupils from
an early age were taught alternative solutions to strife without
resorting to violence.
@ HUNDREDS OF FORD HARE STAFF MARCH
Issued by: East Cape News (Ecn)
GRAHAMSTOWN (ECN) - Up to 500 Fort Hare workers and academic
staff marched on vice-chancellor Professor Mbulelo Mzamane's office
yesterday demanding the resignation of top management and council.
National Tertiary Education Staff Union (Ntesu) spokesman Nlhalhabe
Cebekulu said they handed over a memorandum demanding the sackings
and setting out grounds for their demand.
The memo comes after the university failed to pay its staff last
Friday. A vote of no confidence was then declared against management
and council on Wednesday.
It also emerged that the university would be R70m in debt by the
time it received its government subsidy in March.
The memo stated: "The Fort Hare community notes with deep
concern the apparent inability of the university management to
manage the institution effectively."
It lays charges of serious corruption and demands "immediate
intervention" by Education Minister Sibusiso Bengu through the
appointment of an independent assessor.
Until then, the suspension of three members of management -
including vice chancellor Professor Mbulelo Mzamane - and the
council is demanded with immediate effect.
said the memorandum had been received by Mzamane at 11am yesterday
(subs:fri).
He said 500 workers and acedemics carrying placards had marched
from the Green Auditorium at the Alice campus to the administration
building, where the memo had been handed to Mzamane.
Contacted by ECN yesterday (subs:fri) Mzamane refused to say if
he would step down.
He said he would react to the memo on Monday because he needed
to give a "well considered" response.
He said of the memo: "I do take it very seriously."
The memo "noted with extreme displeasure" that the university
had been deducting benefits from staff salaries but had
"unilaterally and fraudulently" not paid the money to the relevant
organisations for the past two to six months.
The deductions included money for PAYE, UIF, Pension, Medical
Aid, Insurances, cell phones and Eskom.
Staff salaries had also been delayed without apologies to
employees for the delay.
The memo also claimed there had been mismanagement of funds
relating to the hiring of a security firm to guard the registrar's
residential premises even though they had a contract with another
security company.
It said contracts had not been correctly tendered for in certain
cases.
Appointment and promotion procedures had also been undermined
and ghost employees had been allowed to exist.
Staff also claim there is a lack of fiscal discipline.
Mzamane has made frequent visits overseas, the university has
bought expensive vehicles and unauthorised people have been allowed
to use university vehicles.
The theft and misuse of project monies and research grants is
also alleged.
Abnormalities and discrepancies in the salary scales of
university employees were also charged.
Protesters claimed there was a total lack of academic leadership
and programme development.
This put the university at a serious disadvantage when it came
to attracting funding and high-calibre students.
"The failure of the university council to exercise authority on
these matters has deepened the gravity of the problem."
@ REGISTER-SOWETO
JOHANNESBURG Jan 29 Sapa
FEW TRICKLING INTO SOWETO REGISTRATION STATIONS
Only a few people were still trickling into registration
stations in Soweto on Friday afternoon as the second phase of
registration for the 1999 election began.
However, officials remained optimistic that the process would
pick up in the evening when many people return from work and at the
weekend.
"It is the first day and we expected the process to be slow,"
southern local council monitor Thembi Mabaso said.
Registrations were marred by shortages of staff who did not
turn up, she said.
Peter Malatsi, who was monitoring Moletsane, Tladi and Naledi,
said five stations were still not open by noon because there were
no volunteers to man them.
Teachers in schools that were to be used for registration were
willing to help but could not as they were not trained to use
scanning machines.
Registration stations visited by a Sapa reporter appeared very
quiet. Children were playing soccer and other games.
Nearby, it was business as usual for adults with most clearly
undazed by the process.
Thabang Matsapa, who was sitting under a tree with a few
friends, shrugged off the idea that he was reluctant to register,
saying: "I will register a little later on when it is quiet."
A few metres away, a handful of people were queuing to
register.
About 20km away in Lenasia, Gauteng premier Mathole Motshekga,
clad in an African National Congress T-shirt, was on a mission to
encourage people to vote.
A handful of ANC loyals were toyi-toying behind his entourage
waving their party's flags.
"Some people might find it difficult to distinguish in which
capacity I'm visiting these areas but the fact is I'm here to
motivate people to register. It is up to them to choose which party
they vote for," the premier said.
Despite being at a quiet registration station, Motshekga said
the spirit wa high at areas he had earlier visited.
Speaking to reporters during his door-to-door visits in
Lenasia, Motshekga said most people were ready to go to the polls
and that some wished the election day was the next day.
He said he was impressed with volunteers at the stations, and
that problems reported at some stations would be sorted out soon.
Mabaso said 29 percent of electorate registered in the first
phase of registrations last year.
@ TANZANIA-ZANZIBAR
DAR ES SALAAM Jan 29 Sapa-AFP
ZANZIBAR TREASON TRIAL POSTPONED AGAIN
The trial of 18 opposition politicians charged with treason in
Tanzania's semi-autonomous island of Zanzibar was adjourned Friday
because the magistrate hearing the case is on holiday.
The case was mentioned before regional magistrate in Zanzibar,
Mshibe Bakari, who said that his colleague, Yesaya Kayange, had
been appointed to hear the preliminary motion and was on leave, and
that therefore the trial had to be adjourned until February 12.
"I cannot entertain anything as the newly appointed magistrate
is on leave and may be back next month," Bakari said.
The defence protested, calling it a delaying tactic on the part
of the prosecution. It noted that the accused, who are charged with
plotting to overthrow the government of Zanzibari President Salmin
Amour, have languished in jail for more than a year.
It was the second time the case has been adjourned this month.
A magistrate's court had scheduled a preliminary hearing on January
15, but this was adjourned to January 29.
The accused,members of the opposition Civic United Front, face
the death sentence or life in prison if convicted.
Those on trial include four members of the Zanzibar House of
Representatives: Hamad Masoud Hamad, Soud Yussuf Mgeni, Hamad
Rashid Mohamed and Juma Duni Haji.
@ NIGERIA-EU
ABUJA Jan 29 Sapa-AFP
EU GIVES 3.39 MILLION EURS FOR NIGERIAN ELECTIONS
The European Union is giving Nigeria assistance worth 3.39
million euros (3.9 million dollars) for the organisation of
legislative and presidential elections next month, a top EU
official said Friday.
Hans Snida, European Commission director for west and central
Africa, told reporters here that the aid, including computers,
vehicles and civic education materials, is going to the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The assistance also includes the money to pay for 100 EU
electoral monitors soon to arrive in the country, Snida said, after
meeting Nigeria's minister for national planning, Rasheed
Gbadamosi.
The official said that the full resumption of EU aid, which
formerly ran into millions of dollars, would be contingent on the
military handing over power, as promised, to the winner of the
February 27 presidential elections.
EU aid to Nigeria was suspended in 1995 over concern at human
rights abuses and continued military rule in Africa's most populous
country.
@ ZIMBABWE-JOURNALISTS
HARARE Jan 29 Sapa-AP
WESTERN NATIONS PROTEST TORTURE, JUDICIAL ABUSE IN ZIMBABWE
Western nations protested to the government Friday over the
illegal detention and torture by the military of two Zimbabwean
journalists.
Envoys from the European Union - which includes Britain, the
former colonial power - Australia, Canada, Japan and the United
States delivered a protest note to acting Foreign Minister Nathan
Shamuyarira.
The note, released by Germany, the current president of the
European Union, called on Zimbabwe to demonstrate its commitment to
international standards of human rights and investigate without
delay the torture charges and punish any perpetrators.
Mark Chavunduka, 34, editor of the independent Standard
newspaper, and reporter Ray Choto, 37, were detained by military
police after they reported the arrest of 23 soldiers who allegedly
plotted a coup in December.
The government has denied the newspaper's report and described
it as treasonable.
The journalists said they were tortured to reveal sources of
the Jan. 10 report, charges corroborated by a medical report
commissioned by their newspaper.
The protest note said the Western nations were particularly
concerned by the detention of civilians by the military, the
violation of human rights by the use of torture, the violation of
press freedom and the threat to the independence of the judiciary
after the military twice ignored a High Court order to release
Chavunduka.
"The above mentioned actions have done serious damage to the
image of Zimbabwe," which previously enjoyed high regard for
independence of the judiciary, the note said.
Switzerland, meanwhile, said its authorities intervened to stop
the sale of cluster bombs to the Zimbabwean military by a Swiss
arms dealer. Zimbabwe has sent 8,000 troops to back Congolese
President Laurent Kabila in a civil war against rebels.
Swiss Ambassador Catherine Polejack said in Harare the firm
Aerotech SA had not received clearance to export the BL 755 bombs
in a consignment worth several million dollars to the Zimbabwe air
force.
Swiss regulations required approval of all exports that could
be used in "situations of volatility and tension," she said.
"It's not like peanuts or chocolate," she said.
@ ZIMBABWE-BOMBS
HARARE Jan 29 Sapa
SWISS GOVERNMENT BLOCKS BOMB SALES TO ZIMBABWE
The Swiss government has blocked a US $ 1.5 million deal for
the supply of sophisticated cluster bombs to Zimbabwe's air force
out of fears they will be used in the Democratic Republic of Congo
and escalate the violence there.
Swiss ambassador to Harare Catherine Krieg said Swiss arms
supplier Aerotech had cancelled the contract with the air force
after the Swiss federal office for foreign economic affairs refused
to issue an export licence for the munitions.
The bombs were part of a reported massive re-equipment by the
air force to strengthen its arm fighting to prop up Congolese
president Laurent Kabila in his war against Tutsi rebels.
The government has thrown a blanket of secrecy over the
conflict, but military analysts say that the Zimbabwean forces have
come against far more resilient forces than they expected to
encounter as the war goes into its sixth month with no sign of
military or diplomatic resolution.
Krieg confirmed a report in the privately-owned weekly Zimbabwe
Independent newspaper that Aerotech in December had won the bidding
to supply the air force with 65 British-manufactured BL755 cluster
bombs, a powerful weapon that explodes on impact and ejects
hundreds of smaller bombs over a large surface area.
"Every exportation of war materials from Switzerland is
scrutinised," she told Sapa. "If the Swiss government feels a
country could be using a piece of equipment, especially in a
situation of volatile tension, it cannot be used.
"It's quite clear that this business have withdrawn their
offer (to the air force). We have the confirmation that nothing has
been delivered and no money has been paid," she said.
"This particular business is a little bit touchy in view of
the goods they want to sell, for whom it is and for what purpose.
It's not like it's peanuts or chocolate they are selling."
She said her embassy had alerted arms export authorties to the
deal after the Independent reported it last month. The newspaper
said at the same time that Zimbabwe was importing 12 Mig jet
interceptors from China at a reported price tag of US $ 100
million.
Last month, the air force was reported to have taken delivery
of up to nine second-hand heavy duty Hind attack helicopters which
have since been used in operations in the Congo.
The lavish military expenditure comes as the country falls
deeper into economic crisis, marked by a collapsing currency and
the crumbling of infrastructure, especially health, education and
other social services.
This week local press reports listed the imminent collapse of
Harare's sewage system, critical staff shortages at state schools
and hospitals and the halting of construction of what is meant to
be the country's biggest internal dam - all because public funds
have dried up.
The government has denied it has gone on a major military
procurement spree.
@ REGISTER-NNP
CAPE TOWN Jan 29 Sapa
MANDELA WANTED TO SETTLE ELECTION DISPUTE: NNP
President Nelson Mandela approached National Party leader
Marthinus van Schalkwyk two weeks ago offering to discuss a
settlement of the legal wrangle over the coming election, Van
Schalkwyk said on Friday.
However Mandela had not repeated this suggestion in a
subsequent phone call, he told journalists in Cape Town.
Instead, an agreement had been reached that the government's
lawyers would ask the Judge President of the Cape High Court, the
Chief Justice and the President of the Constitutional Court to
speed up the NP application due to be heard in Cape Town from
February 5.
The Mail and Guardian, which broke the news of the contact
between the two men, said in Friday's edition that disagreements at
the highest level of government about how to proceed with the
election lay behind Mandela's offer and its "sudden withdrawal".
"It seems to me the ANC is in huge disarray on this court
case," said Van Schalkwyk. "The government, the one grouping in
Deputy President Mbeki's office say one thing, and another group
say and do another thing from the president's office."
Van Schalkwyk said Mandela phoned him on January 17.
"He said to me, his first phone call, he would like to discuss
settlement with me, what is my reaction.
"I then said to him, Mr President of course we are willing to
discuss settlement. It is always better to discuss settlement
before a court case ends up in court, because if we win, this court
case is going to cost the taxpayers of this country millions of
rand."
Mandela had said he had legal advisers with him, and would
phone again later to discuss the matter.
However, when he did phone again later that day, he did not
mention settlement.
He said instead that he wanted to talk about "expediting" the
court case, and that he wanted to approach the three judges about
this.
Van Schalkwyk said he told Mandela that he had no objection in
principle to this proposal, but there should be no impression of
political pressure on the judiciary.
He said that since the phone convesations, there had been an
exchange of letters with the president's office, and it had been
agreed that the government lawyers would approach the court
officials, and that though the NP would not be making the request,
its representatives would be present at all discussions.
"President Mandela said in his first call to me that if the
elections were postponed it would be ver detrimental to the
country, and I agree with him one hundred percent on that," the NP
leader said.
He was unwilling to speculate on why the proposal for a
settlement was dropped from the agenda.
In its court application, the NP is asking the High Court to
rule that the barcode requirement for registration and voting is
unconstitutional, as it will deny people the right to vote, and to
declare that the IEC's independence has been compromised by
underfunding and other government actions.
The NP challenge, and a similar case brought by the Democratic
Party, are both likely to end up in the Constitutional Court.
Federal Alliance leader Louis Luyt said in a statement on
Friday that Mandela's compromise had been withdrawn after
interference by Mbeki and Justice Minister Dullah Omar, and that it
was clear that the personal and political differences were having a
serious influence on how the country was governed.
@ SLEONE-EXECUTION
FREETOWN Jan 29 Sapa-AFP
SUSPECTED REBEL, COLLABORATOR SUMMARILY EXECUTED IN FREETOWN
A Nigerian-led intervention force battling a rebel insurgency
in Sierra Leone carried out summary executions this week against a
suspected rebel and a suspected collaborator.
On Friday, AFP saw soldiers from the ECOMOG force use tape to
tie one man's hands behind his back. The man, suspected of being a
rebel, was executed immediately outside a local hospital.
"There are rebels in the city. You must know that we will
execute them where we find them," one soldier said.
On Thursday, a woman suspected of being a collaborator had her
arms tied behind her back with a string and was shot in front of an
AFP correspondent.
The woman had attempted to avoid a military checkpoint and had
tried to run away.
Rebels invaded the capital on January 6, and were largely
routed by ECOMOG forces to outlying areas and adjacent hills last
week, where fighting has sporadically erupted.
@ COURT-KRUGEL
PRETORIA Jan 29 Sapa
STATE OPPOSES BAIL APPLICATION OF FORMER NIA MEMBER
The State on Friday opposed the bail application of former
Executive Outcomes member and National Intelligence agent Schalk
Krugel in the Pretoria Regional Court.
Krugel is to go on trial in the Pretoria High Court on May 10
on charges of conspiracy to murder two South Africans, Fanie Pelser
and Andrew Sweetnam, and a Namibian advocate, Jan Malan, as well as
two charges of theft.
The bodies of the three men who allegedly fell victim to Krugel
have not been found and the evidence linking him to the men is
curcumstantial, Krugel's defence counsel told the court on Friday.
Investigating officer Inspector Bertus Kruger admitted that the
three men had disappeared without a trace and that not a cent of
the approximately R500,000 allegedly stolen from them during fake
diamond transactions in Angola in 1996 could ever be found.
However, Kruger said, Krugel was the last person seen in the
company of the missing men.
Kruger pointed out that Krugel had confessed to the murders to
his former wife, Wilhelmina van Zyl and several other witnesses.
There was also evidence that Krugel had spent large sums of
money after returning from Angola in 1996.
The bail application will continue on Monday.
@ DAVOS-MANDELA
DAVOS, Switzerland Jan 29 Sapa-AFP
MANDELA BIDS FAREWELL TO WORLD ECONOMIC COMMUNITY
Nelson Mandela bid a fond farewell to world financial and
business leaders here Friday, making his fourth and final
appearance at their annual gathering in this Swiss ski resort
before he steps down as South African president.
The octagenarian president won a lengthy standing ovation from
a packed main hall at the World Economic Forum (WEF) here after he
paid tribute to the international community for its support in
helping to free South Africa from apartheid, "one of the most
brutal systems of racial repression that we have seen."
"It is because of that support of the international community
that South Africans" whatever their race "now regard themselves as
having a common destiny and are ready to sacrifice for their
country," he said.
But he also said that his country should not now turn its back
on the problems of other countries because of the challenges of
building a strong economy at a time of global economic turmoil.
"That would be to turn our backs on those who helped liberate
us, often at great cost to themselves," he said.
Asked what he would do once he retired, he joked: "I'm going to
stand at the side of the road and say to you 'unemployed, no money
... please help.'"
More seriously, he said he remained at the disposition of the
African National Congress, the goverment and the South African
people "if they think I can be of service."
WEF founder and president Klaus Schwab presented Mandela with a
painting of children in a snowbound landscape as a memento of his
trips here, a particularly appropriate gift this year as the
mountain resort has been experiencing its worst snowstorm in 30
years in the past few days.
@ REGISTER-WCAPE
CAPE TOWN Jan 29 Sapa
WESTERN CAPE VOTER REGISTRATION RATE SLOW, BUT EXPECTED TO
INCREASE
The rate at which voters were registering at the Western Cape's
1312 registration stations was slow, but the tempo was expected to
pick up throughout the weekend, acting provincial electoral officer
Joppa le Roux told a media briefing in Cape Town late on Friday.
There were some exceptions to this slow trend; one station in
the greater Plettenberg Bay area reported that a large percentage
of the district's youth had registered, and the rate of
registration at the Pinelands station in Cape Town was reported to
be brisk.
A big turn-out was also reported from the Samora Machel
squatter camp on the Cape Flats.
"The Western Cape office of the Independent Electoral
Commission (IEC) is more than satisfied with the operation of the
registration process so far," Le Roux said in a statement.
"Our reports have indicated that the average waiting time to
register was between five and ten minutes.
"Other than the very exceptional hiccups at a few stations, in
most areas the operation went smoothly," he said.
Earlier, at noon on Friday, the IEC reported that only 27 of
the province's registration stations had failed to open on time.
All these were in the Cape Town metropolitan area. By lunchtime the
figure was eight. The last station to open was Mitchell's Plain,
which finally came on line at 4.45pm.
More than 2000 members of the South African National Defence
Force (SANDF) in the Western Cape on Friday assisted the IEC with
voter registration at 743 registration points, the general officer
commanding regional joint task force Western Cape, General Chris
van Zyl told Sapa.
At the same time, nearly 1000 members of the army, including
500 members of commando units, provided security. More than 500
members from units in the Northern Cape were flown in on Thursday
to assist with the process in the Western Cape.
Van Zyl said all registration points where the SANF was
invlved were operational early on Friday.
Those members of the SANDF who were identified as registration
officials, were trained by the IEC in November last year and were
deployed in most districts and sub-structures in the Western Cape,
he said.
According to the recent population census, there are an
estimated 2776110 potential voters - South African citizens over
18 years old - in the Western Cape. Only 28,82 percent of them
registered during the first round of registration in November last
year.
@ MANDELA-DAVOS
DAVOS, Switzerland Jan 29 Sapa
MANDELA ATTACKS PROTECTIONIST TRADE POLICIES
A few hours after it was announced on Friday that remaining
obstacles standing in the way of a free trade agreement between
South Africa and the European Union had been resolved, President
Nelson Mandela attacked the protectionist trade policies of
developed countries.
In an address to the World Economic Forum's annual meeting
here, Mandela said Europe sought to protect its rural communities
by capturing markets in which undeveloped countries were truly
competitive.
"In the steel industry, to take another example, the north
seeks to protect old industries that will never be able to compete
with the modern resource-based production of the south. This
restricts an obvious avenue to modern production in South Africa."
Mandela said such matters needed to be addressed in
multilateral fora if Africa was to be reintegrated into the world
economy.
Earlier in the day Mandela urged foreign investors to recognize
the reforms South Africa had made to its economy and its commitment
to democratic values by taking advantage of the investment
opportunities it had on offer.
Mandela is to host a private dinner later on Friday night and
is due to leave for South Africa on Saturday afternoon.
@ N/L-REGISTER
JOHANNESBURG Jan 29 Sapa
FEWER LOGISTICAL HITCHES, BUT POOR TURNOUT FOR VOTER
REGISTRATION
The second round of voter registration got underway on Friday
with many electoral officials boasting they had experienced "no
hitches" and others saying it was "a major, major improvement" on
last year's registration drive.
With the vast majority of the 14800 registration points opening
on time and with technical problems mostly confined to
malfunctioning bar-code scanners, it appeared to be a logistical
success.
There were few reports of "lost" voters going to the wrong
stations and only isolated incidents of intimidation and political
interference.
All that was missing was the voters.
Except for Durban, Port Elizabeth, Alexandra township north of
Johannesburg and parts of the Northern Province, queues were short
and the pace of registration slow, with voters arriving in "dribs
and drabs".
At some stations in Pretoria, officials reported fewer than 20
people an hour after they opened at 9am.
Officials in North West Province described turnout at stations
there as "a little disappointing" while it was similarly quiet in
neighbouring Free State. Western Cape stations were described as
"reasonably busy."
In most provinces, Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) staff
were hoping numbers would pick up late on Friday and over the
weekend.
In a statement late on Friday, the IEC gave no indication of
how many people had registered. However, it said it was satisfied
that most stations had opened on time.
All stations in the Eastern Cape opened timeously as did those
in the Northern Cape, with the exception of a few in Kimberley. In
the Free State, 13 opened their doors late and in the Northern
Province four.
In Kwazulu-Natal and North West, around 90 percent of the
stations were open by 11am while in Mpumalanga, five wer not open
by 10am.
Twenty seven stations opened late in the Western Cape while
several stations in Gauteng, including some in Sandton, Orange
Farm, Lenasia and Westdene were still closed at midday.
"All areas of the country report very few logistical problems
with the failure of a few voting stations to open being caused by
the non-arrival of public servant staff," the IEC said.
It blamed the late opening of stations in Gauteng on problems
with the "zip zip machines" which are used to scan bar-codes in
identity books and the fact that soldiers deployed to assist with
registration did not have transport.
In some cases, both soldiers and civil servants were reluctant
to enter certain areas because of fears of crime and intimidation.
In the only politically-related incident of the day, a group of
United Democratic Movement supporters held a rally next to a
registration station in Ngeleni in the Eastern Cape.
Despite concerns by IEC officials in the area, the situation
was defused after UDM leaders intervened and persuaded their
rally-goers to move to another venue, according to Eastern Cape
Electoral Officer, Reverend Bongani Finca.
Registration at four stations in the Masinga area of
Kwazulu-Natal were affected due to faction fighting, according to
IEC officials in that province.
In Richmond in the Kwazulu-Natal midlands, where the funerals
of slain United Democratic Movement national secretary Sifiso
Nkabinde and those of eight of the 11 African National Congress
supporters subsequently massacred will be held over the weekend,
registration has been postponed to Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
At Mount Ayliff and Tabankulu in the Eastern Cape, where the
funerals of 21 people killed in a tornado earlier this month will
be held on Saturday, registration offices will open on Sunday and
Monday.
Pamphlet campaigns in the Northern Province and the Eastern
Cape paid off for local officials. Large numbers of voters turned
out in urban areas.
Dean Nevhutla, the provincial electoral officer in the Northern
Province, said he hoped large crowds of students who queued to
register at the University of the North would dispel fears that
young people were indifferent to registration.
In Port Elizabeth, provincial electoral Officer Mardi Naidoo
said there was "absolutely no comparison between the second phase
of registration and the December registration drive. It's like
chalk and cheese. There has been a major, major improvement."
"The general feeling among officials involved is that the
situation will improve steadily throughout the afternoon and
evening, and that by tomorrow (Saturday), the situation should be
generally under control," the IEC's national office said.
@ TRADE-EU
DAVOS, Switzerland Jan 29 Sapa
EU, SA SET TO STRIKE TRADE DEAL
South African and European Union negotiators on Friday
announced they had finally reached agreement on the outstanding
issues of a proposed SA-EU free trade and development deal, but
declined to immediately make public details of the compromise
reached.
The outstanding issues were resolved at a meeting between Trade
Minister Alec Erwin and EU commissioner Joao de Deus Pinheiro at a
two-hour meeting here on Friday, and now the agreement has to be
referred back to their principals for ratification.
Both men were confident that the compromise reached was within
the mandate they had been given.
"I am very happy to say that today we were able to breach some
of the gaps with some of the difficulties we have had," Pinheiro
told journalists at the meeting.
"As you know both of us will have to report back to our masters
- Minister Alec Erwin will have to report back to the (South
African) Cabinet, I will have to report back to the Council of
Ministers in Europe.
"But I think that the work we did today is in compliance with
the orientations we got from our masters.
"I think that today we reached a compromise, which as all
compromises have not left any one of us happy, but we can live with
it. That is the spirit of compromise."
Erwin said the compromises reached were acceptable to the South
African negotiators.
"I think in view of the sensitivities for many people around
these compromises we won't elaborate on them a great deal now.
"I think it would be fair to say that as negotiators we have
come to the end of these very important negotiations and hopefully
these will be sanctioned by the principals."
Both sides had attempted to meet each other half-way, Erwin
said.
He would not disclose whether South Africa had backed down to
EU demands that South African wine producers cease using the brand
names port and sherry, saying only that the final agreement reached
on the issue was a complicated one and had to be considered in its
entirety.
It is expected that South Africa will phase out use of the
brand names, and in return the EU will increase the quota of other
wines SA may export to the EU and make funds available to market
new brands of fortified wines.
"I think the best thing to do is to drink some port and sherry
in this cold weather and we will make an announcement about this
later," Erwin quipped.
Pinheiro said many of the issues discussed during the SA-EU
trade negotiations would be covered in broader trade negotiations
to be conducted by the World Trade Organisation.
"We tried to have an agreement bearing in mind that in two
years' time things would be solved in a more broad way, and that
the (port and sherry) issue would be part of these broader
negotiations."
He felt it was unfortunate that the negotiations had become
stuck on the port and sherry issue because there were other parts
of the agreement which had far greater economic consequence.
Erwin said both sides had made certain last minute concessions.
Pinheiro expected the EU council of ministers to deal with the
agreement at its next meeting on February 22.
President Nelson Mandela was initially expected to attend
Friday's negotiations but arrived too late because he was unable to
fly to Davos by helicopter due to heavy snow and had to drive to
the ski resort from Zurich.
European Commission President Jacques Santer also did not
participate in the discussions as expected.
Thursday's discussions coincided with the annual meeting of the
World Economic Forum.
@ REGISTER-SCUFFLES
JOHANNESBURG Jan 29 Sapa-AP
POLITICAL SCUFFLES MAR REGISTRATION DRIVE
Police were called to keep order at a voters registration
station near Pretoria on Friday, after verbal battles between
supporters of the ruling and opposition parties threatened to
disrupt the process.
It was one of two incidents involving the opposition United
Democratic Movement that marred an otherwise peaceful nationwide
voters' registration drive.
The shouting match took place at Mabopane, north of Pretoria,
between UDM and African National Congress supporters, but ended by
the time police arrived at the registration station, police Capt
Elias Majola said.
@ LABOUR-PROSECUTORS
JOHANNESBURG Jan 29 Sapa
PROSECUTORS' DISPUTE TO GO TO ARBITRATION
The dispute over the scrapping of overtime for state
prosecutors and the pay increase of six percent will go to
arbitration, it was decided at the Council for Conciliation,
Mediation and Arbitration on Friday.
Eduard van der Spuy of the National Union of Prosecutors of
South Africa said: "It was agreed that we cannot conciliate on
either of the disputes."
He said it was hoped that a date for arbitration would be
available within about a month.
On Monday, Justice Minister Dullah Omar and representatives
from five unions representing the prosecutors agreed that an
interim negotiating forum should investigate interim relief for
prosecutors.
@ MANDELA ADDRESS TO THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM
Issued by: Office of the President
ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA TO THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM
DAVOS, 29 January 1999
Chairperson,
Distinguished guests,
Let me begin by thanking you most sincerely for affording me the
privilege of addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos for the
last time as President o South Africa.
South Africa's leadership has had a close and fruitful
relationship with the WEF over the last 8 years. Such is our
approach to the international business community that our new
democracy never hesitated to accept your kind invitations to
participate in this rigorous forum. I hope that by doing so we hav
been able to convey information about the challenges and the
potential of our wonderful land.
We have been lauded, politely listened to and pilloried for some
of the things that others and I have said on various occasions here
in Davos. Indeed I have vivid memories of this process during my
visit here in 1991! It has taught us much and reinforced our belief
in dialogue and interaction with the international community.
The success of the annual regional summits has confirmed us in
this judgement. I would therefore like to use the occasion to invite
you all to this year's Southern Africa Economic Summit in Durban in
June. While I will not be able personally to welcome and host you, I
can assure you of South Africa's warmest hospitality and of many
opportunities to promote our mutual goals. However, if you should
during your visit see and old many by the road carrying a placard
saying, "No Job, No Money, New Wife, Big Family", please spare a
thought!
What has stood out in all our interactions with you is your
profound goodwill toward South Africa. I doubt if you know how much
this means to us. To ensure a better life for all our people is a
complex and difficult task. Your support strengthens our efforts and
inspires us.
We know that this goodwill arises from the desire of good men
and women everywhere that South Africa should succeed in reconciling
our people and that we should lay the scourge of racism to rest.
This requires strong democratic institutions and a culture of
compassion. None of this is possible without a strong economy.
The challenges we face combine many of the great challenges that
face our global society. We need social stability that is based on
socio-economic development. We must nurture tolerance, collective
wisdom and democracy. Like all countries, we must provide real
personal safety and security against criminality and abuse of human
rights.
The fact that we face these global challenges at the precise
moment that we have become free with the world's support, places
special obligations on our new democracy.
Some people argue that we should focus on our own immense
problems and leave others to their own devices. That would be to
turn our back on those that helped liberate us, often at great costs
to themselves. It would be contrary to our morality, which will not
let us desert our friends.
Who, in our interdependent world, can turn their back on people
in other lands when press, radio and television bring us the graphic
reality of abuse, death, genocide and senseless and destructive
wars?
Is globalisation only to benefit the powerful and the
financiers, speculators, investors and traders! Does it offer
nothing to men, women and children who are ravaged by the violence
of poverty!
To answer "Yes" to these questions is to re-create the
conditions for conflict and instability. However, if the answer is
"No" then we can begin to build a better life for all humanity.
South Africa knew from the outset that reconstruction and
development would be even more difficult tha the defeat of the
apartheid system. I cannot report that we have succeeded in all our
endeavours in South Africa. Yet a great deal has been achieved in
the first five years of democracy, in the face of many difficulties.
The statistics of our progress are readily available to those
that want them, so I will only cite two facts.
In 1994, 12 million people in our rural areas, some 30 per cent
of South Africans, lacked access to clean drinking water. Since then
3 million have gained access to that absolutely basic amenity.
In 1994, two thirds (63%) of South African households lacked
electricity. Today the figure is reduced to one third (36%) of
households without electricity.
An audience such as yourselves will understand what these two
examples indicate about our broad programme of socio-economic
improvement; the scale of the challenge we inherited; the progress
we have made; how much more is still to be done.
You will appreciate that such improvement, if it is to be
sustained, requires enduring changes in our public service, a stable
and living democracy, as well as a dynamic and sustainable economy.
Because development brings great structural change that affects
different interests in different ways, the achievement of our goals
requires of us the capacity to mobilise a highly complex society in
pursuit of broad national objectives. It means building a broad
partnership of major social forces.
Considering the condition of South African society a few short
years ago I believe that we are have made great progress in this
regard. What is deeply encouraging is the way in which civil society
is becoming actively engaged in transforming our society, in
particular to deal with the most difficult challenges we face.
Our recent Job Summit brought business, labour and the
development community together with government to work for job
creation.
Business actively assists in our critical battle against crime.
The religious community has come together with political parties to
give a lead with government in the moral regeneration that will help
fight corruption and crime. Farmers, and farm workers are working
with the police and army to combat rural criminality.
Last year this World Economic Forum gave a global lead to the
international business community in the fight against HIV/AIDS. I am
pleased to be able to report to you that late last year a national
Partnership Against Aids was launched in South Africa, by Deputy
President Thabo Mbeki, bringing together all sectors of our society,
including the private sector, to combat this epidemic.
Such partnerships of social forces give our society a resilience
and stability that keep it on a steady course whatever the vagaries
of political mood. This environment allows government to take a
longer view and consistently apply sound and sustainable economic
policies. In the stormy seas of the world financial markets our
medium sized ship has taken some storm damage but continues to sail
under its own power.
However, like all trading nations our own growth depends
critically on growth in the world economy. When we can least afford
it the current crisis has had a very real impact on our growth rate,
as it has across the world. Though still positive our growth rate is
nearly 3 per cent below our initial projections for this year.
Stability in the world economy and more important a return to growth
in Southeast Asia, Latin America and Africa are vital.
Our own long-term structural development also depends on all of
Southern Africa and Africa achieving the same and on our building
economic ties and development co-operation amongst ourselves.
We are making sure but steady progress overcoming the colonial
legacy of poor links, including transportation links, between our
economies. Cross border co-operation with our neighbours to promote
investment and development grows by the month. We will make progress
this year toward a Free Trade Agreement in the SADC.
But much as we have advanced in these and other ways, continuing
conflicts are hampering development. The gains we are making could
be jeopardised, not only in the countries directly involved but more
generally, such is the interdependence of all our countries.
Africa is beyond bemoaning its past for its problems. The task
of undoing that past is ours, with the support of those willing to
join us in a continental renewal. We have a new generation of
leaders who know that we must take responsibility for our own
destiny, that we will uplift ourselves only by our own efforts in
partnership with those who wish us well.
In short, now that Africa is free, we can embark on the
realisation of our long-held dream of the rebirth of our continent,
of is reconstruction and development.
One of the greatest effects of this African Renaissance will be
the reintegration of the African economies into the world economy no
longer as dependent participants.
One dimension to this re-integration is the unfolding of the
complex processes that I have reflected on above. These processes
will have to emanate in Africa.
The other dimension raises a profound and fundamental question,
as to whether the world economy in its current structure will allow
this reintegration. This question is seldom asked, since it is the
weaknesses in Africa and the developing world that are usually put
under the spotlight. But it is an essential question.
For Africa to re-integrate, its economies must industrialise and
modernise, and their success in doing so will depend on the
framework within which this occurs.
When South East Asia and South Korea, and later some Latin
American countries successfully followed an export-oriented path to
industrialisation, a new orthodoxy was established on
industrialisation that relied on the globalised market-place. For
many, globalisation was no longer seen as a complex historical
process but as an economic policy panacea.
Today, however, we have seen how global financial turmoil can
stall industrialisation and even de-industrialise in some cases.
Finance in abundance derived from very high levels of development is
destabilising industrialisation processes were they are needed most.
Profitable as this may be for individual market actors, it is a
grand and destructive irrationality for those countries and their
peoples whom it sets back on the development path.
And it introduces instability in the global system whose effects
ultimately no economy can escape.
This must be addressed. It is, however, not the only obstacle to
the development of the South.
Despite liberalisation of trade, there remain areas of
protectionism in the developed countries.
In agriculture, for example, Europe seeks to protect its rural
communities by capturing markets that are the true competitive
advantage of the South.
In the steel industry, to take another example, the North seeks
to protect old industries that will never be able to compete with
the modern resource-based production of the South. This restricts an
obvious avenue to modern production in Africa.
These matters must be addressed in the multilateral fora if we
are to ensure that Africa is able through its own efforts to
reintegrate into the world economy.
They form part of those changes to the economic, social and
political world order which are needed if we are realise our dreams
of a better world for all humanity.
They are a part of what is necessary if the next century is to
be, as it must be, the century in which Africa again takes her
rightful place in the world.
You will therefore understand why this old man, to whom you have
granted the privilege of bidding you farewell in the twilight of his
public life and at the turn of the century, has raised such very
practical matters of unfinished business.
It has been my great privilege to fight a struggle for freedom
that the world adopted as it sown, and which has been victorious in
my lifetime. I have had the honour of representing a people who won
the admiration and respect of all nations by reaching out to each
other and finding common ground across a divided that seemed
unbridgeable.
In these last years I have experienced the complexities of
governing a nation that seeks to overcome a legacy of social
deprivation, and I am profoundly aware of how much is still to be
done. I have witnessed the enormity of the task, still to be
completed, of re-directing international institutions and systems in
such a way that the prodigious capacity of the world economy shall
satisfy the basic needs of all people.
Knowing that I leave the governance of South Africa in strong
and wise hands, and that there is a new generation of leaders in the
world who have recognised the possibility of realising our dreams of
a better world, I approach the end of my public life with my heart
full of hope.
I thank you for your attention, and wish you well in your
efforts.
@ OPINION99-NNP
JOHANNESBURG Jan 29 Sapa
OPINION 99 FINDINGS DO NOT BODE WELL FOR DEMOCRACY: NNP
The latest government performance survey, which showed that
government's performance was rated highly, did not bode well for
the establishment of a balanced multi-party democracy, the New
National Party said on Friday.
"These trends underscore the warning signalled by the New NP
that the ANC's goal of a two-thirds majority could be within their
reach if all communities do not register for the election," NNP
spokeswoman Juli Kilian said in a statement.
According to The Opinion 99 survey - which was done jointly by
market researchers Markinor, the Institute for Democracy in South
Africa and the SABC and released on Thursday - 58 percent of the
voters said the government's overall performance was very well or
fairly well.
The survey was part of a series of polls released since
November last year to monitor attitudes towards elections,
registrations and voting.
Kilian said the survey also confirmed the party's view that the
bar-coded ID book requirement for registration was a deliberate
ploy to disenfranchise some people who would not support the ANC
alliance.
@ REGISTER-MPUMA
NELSPRUIT Jan 29 Sapa
ARMY HELPS OUT IEC IN MPUMALANGA
Soldiers were called in to help the Independent
Electoral Commission (IEC) replace volunteer registration officers
who failed to arrive for work at five percent of voter registration
stations in Mpumalanga on Friday, African Eye News Service reported.
Lydenburg, Ogies and Middelburg were hardest hit by the late or
non-arrival of registration officials but all stations in the
province were fully functional by 10am, Mpumalanga chief electoral
officer, Steve Ngwenya, said on Friday night.
"In fact some stations in places like Bethal were forced to open
one hour early at 8am because we didn 92t want to keep the large
number of voters wanting," said Ngwenya.
The IEC designated 1007 registration stations in Mpumalanga
after almost 200 additional stations were approved at the last
minute. The Eastvaal region boosts the largest number with 367,
followed with 351 in the Highveld and 289 in the Lowveld.
The only problems experienced in the Lowveld region was at six
stations in Lydenburg which were forced to open at roughly 10am due
to staff shortages.
Stations at Middelburg and Ogies also initially experienced
minor problems due to missing volunteers but were all up and running
before 10am, while nine stations in Amersfoort and five at Piet
Retief in the Eastvaal region also experienced initial hitches.
@ ANGOLA-FEARS
LUANDA Jan 29 Sapa-AP
AID WORKERS FEAR ANGOLAN CITY FACES SECOND ROUND OF STARVATION
Relief workers fear Angola's renewed civil war could result in
another round of widespread starvation in the city of Malanje,
which has been under siege for weeks by rebels.
Mercedes Velasquez, a Peruvian who has worked with the World
Food Program in Angola for almost 12 years, is still moved to tears
by grim recollections of her arrival in Malanje six years ago, nine
months into a rebel siege that had prevented all aid flights. Only
the signing of a U.N.-brokered peace pact in 1994 ended the
suffering.
The collapse last month of that peace pact, followed by the
relentless battering of Malanje by rebel artillery in recent weeks,
threaten another human catastrophe.
In 1993, about 280,000 local and displaced people huddled in
the city's central plaza. Shelling and starvation claimed thousands
of lives. More than 100 children died each week.
"We had to step over the bodies," Velasquez recalls. "They
were just lying there, not moving, just dying quietly."
That siege, which was to last 11 months, began soon after
Angola's 1991 peace pact collapsed after one year.
With the latest peace accord unraveling, government forces have
battled for a month to keep the advancing UNITA rebels out of the
strategic city.
Malanje, 300 kilometers (186 miles) east of the coastal
capital, Luanda, is the only provincial city that cannot be
supplied by the World Food Program because of the fighting.
During the 1993 siege, many orphans wandered the streets,
naked, fending for themselves, "as if they had been discarded,
like garbage," Velasquez says.
As she recalls the scene, her throat tightens and she fights
back tears.
"I'd seen films of war, of course, but it's not the same,"
she recounted in an interview.
"I entered one house. It was quiet and looked deserted. But
right at the back, in the dark, there was a mother and her four
small children. They were sprawled on the floor, almost dead," she
said. Only the two eldest children survived.
Then, as now, troops ring the city: entrenched government
troops defending the town, the rebel lines beyond.
Starving civilians were driven to desperate acts.
"Many parents were shot as they tried to sneak out to the
countryside and find something to eat," Velasquez said. "First,
the father would go. Then, when he didn't return after a couple of
days, the mother would go, then the eldest son, and so on.
"If it continues like it is now, by March or April there will
be another catastrophe," Velasquez said.
One of hundreds of aid workers in Angola, which has seen only
brief glimpses of peace since its 1975 independence from Portugal,
Velasquez is one of the quiet heroes of a savage struggle for power
between UNITA and the government. UNITA is a Portuguese acronym for
the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola.
Despite the catastrophe, aid operations in Angla between 1992
and 1994 were widely regarded as a success story.
"We saved a lot of lives," Velasquez said.
There are about 700,000 displaced people in need of food,
clothing and medicine in the southwest African country.
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has recommended the
withdrawal of the U.N. mission that was monitoring the peace pact,
but has urged the aid community to stay.
@ ANGOLA-CABINET
LUANDA, Jan 29, Sapa-AFP
ANGOLAN PRESIDENT RESHUFFLES CABINET
Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos on Friday named a new
cabinet of 25 ministers, assuming himself the powers of head of
state, head of government and commander-in-chief of the army.
Among the list, notably lacking a prime ministerial post, were
four new portfolios; family and promotion of women, health,
planning and youth and sport.
All the new cabinet members are close allies of the president,
who declared an "exceptional period" in order to pursue the war
against UNITA rebels.
In a message to parliament, Dos Santos said he would scrap the
post of prime minister and set up a "permanent commission" under
the cabinet to manage the military crisis which has steadily
escalated since mid-1998.
The president said he would shortly give the army precise
instructions aimed at defeating the National Union for the Total
Independence of Angola (UNITA) and to "reestablish state
administration across the country."
The new cabinet list follows:
Defence: Kundi Pahyama
Interior: Fernando da Piedade
External Relations: Joao Bernardo de Miranda
PLanning: Ana Dias Lourengo
Finance: Joaquim Duarte da Costa David
Administration of the Territory: Fernando Faustino Muteka
Oil: Jose Maria Botelho de Vasconcelhos
Justice: Paulo Tchipilika
Fishing and Environment: Maria de Fatima Monteiro Jardim
Industry: Albina Faria de Assis Perreira Africano
Agriculture and Rural development: Gilberto Buta Lutukuta
Public Administration, Employment and Social Security: Antonio
Dmingos Pitra Costa Neto
Health: Adelina Manassas
Education and Culture: Antonio Burity da Silva Neto
Transport: Andre Luis Brandao
Post and Telecommunications: Tavares Ribeiro
Family and Promotion of the Woman: Candida Celeste da Silva
Social Communication (press): Pedro Hendrick Vaal Neto
Trade: Vitorino Domingos Hossi
Hotels and Tourism: Jorge Alicerces Valentim
Social Assistance: Albino Malungo
Youth and Sport: Jose Marcos Barrica
Public office and Urbanisation: Antonio Henriques da Silva
Energy and Water: Luis Filipe da Silva
War veterans: Pedro Jose Van-Dunem
@ RICHMOND-FUNERAL
RICHMOND Jan 30 Sapa
TENSIONS HIGH IN RICHMOND BEFORE FUNERAL OF 8 ANC SUPPORTERS
Tensions were high in Richmond on Saturday morning as
preparations for the funeral of eight ANC supporters in Ndaleni got
under way.
The eight dead were among the 11 Ndabezitha family members who
were massacred last Saturday night by four gunmen who burst into
their house.
The attack took place just hours after last Saturday's
assassination of United Democratic Movement national secretary
Sifiso Nkabinde.
Just before 9am, a group of African National Congress Youth
League members began gathering at Ndaleni mission hall where the
funeral will take place.
Security in the area was tight with army and police on full
alert.
ANC national chairman Patrick Lekota, the provincial ANC
leadership and Richmond mayor Andrew Ragavanoo were expected to
attend the service.
The night vigil, which had been set for Friday night, was
cancelled as people feared they would be attacked.
@ REGISTER-MBEKI
CAROUSEL VIEW, North West Jan 30 Sapa
RED FACED REGISTRATION OFFICIALS CAUGHT SHORT BY MBEKI
Deputy President Thabo Mbeki had red-faced electoral workers
scurrying around frantically on Saturday when he discovered that
the only registration point at Carousel View settlement had no
bar-code scanners.
Mbeki was visiting this settlement opposite the gambling resort
north of Pretoria when he established that the station was short of
vital equipment.
Independent Electoral Commission staff moved quickly to remedy
the situation.
Despite the incident, Mbeki appeared satisfied with the way the
second round of voter registration was proceeding.
"There were problems. In big cities like Johannesburg certain
registration stations were not open, but all in all the process is
... very good," Mbeki said.
By mid-morning, he had toured nearby Temba and nearby Carousel
View and Maubane. He was scheduled to travel further north to visit
the villages of Makapanstad and Suiwerskui.
@ REGISTER
AT LEAST 10 MILLION PEOPLE REGISTERED SO FAR: IEC
IEC officials said they expected the running total would
increase sharply once all Friday's figures were downloaded onto the
commission's counting system.
They also expected the rate at which people were turning out to
register to pick up over the weekend.
Mchunu said he was happy with the way the registration process
was going.
"So far, so good. I can really affirm that. One hundred
percent, across the board, across South Africa."
Problems were reported from some stations on Friday, but these
were identified in the morning and dealt with expeditiously.
"We have said to ourselves (at the IEC) `let's improve
communication; lets be wired to the floor', so that within an hour,
when a problem arises, we know about it and we know what has been
done about it."
Asked if special arrangements would be made for people who had
not registered, but who pitched up on election day hoping to cast
their vote, Mchunu said there would be no such special arrangement.
"If you're not registered, don't come to our stations...
because you don't have a license to vote."
However, turning people away because they did not have their
names on the voter's roll would be disruptive.
"Everyone must go out and register now; I don't want people
toyi-toying saying `They don't want us to vote'," he said.
Political parties needed to prevent this happening by
encouraging their supporters to register.
Mchunu said that South Africans believed election processes
were successful when they saw long queues.
"But what if you have a system that's efficient, that takes
care of people in ten minutes?
"In the South African tradition, people would say this was
apathy because people had apparently not turned out in large
numbers," he said.
@ REGISTER-ECAPE
GRAHAMSTOWN Jan 30 Sapa
ECAPE VOTER REGISTRATION IN HAMPERED BY VIOLENCE AND POOR WEATHER
Rain, impassable roads, taxi violence and apathy were the main
problems affecting voter registration in the Eastern Cape this morning.
East Cape Democratic Party leader Eddie Trent said: "It's been
very, very slow and if things don't pick up dramatically I can't see us
getting more than 55 percent total registration after second three day
period of registration."
However, IEC officials said the registration process was running
better on Saturday than Friday.
Heavy rain this morning kept a lot of people away from East London's
90 registration stations and in former Transkei.
East London electoral officer Mardi Naidoo, describing the weather
as a "dampener", he estimated that about 20 to 30 people per station had
registered this morning. He said more of a cross-section of people had
registered. Many were youths.
During the first round of registration in early December,
examinations at university and college level had contributed to the
youth not registering.
He said the youth had also been apathetic during the first round,
but media appeals had worked this time.
Sipho Mnqayi, in charge of the 21 registration stations in Alice
district, said registration in town had picked up tremendously.
He said 499 people had registered in the Alice Town Hall
on Friday and about 100 people were waiting in the hall to register on
Saturday and more were waiting outside.
He said only a small number of the people coming to register
appeared to be from the rural areas.
Mnqayi said that Friday was the end of the month and many
rural people were in town. Most the people who registered in both the
rural and urban areas were young.
Goodman Socikwa, in charge of 18 magisterial districts in former
Transkei, said that heavy rains in the rural areas on Friday afternoon
and last night kept a lot of people away.
He said roads had become wet and impassable and this was impacting
negatively on the registration process.
Some of the areas affected were Mount Frere, Lusikisiki, Port St
Johns and Flagstaff.
He said it was still raining in some parts and rivers were full.
Incidents of taxi violence on Friday near Ntlaza caused
Independent Electoral Commission officials and potential voter to flee
the area.
Socikwa said by late Friday afternoon registration had resumed.
He said the process was moving slowly.
Trent said Port Elizabeth had a dismal turnout for voter
registration.
He said the only way the Eastern Cape could push up numbers
was to establish centralised places throughout the province which were
accessible to people.
People should also be able to register
every day during February, he said.
@ RICHMOND-LEKOTA
RICHMOND Jan 30 Sapa
LEKOTA BLAMES POLICEMAN FOR RICHMOND VIOLENCE
The violence in Richmond was the work of third force elements
who wanted to create the perception there was conflict between
different political parties, African National Congress national
chairman Patrick Lekota said on Saturday.
Speaking at the Richmond funeral of seven ANC supporters killed
in a reprisal massacre last week, Lekota said: "There are people
within the police services who are distributing firearms in order
to create an impression that the ANC and the UDM (United Democratic
Movement) were killing each other."
There were people who did not want to see peace prevailing in
this province, particularly in Richmond, he said.
Calling on the community and church leaders in Magoda and
Ndaleni to work together for peace in the area, Lekota said the UDM
should be allowed to hold meetings in Ndaleni.
The ANC would hold a meeting in Magoda soon to send the message
that there was no hostility between it and the UDM, he added.
"We have fought for this freedom and we have to exercise it,"
he said.
"I would have loved to attend Nkabinde's funeral on Sunday but
I can't because emotions are still high," Lekota said.
Provincial ANC chairman S'bu Ndebele said the party would
appeal to Justice Minister Dullah Omar to institute an
investigation into the massacre.
A group of youths were singing and toyi-toying outside the hall
during the leaders' speeches.
@ RICHMOND-BODYGUARD
RICHMOND Jan 30 Sapa
FORMER BODYGUARD OF NKABINDE BURIED
About 200 mourners on Saturday morning attended the funeral
service of Mbongeleni Mtolo, a former bodyguard of slain UDM
national secretary Sifiso Nkabinde, in Magoda, Richmond.
Mtolo was shot dead last Saturday by security forces outside
the house where eight African National Congress supporters had been
massacred shortly before.
The service coincided with another funeral in Richmond for
seven ANC supporters who were massacred last Saturday after four
gunmen opened fire on their house a few hours after Nkabinde was
assassinated.
Mtolo's funeral was attended by local UDM leadership.
Police believe he was one of four men who carried out the
brutal slayings.
Mtolo was on bail, having been charged with murder and
attempted murder after another massacre of eight ANC-supporters at
a tavern in Richmond last July.
A police helicopter hovered overhead during the funeral, and
troops and police were on the alert for outbreaks of violence.
The preparations for Nkabinde's funeral on Sunday were underway
at his Magoda home.
A night vigil has been planned for Saturday night.
Security forces will patrol the area throughout the night.
@ TRADE-EU
DAVOS, Switzerland Jan 30 Sapa
PORT AND SHERRY PRODUCERS MAY GET TEMPORARY REPRIEVE: REPORT
A draft compromise trade deal between South African and the
Europen Union forsees South African producers of fortified wines
being allowed to continue using the brand names port and sherry in
export markets for another 12 years, after which the issue would be
re-negotiated, according to a report in Saturday's Financial Times.
Trade Minister Alec Erwin and EU commissioner Joao de Deus
Pinheiro announced they had reached agreement on the deal in Davos
on Friday, but both men declined to give details prior to it being
ratified by their principles.
The trade deal, which has been under negotiation for more than
three years has been stalled by Portugal and Spain's insistence
that they be given exclusive rights to the brand names port and
sherry.
The Financial Times report said while Portugal was prepared to
accept the compromise deal hammered out on Friday, it was still
likely to face opposition from Spain.
All the EU's 15-member states must unanimously approve the
trade deal for it to be passed.
The deal, which envisions the elimination of more than 90
percent of tariffs on SA-EU trade within 12 years, will be referred
to the European Council on February 22.
@ HANGINGS-SWAZILAND
MBABANE Jan 30 Sapa
HANGINGS TO RESUME IN SWAZILAND
The Swaziland government on Saturday said the hangings of
convicted murderers on death row at Matsapha Central Prison would
resume this year.
The last hanging was that of a woman, Philippa Moluli who was
hanged in 1995 for the murder a two year old girl.
Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Chief Maweni
Simelane said the three prisoners on death row, whose appeals were
turned down would be hanged at Sidwashini Prison.
Government sees the hangings as a deterrent to curb the
increasing numbers of murders through armed robberies and mob
killings.
@ LD-REGISTER
PRETORIA Jan 30 Sapa
ABOUT ONE-AND-A-HALF MILLION PEOPLE REGISTERED ON FRIDAY
About one-and-a-half million people registered countrywide on
Friday as the second round of voter registration got underway, the
Independent Electoral Commission said on Saturday.
This brings to more than 11 million the total number of people
registered to vote in this year's election. About 9,6 million were
registered in the first round of registration in November and
December last year.
The latest figures are significantly higher than those released
earlier Saturday. IEC officials had expected Friday's total to
increase as data was downloaded to the IEC's headoffice.
There are an estimated 25 million potential voters
country-wide.
IEC deputy chief electoral officer Norman du Plessis told
reporters in Pretoria that the best registration turnout had been
in Mpumalanga and the Northern Province.
He said the other provinces' turnout was lower than the IEC had
expected, with the Northern Cape reporting the lowest turnout.
Du Plessis said 27 registration stations in the Western Cape
did not open at 9am, but by noon they had all opened.
In the Free State 11 stations did not open at all on Friday,
but he said all the stations were functioning on Saturday.
"Eight of the 11 (stations) were in the Drakensburg area, we've
provided additional staff for those areas," Du Plessis said.
He said 13 registration points in the Northern Province did not
open on Friday, and three of them would not open at all because a
local electoral officer for the area had a stroke.
"In Mpumalanga we had a number of stations opening late. It was
mainly due to staff shortages, at the end of the day we used about
70 soldiers to man those stations."
Du Plessis said the stations in Mpumalanga were running on
Saturday.
He said all the registration points in the Northern Province
opened on Friday and Saturday.
There had been a "dramatic" registration improvement in the
North West on Friday compared to the first round of registration
last year.
He said the biggest problem in the province was the central
district covering Mmabatho and its surrounding region, which had
not reported by 1pm on Saturday if 81 outstanding stations had
opened.
"Our communication in that area is not of the standard that we
would want it to be at this point in time. Its an area which was
plagued (by problems) last time as well."
Earlier on Saturday, IEC chief electoral officer Mandla Mchunu
said the commission was expecting the rate at which people were
turning out to register to pick up on Saturday and Sunday.
Mchunu, speaking at a media briefing in Cape Town, said he was
happy with the way the registration process was going.
"So far, so good. I can really affirm that. One hundred
percent, across the board, across South Africa.
"We have said to ourselves (at the IEC) `let's improve
communication; lets be wired to the floor', so that within an hour,
when a problem arises, we know about it and we know what has been
done about it."
Asked if special arrangements would be made for people who had
not registered, but who pitched up on election day hoping to cast
their vote, Mchunu said there would be no such special arrangement.
"If you're not registered, don't come to our stations...
because you don't have a license to vote."
However, turning people away because they did not have their
names on the voter's roll would be disruptive, he said.
"Everyone must go out and register now; I don't want people
toyi-toying saying `They don't want us to vote'."
Political parties needed to prevent this happening by
encouraging their supporters to register.
Mchunu said that South Africans believed election processes
were successful when they saw long queues.
"But what if you have a system that's efficient, that takes
care of people in ten minutes? In the South African tradition,
people would say this was apathy because people had apparently not
turned out in large numbers."
@ REGISTER-ANC
JOHANNESBURG Jan 30 Sapa
WCAPE ANC HAPPY WITH VOTER REGISTRATION
The African National Congress in the Western Cape on Saturday
said it was pleased with the turnout for the second round of voter
registration.
In a statement sent to Johannesburg, ANC deputy elections
co-ordinator in the province Marius Fransman also praised the
Independent Electoral Commission for its handling of the task.
"It becomes clear there is an increase in the registration of
people," said Fransman.
He attributed the increase to the work done by the ANC in
encouraging the people to register for the elections.
"Judging from the responses our leaders have been getting so
far, we can say with confidence this turnout in terms of ANC
support will even be better than the last time.
"There is a new mood in the Western Cape. The New National
Party is in for an unpleasant surprise," said Fransman.
@ MANDELA-WEF
DAVOS, Switzerland Jan 30 Sapa
MANDELA BIDS FAREWELL TO BUSINESS LEADERS
President Nelson Mandela began wrapping up a four-day European
visit on Saturday afternoon, meeting with business leaders, Swiss
President Ruth Dreifuss and United Nations secretary-general Kofi
Annan.
Mandela came from Germany to Davos for the World Economic
Forum's annual meeting where he took the opportunity to say his
farewells before stepping down as president later this year.
Mandela and Trade Minister Alec Erwin have also used the
meeting - which is attended by more than a 1000 of the world's
most influential business leaders - to market South Africa to
foreign investors.
Delegates packed out a closed panel discussion on South Africa
which the two addressed, but interest in Africa at the meeting has
otherwise been limited.
In the press centre, which accomodates more than 250
journalists from around the world, press briefs are handed out but
only from five continents. Africa is not one of them and it hardly
features on the meeting's programme.
The financial crisis in Asia, Brazil and Russia, and an
announcement by United States Vice President Al Gore of further
debt relief for impoverished nations have dominated proceedings so
far.
In his address at a plenary session of the meeting, Mandela
urged that Africa be helped to reintegrate into the global economy
as an equal partner, and he railed against developed nations'
protectionist trade policies.
WEF president and founder Klaus Schwaab gave assurances that
Africa would no longer be marginalised.
Mandela is due to fly by helicopter from Davos to Zurich on
Saturday night and from there he will fly back to South Africa.
@ HEALTH-FREESTATE
BLOEMFONTEIN Jan 30 Sapa
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS ONLY AT FREE STATE HOSPITALS:
Free State hospitals would in future only perform emergency
operations, Network Radio News Service reported on Saturday.
All non-essential operations and services would stop as part of
a cost-cutting drive to ensure essential medical services could be
provided, Free State health department's Elke Grobler said.
These measures come in the midst of a serious cashflow problem
in the provincial government.
The province's hospitals, clinics and community health centres
were already experiencing serious shortages of medical, consumable
and disposable products, she said.
There were also threats of cuts in power and water supplies as
overdue bills mounted.
Grobler said available funds would be paid to suppliers in
order of priority.
@ PROSECUTORS-KWANATAL
JOHANNESBURG Jan 30 Sapa
KWANATAL PROSECUTORS TO CONTINUE WORK-TO-RULE
Prosecutors in KwaZulu-Natal on Saturday resolved to continue
their work-to-rule protest until salaries were revised to their
satisfaction.
Spokeswoman Sheriza Ramaouthar said in a statement the decision
was taken at a meeting attended by prosecutors from Durban,
Pietermaritzburg, Pinetown, Verulam, Camperdown, Umlazi, Newcastle
and Impendle.
"The unions can't tell us to stop work-to-rule because it was
not started by them. It is something started from grass roots by
members.
"Another thing we see is that they are being bombarded in these
meetings and they fail to communicate with us on the grass roots,"
she told Sapa on Saturday.
The decision by KwaZulu-Natal prosecutors to continue their
work-to-rule comes a week after Justice Minister Dullar Omar met
union representatives in Pretoria to discuss the issue.
Four of the five unions that attended the meeting undertook to
ask their members to suspend the work-to-rule protest over salary
and overtime issues.
The Pretoria meeting resolved to form an interim forum of
representatives from all the parties concerned to monitor progress
in finding interim relief for prosecutors.
Ramaouthar said the prosecutors in KwaZulu-Natal rejected
interim relief.
"The forum as envisaged by Omar is accepted in principle, but
its composition was not," she said.
As a result, the province's director of prosecution would be
approached to make arrangements to accommodate their own
representative at the forum as it was clear that the unions were
representing vocational classes and not solely the prosecutors.
@ REGISTER-LD-ECAPE
GRAHAMSTOWN Jan 30 Sapa
ANC MAN INJURED IN CLASH WITH UDM AT QUMBU REGISTRATION POINT
An African National Congress member was hospitalised after ANC
and United Democtratic Movement members were involved in a fight at
a registration station at Qumbu in the Eastern Cape on Saturday.
The fight broke out when the ANC member allegedly put up a
party poster in a voter registration station. He was hospitalised
at Sulenkam Hospital in Qumbu. His condition is unknown.
A UDM member was arrested after the clashes when police moved
in to restore calm.
East Cape Independent Electoral Commission officer Bongani
Finca said the fights broke out at the Mbeza Junior Secondary
School after a breach of the electoral code.
"The person putting up the poster was attacked by the UDM
members and conflict between the two parties ensued."
Finca said he informed local ANC leaders that their member's
action was a serious breach of the code of conduct.
ANC members removed the poster, but tension between the two
parties continued.
The ANC member who put up the poster was attacked again and was
injured.
IEC officials also had to sort out a disruption at Mount Frere
where would-be voters claimed a headman had refused to hand over
their bar-coded ID books until he was paid a R2 fee.
Finca named the headman as one Mqambeli. He said Mqambeli
allegedly collected ID books from the home affairs department to
distribute to the applicants but then demanded the R2 as a fee.
The incident took place at the voting station at Nomkolokoto
Junior Secondary School.
Finca said another problem stil hampering registration in many
parts of the Eastern Cape was the high number of people who did not
have correct ID books.
In Umzimvubu a number of people appealed to the IEC to
intervene because the department of home affairs could not issue
them with temporary registration certificates.
However, the IEC was informed that these people did not have
the required documents and could not be issued with the ID.
Other areas with similar problems were Ngqamakwe, Qumbu,
Flagstaff, Lusikisiki, Mount Frere and Tsolo.
He said registration continued in 2 570 voting stations in the
Eastern Cape. Three stations failed to open after they were cut off
by bad roads.
IEC officials also battled to download information after being
hampered by the wet and muddy roads.
Registration was suspended in Mount Ayliff and Ntabankulu on
Saturday in order to show respect for those mourning the death of
the victims of the tornado.
King William's Town IEC official Mandla Ngculana, who is in
charge of the 119 registration stations in the town and
surrrounding district, said registration picked up and was much
better than on Friday.
At one station, 200 people were registered within two hours of
opening. He estimated that close to 25000 people registered in the
district.
East London IEC officer Mardi Naidoo said there was a steady
pickup of people coming to register after it stopped raining on
Saturday.
He said this was especially apparent in the Mdantsane where
thousands of people registered.
Port Elizabeth electoral officer Graham Richards said
registration at the city's 173 stations had been steady but slow.
At suburban registration points there was only an average of
between 100 to 150 visits per station on Friday and Saturday.
"There is a flow of people, but not a rush," Richards said.
@ REGISTER-GAUTENG
JOHANNESBURG Jan 30 Sapa
VOTER REGISTRATION OFF TO GOOD START IN GAUTENG
The first day of this weekend's voter registration drive in
Gauteng netted at least 218683 voters, provincial electoral officer
Terry Tselane said on Saturday.
Tselane, however, emphasised this was an interrim figure and he
believed up to 500,000 people could have registered on Friday.
This figure did not include registrations in major urban areas
such as the southern and eastern Johannesburg metropolitan
substructures, Leoka-vaal or handwritten registration records from
stations where computer equipment failed.
These so-called manuals were still being entered into
computers, Tselane said.
About 2.2 million of the potential 5.5 million voters in
Gauteng registered in the first round of registration in November
last year.
It would be a great thing if two million people were registered
this time, Tselani said.
Addressing a media briefing at the Independent Electoral
Commission headquarters in Johannesburg, he said that by early
Saturday afternoon all 1900 registration points in the province
were up and running after technical problems on Friday with barcode
scanners were resolved and sufficient personnel were deployed.
"In denser populated areas steady streas of people have been
turning up all afternoon to register," he said.
"Since early Saturday morning IEC officials have been checking
on all stations where problems were experienced from the start of
the registration process."
IEC chairman Judge Johan Kriegler on Saturday morning visited
seven registration stations in eastern Johannesburg where problems
were reported on Friday and he was satisfied afterwards that all
these were operational.
"Because of rain in Johannesburg and other parts of the
province and the fact that many people were still at work,
registrations were slow before lunch on Saturday. With the clearing
of the weather the pace has picked up in some rural areas. However,
this is expected to pick up considerably on Sunday when farm and
other workers are off duty," Tselane said.
@ MANDELA-ZIM-JOURNALISTS
DAVOS, Switzerland Jan 30 Sapa
MANDELA DECLINES COMMENT ON ZIM JOURNALISTS TORTURE ALLEGATIONS
President Nelson Mandela on Saturday declined to become
embroiled in the furor over the arrest of three Zimbabwean newsmen
and claims by two of them that they were tortured.
Last Thursday two journalists, Sunday Standard editor Mark
Chavunduka and reporter Ray Choto, were released after several
days' detention. They alleged they had been tortured.
On Friday authorities arrested Clive Wilson, managing director
of the Sunday Standard.
Asked for comment about the incident, Mandela said: "Chavanduka
and his colleagues have made these allegations, but the Zimbabwean
police have denied them."
"I am too far from the scene to be able to express a fair
opinion without futher investigation," he said in an interview with
South African journalists in Davos, where he has been attending the
World Economic Forum's annual meeting.
Recent newspaper editorials have criticised the South African
government's silence on the incident, which has been condemned by
the European Union, the United States and the United Kingdom.
@ REGISTER-WINTERVELD
PRETORIA Jan 30 Sapa
MORE PEOPLE REGISTERING IN WINTERVELD
Voter registration in the Winterveld, north of Pretoria, got
off to a good start on Saturday with the 24 stations in the
informal settlement each registering between 40 to 70 people an
hour, electoral officer William Mogaladi said.
The department of home affairs in Mabopane also witnessed a
large number of people applying for temporary registration
certificates.
Spokeswoman Maria Moumakoe said 220 registration certificates
were issued on Saturday compared to the 100 issued on Friday.
@ MANDELA-REGISTER
DAVOS, Switzerland Jan 30 Sapa
MANDELA DENIES PROPOSING REGISTRATION DEAL WITH NP, DP
President Nelson Mandela on Saturday rejected as false reports
that he had ever sought an out-of-court settlement with opposition
parties over their challenge to government's decision to only allow
people with bar-coded identity books to register and vote in this
year's election.
The Mail and Guardian on Friday carried a story quoting
political sources as saying Mandela had made a secret offer of
talks to the New National Party and the Democratic Party, aimed at
seeking a political compromise over election arrangements.
It claimed the offer implied the government was willing to
review its stance on the issue, but that Mandela later withdrew his
offer.
In an interview with South African journalists in Davos, where
he attended the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, Mandela
denied the report had any substance.
"This matter is now being dealt with by the government. To
clarify it I had two discussions with the opposition parties.
"The first was with (DP MP) Douglas Gibson and (NNP leader)
Martinus van Schalkwyk. The only thing I discussed with them, and
the only issue, was a meeting between the attorneys of the
opposition parties ... and those of the government."
Mandela said the purpose of the discussion was to bring the
court case forward, and resolve it as soon as possible so that it
should not interfere with the elections.
"I did not discuss anything else," Mandela said.
"The second time I spoke to the leaders of all political
parties was about the resignation of (Independent Electoral
Commission chairman) Judge (Johan) Kriegler."
@ REGISTER-NP
CAPE TOWN Jan 30 Sapa
REGISTRATION SLOW BECAUSE OF BAR CODE REQUIREMENT: NP
Voter registration this weekend was proceeding at a snail's
pace and more should be done to encourage people to register New
National Party leader Marthinus van Schalkwyk said on Saturday.
"Far greater efforts are needed to mobilise voters to ensure
that the integrity of the election is not compromised," he said
after visiting registration points in the Western Cape where, he
claimed, the pace of registration was slow.
Van Schalkwyk said one of the reasons for the poor turnout was
that many voters in the province had to queue at the department of
home affairs to obtain bar-coded identity books and temporary
registration certificates.
This in turn was because of the government's ill-advised
requirement that only people who hold bar-coded identity books will
be allowed to vote, van Schalkwyk said.
In the Western Cape, he said, 35 percent of the electorate did
not have the correct identity book.
"It is clear that the department of home affairs does not have
the ability to keep up the pace required, and is not processing
applications fast enough," van Schalkwyk said.
Asked about the pace of registration in the Western Cape,
provincial electoral officer Joppa le Roux said the process was
proceeding fairly slowly in some areas.
Le Roux, however, said he did not know if this was linked to
the need for voters to obtain new identity books.
More than 86900 voters had registered in the Western Cape by
Saturday afternoon, since the second round of registration began on
Friday.
Le Roux said this figure was very misleading because a number
of stations still had to download their registration data while
others had registered people manually and still had to enter these
figures into computers.
"I am sure they (the registration figures) will be much
higher," le Roux said.
@ MANDELA AND MBEKI STATEMENT
Issued by: Government Communications (GCIS)
JOINT STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA AND
DEPUTY PRESIDENT THABO MBEKI
Both President Nelson Mandela and Deputy President Thabo Mbeki
are disgusted and horrified by the ludicrous allegations by some
politicians that there are differences between them.
They are concerned that there is a tendency among political
parties to stoop to the lowest depths to further party political
propoganda.
Both President Mandela and Deputy President Mbeki would like to
see a speedy resolution on the matters have resulted in court action
by the New National Party (NNP) and the Democratic Party (DP).
They are of the view that a speedy resolution of these matters
will enhance a positive atmosphere in preparations for the
elections. Therefore the suggestion that there may be a difference
of opinion either personal or political between the President and
the Deputy President is nonsensical.
The President and the Deputy President are disappointed that the
leaders of the NNP and the DP have chosen to distort the contents of
a confidential discussion between them and the President to suit
their party political objectives.
The President approached these leaders with the genuine desire
to facilitate are solution of the contentious issues. In this, the
President has the full support and backing of the Deputy President
and when he referred the matters to the Deputy President and the
legal advisors of the government, it was so that the process should
be managed both expeditiously and efficiently.
Both of them are now uncertain about the intentions of the New
National Party and the Democratic Party in breaching this trust and
therefore destroying the basis for any future discussions which
might be aimed at resolving this problem.
owever, the President and the Deputy President will encourage
the government's legal advisers to facilitate the discussions on the
above matters in the hope that the leaders of the DP and NNP and
other political organisations will realise the wisdom of raising
national interest above narrow and petty party political interests.
In the many decades of anti-apartheid resistance previous
governments have attempted the tactic of sowing division within the
liberation movement. This tactic has always failed. We are therefore
concerned that when we thought our democracy was taking route,
tactics that were used during our divisive past are being
re-introduced.
Both the President and the Deputy President are looking forward
to an effective and politically abrasive election contest. They hope
and pray that the opposition will play their part in enriching that
contest instead of employing base and useless tactics which failed
under apartheid.
Issued by the offices of the President and the Deputy President.
Pretoria January 30, 1998
For more information, telephone Parks Mankahlana 082 553 4569
@ MANDELA-BOMB
DAVOS, Switzerland Jan 30 Sapa
MANDELA CONDEMNS CAPE TOWN BOMBING
President Nelson Mandela on Saturday condemned Thursday's
bombing of the Caledon Square police station in central Cape Town.
The bomb injured 11 people, three of them seriously.
Speaking to journalists in Davos where he has been attending
the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, Mandela said: "I am
far away. It is not proper to comment on things about which we have
not been properly briefed by the relevant authorities."
"We of course condemn all kinds of violence, including this
type of violence. We condemn it without reservation."
Police said the bomb was placed inside a plastic refuse bin
outside the charge office entrance to the police station in
Buitenkant Street.
@ MANDELA-LD-REGISTER
DAVOS, Switzerland Jan 30 Sapa
MANDELA DENIES PROPOSING REGISTRATION DEAL WITH NP, DP
President Nelson Mandela on Saturday rejected as false reports
that he had ever sought an out-of-court settlement with opposition
parties over their challenge to government's decision to only allow
people with bar-coded identity books to register and vote in this
year's election.
The Mail and Guardian on Friday carried a story quoting
political sources as saying Mandela had made a secret offer of
talks to the New National Party (NNP) and the Democratic Party
(DP), aimed at seeking a political compromise over election
arrangements.
It claimed the offer implied the government was willing to
review its stance on the issue, but that Mandela later withdrew his
offer.
In an interview with South African journalists in Davos, where
he attended the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, Mandela
denied the report had any substance.
"This matter is now being dealt with by the government. To
clarify it I had two discussions with the opposition parties.
"The first was with (DP MP) Douglas Gibson and (NNP leader)
Martinus van Schalkwyk. The only thing I discussed with them, and
the only issue, was a meeting between the attorneys of the
opposition parties ... and those of the government."
Mandela said the purpose of the discussion was to bring the
court case forward, and resolve it as soon as possible so that it
should not interfere with the elections.
"I did not discuss anything else," Mandela said.
"The second time I spoke to the leaders of all political
parties was about the resignation of (Independent Electoral
Commission chairman) Judge (Johan) Kriegler."
Meanwhile, in a joint statement released in Pretoria on
Saturday, Mandela and Deputy President Thabo Mbeki's offices denied
what they called ludicrous allegations by Federal Alliance leader
Louis Luyt that they were divided over how to handle the NNP and
DP's legal challenges.
"In the many decades of anti-apartheid resistance previous
governments have attempted the tactic of sowing division within the
liberation movement. This tactic has always failed," the statement
said.
The statement said the President approached the leaders of the
DP and NNP "with the genuine desire to facilitate a resolution of
the contentious issues".
"In this, the President has the full support and backing of the
Deputy President and when he referred the matters to the Deputy
President and the legal advisors of the government, it was so that
the process should be managed both expeditiously and efficiently,"
it said.
"Both of them are now uncertain about the intentions of the NNP
and DP in breaching this trust and therefore destroying the basis
for any future discussions which might be aimed at resolving this
problem."
Mandela's spokesman Parks Mankahlana told Sapa this did not
mean that Mandela and Mbeki would no longer be prepared to meet
opposition parties to discuss the dispute.
"Definitely not. Actually this is an invitiation for us to sit
down and cool our tempers and discuss this," Mankahlana said.
@ CAPE-BOMB-LD-WOODSTOCK
CAPE TOWN Jan 30 Sapa
WOMAN SLIGHTLY INJURED IN WOODSTOCK POLICE STATION BOMB BLAST
An 18-year-old Salt River woman suffered shrapnel wounds to the
neck when a bomb exploded at the Woodstock police station about
five kilometers from central Cape Town on Saturday.
Eyewitnesses at the scene said they saw a car drive by at high
speed, throwing an object under a police car.
An explosion followed in which the police car caught fire and
was completely destroyed.
Police spokeswoman Captain Anine de Beer identified the injured
woman as Candice Juan, a Salt River resident.
She was a passenger in a car travelling to Cape Town and was
adjacent to the police station when the bomb went off.
Damage to the police station is minimal, no other injuries were
reported and Juan's condition was reportedly not life-threatening.
Western Cape security minister Mark Wylie said the attack was
consistent with threats received that police stations would be
targeted.
"This is another deed of urban terrorism where groups with
their own political motives go for high-profile targets to
demoralise the public and the police." he said.
Wylie added he wanted to reassure the public the police had
excellent leads.
"We know what we are doing. It is our top priority to bring
these urban terroists to book," he said.
Esau Jones, who stays across from the police station, said he
heard a loud explosion at about 6.40pm. When he looked out of his
window he saw smoke and fire emanating from a car parked across the
road.
According to Jones the station was also a target about two
years ago when a mini limpet-mine exploded in front of the station.
Police on Saturday night cordoned off the street blocks around
the police station and bomb disposal experts were sifting through
the debris while sniffer dogs were being used to search for other
possible explosive devices.
@ N/L-REGISTER By Steve Matthewson
JOHANNESBURG Jan 30 Sapa
LAST MINUTE VOTER REGISTRATION RUSH EXPECTED SUNDAY
After a fairly slow start to the second round of voter
registration this weekend, electoral officials are expecting a
last-minute rush on registration points late on Sunday.
"Numbers will increase tremendously tomorrow and we hope people
will register in the morning," Gauteng provincial electoral officer
Terry Tselane told a briefing on Saturday.
"Last time (in the first round of registration in November) we
had a lot of people at the end of the last day and we had to allow
certain stations to stay open later than scheduled.
"I suspect we will see that rush again ... but I hope people
register early," he said.
Registration stations are due to close at 5pm on Sunday.
Independent Electoral Commission chief electoral officer Mandla
Mchunu said earlier on Saturday the commission was expecting the
rate at which people were turning out to register to pick up on
Saturday afternoon and Sunday.
"Everyone must go out and register now; I don't want people
toyi-toying saying `they don't want us to vote'," he said,
referring to people who missed the opportunity to register.
According to the latest registration figures released by the
IEC, at least 1,5 million people registered countrywide on Friday,
the first day of the three-day drive.
This brought to more than 11 millio the total number of people
registered to vote in this year's election. About 9,6 million were
registered in the first round of registration in November and
December last year.
Releasing figures for their own provinces, many provincial
officials emphasised that they were interim statistics because many
stations had not downloaded their data on to the IEC's main
computer.
In many areas, registration records had to be compiled by hand
because electronic equipment and bar-code scanners were out of
order and this data must still be entered into computers.
IEC deputy chief electoral officer Norman du Plessis told
reporters at a briefing in Pretoria the best registration turnout
was in Mpumalanga and the Northern Province.
He said the other provinces' turnout was lower than the IEC
expected, with the Northern Cape reporting the lowest turnout.
Registration stations in most provinces had by Saturday morning
overcome problems relating to malfunctioning bar code scanners and
personnel shortages.
Du Plessis said all the registration points in the Northern
Province opened on Friday and Saturday.
There had been a dramatic registration improvement in the North
West on Friday compared to the first round of registration last
year, he said.
In Gauteng, Tselane said, all 1900 registration points in the
province were up and running by Saturday afternoon after technical
problems with barcode scanners were resolved and sufficient
personnel were deployed.
IEC chairman Judge Johan Kriegler on Saturday morning visited
seven registration stations in eastern Johannesburg where problems
were reported on Friday and he was satisfied afterwards that all
these were operational.
In one of the few incidents of political violence reported
during the registration process on Saturday, an African National
Congress member was hospitalised after ANC and United Democratic
Movement members fought at a registration station at Qumbu in the
Eastern Cape.
The fight broke out when the ANC member allegedly put up a
party poster in a voter registration station. He was hospitalised
at Sulenkam Hospital in Qumbu. His condition is unknown.
A UDM member was arrested after the clashes when police moved
in to restore calm.
Mchunu, speaking at a media briefing in Cape Town, said he was
happy with the way the registration process was going.
"So far, so good. I can really affirm that. One hundred
percent, across the board, across South Africa."
Referring to the slow pace of registration in some areas,
Mchunu said South Africans believed election processes were
successful when they saw long queues.
"But what if you have a system that's efficient, that takes
care of people in ten minutes? In the South African tradition,
people would say this was apathy because people had apparently not
turned out in large numbersm," Mchunu said.
@ BOMB-WOODSTOCK-ANC
CAPE TOWN Jan 30 Sapa
COMMUNITIES MUST UNITE TO CRUSH URBAN TERRORISM: WCAPE ANC
Communities should stand together to crush urban terrorists,
African National Congress provincial secretary in the Western Cape
Mcebisi Skwatsha said on Saturday.
He was responding to Saturday evening's bomb explosion outside
the Woodstock police station in which one person was injured.
"We appeal to witnesses to come forward. Even if it is your son
or daughter, mother or father...we appeal to you to come forward,"
Skwatsha said.
If people did not come forward, innocent civilians would
continue to be maimed or killed and the economy of the province
would be destroyed, he said.
"We call for the speedy tabling of anti-terrorist laws, because
it is clear that no democracy can deal with such a threat within
the normal framework of the law."
However, Skwatsha said, the most effective way to combat these
murderers was still for the community to be the eyes and ears of
the police force.
@ MANDELA-VASSEN
JOHANNESBURG Jan 30 Sapa
PRESIDENT MANDELA ORDERS INVESTIGATION INTO VASSEN APPOINTMENT
President Nelson Mandela has ordered an investigation into how
a crooked lawyer was appointed to one of South Africa's top
diplomatic posts, the Sunday Times newspaper reported.
The inquiry follows a national outcry over the appointment of
Ramesh Vassen as Consul-General to India.
Nine months ago the highest court in the land declared him too
dishonest to act as an attorney.
Mandela's spokesman, Parks Mankahlana, said the President had
ratified Vassen's appointment on the recommendation of the
department of foreign affairs.
"We assumed that Foreign Affairs had done their homework,"
Mankahlana said, adding that an investigation would begin as soon
as Mandela returned from his European tour.
Douglas Gibson, the Democratic Party's justice spokesman, who
first exposed the botch up, said the failure of Foreign Affairs to
inform Mandela was either a cover-up of a struggle lawyer's
wrongdoing, or evidence of rank incompetence.
According to the Sunday Times, Vassen, who was at one stage a
partner in a law firm with Justice Minister Dullah Omar, personally
approached deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Aziz Pahad for a job,
six months after investigations into his misappropriation of trust
funds began.
Vassen was appointed to the senior post of deputy director, and
then promoted to full director even before he started work. Pahad
has been unavailable for comment the Sunday Times said.
"If Pahad knew of Vassen's conviction and still allowed him to
be appointed to the Indian post, he should resign for embarrassing
the President," Gibson said
In August 1996 the Cape High Court found Vassen guilty of
misuse and theft of trust moneys.
In the worst instance the court found that Vassen had stolen
R61763 from the estate of a deceased working-class father.
@ CAPE-BOMB-WOODSTOCK
CAPE TOWN Jan 30 Sapa
POLICE STATIONS THE NEW TARGET OF URBAN TERRORISTS: WILEY
An 18-year-old Salt River woman suffered shrapnel wounds to the
neck when a bomb exploded at the Woodstock police station about
five kilometers from central Cape Town on Saturday destroying a
police vehicle.
This follows Thursday's pipe-bomb explosion at the central
police station at Caledon Square in which 11 people were injured.
Police are investgating an initial report that an eyewitnes saw
a car drive by at high speed and that someone threw an object under
a police car. At this stage of the investigation it can however not
be ruled out that the bomb could have been planted under the police
which caught fire and was completely destroyed when the bomb
exploded.
Police spokeswoman Captain Anine de Beer identified the injured
woman as Candice Juan.
She was a passenger in a car travelling to Cape Town and was
adjacent to the police station when the bomb went off.
Damage to the police station is minimal, no other injuries were
reported and Juan's condition was reportedly not life-threatening.
Western Cape MEC for Community Safety Mark Wylie said the
attack was consistent with threats received that police stations
would be targeted.
"This is another deed of urban terrorism where groups with
their own political agendas go for high-profile targets to
demoralise the public and the police." he said.
Wylie added he wanted to reassure the public the police had
excellent leads.
"We know what we are doing. It is our top priority to bring
these urban terroists to book," he said.
Esau Jones, who stays across from the police station, said he
heard a loud explosion at about 6.40pm. When he looked out of his
window he saw smoke and fire emanating from a car parked across the
road.
According to Jones the station was also a target about two
years ago when a mini limpet-mine exploded in front of the station.
Police on Saturday night cordoned off the street blocks around
the police station and bomb disposal experts were sifting through
the debris while sniffer dogs were being used to search for other
possible explosive devices.
Police have confirmed that the pipebomb used in Thursday's
attack was similar to those in at least five other explosions in
the Western Cape, inclluding attacks on police stations.
@ NKABINDE-FUNERAL
RICHMOND Jan 31 Sapa
SOLDIERS LINE MAIN ROADS IN RICHMOND FOR NKABINDE FUNERAL
Soldiers and policemen were deployed along all main roads
leading to Richmond in the Kwazulu-Natal midlands on Sunday
morning, ahead of the funeral United Democratic Movement national
secretary Sifiso Nkabinde.
Nkabinde was gunned down outside a supermarket in Richmond
village on January 23.
On Sunday morning, troops and policemen patrolled townships
around Richmond in anticipation of hundreds of mourners expected at
the funeral in Magoda.
At Nkabinde's house in Magoda, the mood was sombre and quiet.
His body lay in the coffin draped in a UDM flag under a marquee
adjacent to his house.
An all-night vigil was held on Saturday night to commemorate
the slain Kwazulu-Natal UDM leader.
Earlier on Sunday, a small group of UDM youths toyi-toyied
their way to the border separating Magoda, which is mainly
UDM-aligned, from the mainly African National Congress-supporting
Indaleni township. The UDM group was turned back by armed soldiers.
A small group of residents from Indaleni watched the youths
from a hilltop.
@ AGED-LEKOTA
BLOEMFONTEIN Jan 31 Sapa
DON'T DISCRIMINATE AGAINST THE AGED, SAYS LEKOTA
Discrimination against the aged in South Africa must be wiped out,
according to the African National Congress national chairperson and patron of
the International Year for Older People, Patrick Lekota.
The SABC reported on Sunday that Lekota was speaking at the
Free State launch of the project in Bloemfontein.
Lekota said many pensioners
kept families going on meagre social pensions and more than 70 percent were
saddled with the responsibility of caring for grandchildren.
This trend was on the increase as many grandparents were forced to care
for Aids orphans.
Lekota appealed to communities to promote familial contact and stamp out the
abuse of older people.
@ BOMB-REAX
CAPE TOWN Jan 31 Sapa
BOMBERS ARE ENEMIES OF THE STATE: ACDP
People who attack the lawkeeping forces assigned by the
democratically elected government for the protection of the poeple
were the enemies of the state and the people of South Africa, the
African Christian Democratic Party said on Sunday.
In a statement released in Cape Town in response to Saturday's
bomb attack on the Woodstock police station, the ACDP said the
bombers were terrorists without a mandate.
"By attacking government installations they immediately become
our foes. These outrages must stop," the ACDP said.
@ NKABINDE-LD-FUNERAL
RICHMOND Jan 31 Sapa
HOLOMISA, MEYER, ARRIVE FOR NKABINDE FUNERAL
United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa and his deputy
Roelf Meyer arrived in a massive convoy in Magoda in the
Kwazulu-Natal midlands on Sunday morning for the burial of UDM
national secretary Sifiso Nkabinde.
Nkabinde was gunned down outside a supermarket in Richmond
village on January 23.
Accompanied by a contingent of police, Holomisa and Meyer
travelled to Nkabinde's home in Magoda where a prayer service was
held earlier in the day.
Scores of UDM supporters, including members from the Free
State, made their way to the Magoda cemetery, where the
controversial leader was to be buried.
Earlier, his body lay in his coffin, draped in a UDM flag,
under a marquee adjacent to his Magoda home.
According to Zulu custom, the body was carried back to his home
and from there taken to a hearse parked outside.
The hearse was making its way to the cemetery when Holomisa and
Meyer arrived.
@ NKABINDE-2ND-LD-FUNERAL
RICHMOND Jan 31 Sapa
HUNDREDS ATTEND FUNERAL SERVICE OF UDM LEADER NKABINDE
Dignitaries at the funeral of slain United Democratic Movement
national secretary Sifiso Nkabinde on Sunday included UDM leader
Bantu Holomisa and his deputy Roelf Meyer.
Nkabinde, who was christened Bhekumuzi Gabriel, was born on
June 24 1961 in Magoda. He died in a hail of bullets outside a
supermarket in Richmond village on January 23.
Also attending the memorial service in Magoda near Richmond in
the KwaZulu-Natal midlands was the IFP's Philip Powell and IFP
midlands leader David Ntombela.
The service, which was attended by several hundred mourners and
UDM supporters, was held under a massive marquee in an open field
about 3km from Nkabinde's home.
Nkabinde's widow, Nhlanhla, who was dressed in black, with a
black hat and veil, appeared devastated as she led a procession
which carried Nkabinde's body into the marquee about 11.30am.
Nkabinde's four children, Thando, 15, Sphumele, 13, Sinqobile,
9, and Slungelo, 8, followed her as mourners gathered at the
service.
Security force members were stationed at strategic points to
monitor the situation.
Despite the area being extremely tense, no incidents were
reported overnight.
@ NKABINDE-3RD-LD-FUNERAL
RICHMOND Jan 31 Sapa
GOVT STANCE A SLAP IN THE FACE OF PEACE, SAYS MEYER
The government's refusal to meet the United Democratic Movement
after the assassination of its national secretary Sifiso Nkabinde
was a slap in the face of peace, UDM deputy president Roelf Meyer
said on Sunday.
Meyer was addressing about 1000 UDM supporters and mourners at
Nkabinde's burial service in Magoda near Richmond in the
KwaZulu-Natal midlands. Nkabinde was gunned down outside a
supermarket in Richmond village on January 23.
UDM president Bantu Holomisa also told supporters: "I called
for a national dialogue with government to calm the tensions and
the government said no. I called for the creation of an independent
commission of judicial inquiry (into violence) and the government
said no."
Holomisa told mourners this lack of accountability on the part
of government represented a serious moral lapse at the time when
peace and honesty were supposed to be the country's beacon.
An all-night vigil was held on Saturday night to commemorate
the slain KwaZulu-Natal UDM leader.
@ REGISTER
JOHANNESBURG Jan 31 Sapa
VOTER REGISTRATION TURNOUT REMAINS POOR
Registration stations across the country opened on Sunday
without any major hitches for the final day of the voter
registration drive but turnout remained poor, the Independent
Electoral Commission (IEC) said.
"Everything is one hundred percent... all the stations opened
as scheduled," IEC spokesman Michael Overmeyer said in Cape Town,
where he was accompanying IEC chief electoral officer Mandla Mchunu
on a tour of registration points.
The IEC said on Saturday afternoon that the problems with
electronic equipment experienced in some areas on Friday had been
rectified and extra staff had been deployed.
But, while the 14436 stations were up and running, turnout had
not improved.
"Things are going very slowly at the moment... we have no idea
why," IEC spokesman Lydia Young said from Pretoria.
Officials on Saturday said they were hoping for a last-minute
rush by voters on Sunday afternoon.
The weekend registration drive had netted at least a million
voters, the IEC said, bringing to 10,7 million the total number of
registered voters, including the 9,6 million people who registered
in the first round last year.
IEC officials, however, again emphasised that the figures
issued on Sunday were interim data because some stations had not
yet downloaded their records to the main computer at the IEC's
headquarters in Pretoria.
The IEC has made provision for a third round of registration
depending on the results of this weekend's drive.
Last week, the 30 operators at the IEC call centre received
between 6000 and 8000 calls from voters wanting to know where they
should register, according officials in Johannesburg. The toll free
help-line number is 0800118000.
Registration stations were scheduled to close at 5pm on Sunday.
@ ZIMBABWE-TORTURED
HARARE Jan 31 Sapa-AP
ZIMBABWE JUDGES WARN MUGABE ABOUT IGNORING JUDICIARY
Three of Zimbabwe's top judges warned President Robert Mugabe
in a letter that the government was inviting anarchy by ignoring
the judiciary over the issue of two tortured journalists.
"If the judiciary is ignored or seen to be ineffective, then
anarchy prevails," the three Supreme Court judges said in a letter
obtained Sunday by the Associated Press.
Supreme Court judges Nicholas McNally, Simbarashe Muchechetere
and Wilson Sandura sent the letter on Monday, after police and
military officials released the two journalists the previous week.
The military twice ignored a High Court order to release Mark
Chavunduka, 34, editor of the independent Standard newspaper, who
was detained by military police for reporting on the December
arrest of soldiers plotting a coup.
A second journalist from the Standard, Ray Choto, 37, was also
detained. Both men described how they were tortured with electric
shock and near drowning. Medical experts corroborated the
testimony.
Their torture has drawn condemnation from western diplomats who
on Friday demanded that Mugabe's government uphold international
standards of human rights, investigate the torture charges and
punish any perpetrators.
Mugabe, the only black leader of the former Rhodesia since
independence from Britain in 1980, faces increasing resistance to
his deployment of 8,000 soldiers to back Kabila in the Congo civil
war. He has also reacted with increasingly authoritarian rule
against criticism of alleged economic mismanagement.
In the letter, the three judges demanded the government curb
the military's abuse of human rights, restore the authority of
civilian courts and pursue those responsible for the torture.
"What is of great consequence is the public perception that
the army and ... the Central Intelligence Organization can operate
with impunity in breach of the law," the letter said.
It demanded that Mugabe "state unequivocally" that he
"cannot and will not tolerate the torture of any persons by any
authority in any circumstances"
The two other judges on the five-member Supreme Court are
travelling outside Zimbabwe.
@ REGISTER-WCAPE
CAPE TOWN Jan 31 Sapa
LESS THAN HALF CAPE VOTERS REGISTERED TO VOTE SO FAR
Only a million of the Western Cape's 2,7 million potential
voters were registered to vote in the coming election at the close
of the second day of voter registration in the province.
Independent Election Commission (IEC) deputy director for
provincial and local government in the Western Cape, Michael
Hendrickse, told Sapa on Sunday that 204000 applications were
received between 9am on Friday and 9pm on Saturday.
He emphasised that these figures were provisional and did not
include data from all of the 1312 registration points in the
province.
During the first round of voter registration in the Western
Cape in December last year, only 28,82 percent of the province's
2776110 potential voters registered.
The latest figures mean the running total of registered voters
in the Western Cape now numbers a little over one million.
@ LEKOTA-DP
JOHANNESBURG Jan 31 Sapa
LEON QUESTIONS NOTION OF 'THIRD FORCE LAW'
The African National Congress national chairman, Patrick
"Terror" Lekota, should immediately clarify what he means by a
"Third Force Law" and what the purpose of such a law will be,
Democratic Party leader Tony Leon said on Sunday.
Leon was reacting to reports that Lekota said the ANC would
introduce such legislation after the elections to provide the
framework to remove members of the judiciary and the police
suspected of "third force" activities.
"It is incomprehensible that the ANC would stoop to using a
vague and as yet unproved third force as pretext to tamper with an
independent judiciary and the police force," said Leon.
The reports were disconcerting.
"Let me make it perfectly clear: the DP shares the concerns of
the Richmond community and the ANC at the ease with which bail is
granted to notorious criminals linked with acts of terror.
"However, we will not get any closer to solving the ongoing
violence in Richmond and other areas of our country by launching a
witchhunt in the judiciary and the police. Instead what is needed
is more resources, competent personnel and proper training - and
less affirmative action."
The country's focus should be on beefing up the judiciary and
the police.
"We should be strengthening their hand to deal with the
perpetrators of this senseless violence - not weakening the very
instruments of law set up to deal with the problem," Leon said.
@ BOMB-N/L-REAX by Daisy Jones
CAPE TOWN Jan 31 Sapa
TOP LEVEL TALKS PLANNED TO DISCUSS WEST CAPE BOMBINGS
Top-level talks are planned for this week to discuss the recent
spate of bombings in the Western Cape.
A pipe bomb exploded outside Woodstock police station on
Saturday, injuring an 18-year-old woman and completely destroying a
police vehicle.
The attack followed Thursday's pipebomb explosion at the
central police station at Caledon Square in which 11 people were
injured.
Safety and Security minister Sydney Mufamadi will brief a
meeting of the cabinet committee later this week, Mufamadi's
spokesman, Andre Martin, said on Sunday.
In addition, Justice Minister Dullah Omar has plans to meet
Bulelani Ngcuka, Director of Public Prosecutions, as soon as
possible.
Omar's spokesman, Paul Setsetse, said the meeting would likely
take place on Monday.
Omar wanted to ensure that the perpetrators, when arrested,
would be severely punished, said Setsetse.
However, the situation on the Cape Flats was complex, he said.
"The people responsible for the planting of these bombs are not
known and have not identified themselves."
Martin said Mufamadi was confident that Operation Good Hope was
a good basis from which to counter the urban terrorism which was
taking place.
Mufamadi was fully briefed on the operation last week.
"If it is the intention of the perpetrators to break our
resolve... then it is an exercise in futility," Martin said.
The leader of the Freedom Front in the Western Cape, Eleanor
Lombard, said there was a link between the bombings and the
weakening of the police force brought about by Mufamadi's
ineffective leadership.
"The obvious incompetence of the police contributes to the
bare-faced arrogance with which these acts of terror are being
carried out," Lombard said.
The SAPS needed to re-evaluate its priorities and offer greater
support to the Western Cape police.
If the police failed to do this, it would be clear that the
destabilisation of the National Party-held province, especially in
light of the upcoming elections, suited the ANC government, Lombard
said.
The Democratic Party were supporters of the police, spokesman
Douglas Gibson said in his reaction to the latest blast.
"The terrorists are becoming more brazen and they do not care
who they injure in the process of thumbing their noses at the
police," he said.
The Afrcan Christian Democratic Party on Sunday said the
bombers were terrorists without a mandate who had made themselves
enemies of the state and the people of South Africa.
The ANC government was democratically elected. "By attacking
government installations they immediately become our foes. These
outrages must stop," the ACDP said.
@ REGISTER-FREESTATE
BLOEMFONTEIN Jan 31 Sapa
ALMOST HALF OF FREE STATE VOTERS REGISTERED
The Independent Electoral Commission in the Free State is
confident that at least half the province's 1,7 million potential
voters will be on the roll by the end of this weekend's
registration drive.
"The turnout has been very good today (Sunday) especially from
the youth who we had a problem with last time (during the first
round of registration in December last year)," provincial electoral
officer Chris Mepha told Sapa.
He said registration on Friday and Saturday had brought the
total number of registered voters in the Free State to at least
90000.
This was a provisional figure because a number of voting
stations in the rural areas had been told to wait until they closed
at 5pm Sunday before downloading their registration data into the
main IEC computer, Mepha said.
"We will only really have a clear figure towards the end of
next week," he said.
Mepha said politicians from several parties had toured voting
stations in the province but there had been no breaches of the
electoral code.
"I have not received negative reports at all be it intimidation
or any other irregularities," he said.
@ REGISTER-ECAPE
PORT ELIZABETH Jan 31 Sapa
LOW TURNOUT OF YOUNG VOTERS IN EASTERN CAPE
The second round of voter registration in the Eastern Cape was
"slow but steady with a low turnout younger voters", according to
electoral officials in the province.
Port Elizabeth's electoral officer Graham Richards said the
voter registration exercise had proceeded smoothly with no problems
experienced. "Its been steady but slow with a constant trickle of
people coming in to register."
Richards, who is also the town clerk of Port Elizabeth, told
Sapa the final total number of those registered would probably be
released on Monday.
As the electoral officer for the Port Elizabeth municipal area
as well as the Transitional Rural Council, Richards is responsible
for 173 registration stations and voting districts.
Pretoria-based Independent Electoral Commission (IEC)
spokeswoman Rina Rahlahane in East London said the IEC was
satisfied with the process in that area.
On the Wild Coast in the Transkei, IEC Coordinator Mr Goodman
Socikwa said registration in Qumbu "had gone well".
"We are busy downloading the actual numbers of people
registered to vote on our computers.
"There has been a low turnout of younger people coming to
register to vote," Socikwa said.
He said in Tsolo there had been problems because of the heavy
rains which fell on Saturday which left many roads impassable. He
said the Tsolo electoral officer had had discussions with
provincial election officer Bongani Finca about whether
registration in the area should continue on Monday.
However, Finca said on Sunday that the approval sought by Tsolo
officials to extend the registration period by one day had been
refused.
"There were a number of other areas affected by rains and we
could not just make an exception for the Tsolo district."
Grahamstown electoral officer and town clerk Steven Cridland
said the "whole process had gone very smoothly and there had been
no problems".
He said 3 500 people had registered on the first day followed
by 3 200 on Saturday. He said Sunday's figures would only be
available after 6pm.
Umtata electoral officer Monwabisi Mocatono said he was "very
pleased with the way the registration exercise had gone".
"Everything has been running smoothly and apart from a few
monitoring problems it has generally gone well."
@ NIGERIA-MANDELA
ABUJA Jan 31 Sapa-DPA
MANDELA VISITS NIGERIA
President Nelson Mandela paid a brief
visit to Nigeria on Sunday and held bilateral discussions with
Nigeria's military ruler, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, on a range of
global and continental issues, a communique said.
The South African leader was received in Abuja on arrival in
Nigeria by General Abubakar and top government officials who include
Nigeria's ambassador to South Africa, Alhaji Shehu Malami.
Mandela made the stopover after attending in Davos, Switzerland, a
meeting of the World Economic Forum. He was accompanied by his wife,
Gracia.
@ CHINA-SA
PRETORIA Jan 31 Sapa
MBEKI TO HOST CHINESE DELEGATION IN CAPE TOWN
Deputy President Thabo Mbeki will on Tuesday host the visiting
a Chinese delegation, led by Vice President Hu Jintao, in Cape
Town, the office of the deputy president announced on Sunday.
"The visit must be seen in the context of continued efforts by
South Africa to strenghten trade and investment relations with the
rest of the world in general and People's Republic of China in
particular, which has specific focus on markets access for South
African products and increased investments," Mbeki's spokesman,
Ronnie Mamoepa, said.
@ REGISTER-MBEKI
ITSOSENG, North West Jan 31 Sapa
'INTIMIDATION' IN TOWNSHIP DELAYS MBEKI'S MEETING WITH CHINESE
VP
Deputy President Mbeki on Sunday rescheduled a meeting with
mainland China's Vice President, Hu Jintao, to address continuing
tensions at a squatter settlement in the North West province.
Mbeki was forced to reschedule a mid-morning flight from
Pretoria to Cape Town to join Safety and Security Minister Sydney
Mufamadi and North West premier Popo Molefe at the Itsoseng
squatter settllement, north of Pretoria.
The sudden change of plans delayed a one-on-one meeting between
Mbeki and Hu.
Mbeki told reporters he decided to go to Itsoseng following
reports of intimidation of people trying to register for the next
general election.
Although Mbeki did not identify the culprits, reports of
widespread intimidation had been received since the first day of
voter registration on Friday.
On Friday public order policing captain Elias Majola said his
unit had moved into Itsoseng following reports of a stand-off
between supporters of the African National Congress and the United
Democratic Movement.
Other reports from Itsoseng pointed to a biter rivalry within
the ranks of the ANC in the area.
During the visit by Mbeki, Mufamadi and Molefe, a large section
of spectators booed the presence of members of the local
ANC-dominated council, charging they were not their legitimate
leaders.
@ IEC UPHEAL ABOUT E CAPE VOTER REGISTRATION
Issued by: East Cape News (Ecn)
GRAHAMSTOWN (ECN) - Eastern Cape Provincial Election Officer
(PEO) Revd Bongani Finca said he was "very satisfied" with the way
the second round of voter registration had been handled.
He said registration was going very well and many areas had
"reported an improvement in the turn-out."
In a Sunday media release the PEO said the East London-based
Provincial Electoral Office "was satisfied with the way in which the
arrangements for the registration were handled".
"Although we operate in one of the most disadvantaged,
under-developed, and difficult parts of the country we have managed
to set up an action plan that has worked.
"All 2 575 voting districts in the province in the province
registered people in the past three days and we are upbeat about
that."
Finca said three remote voter registration stations in Luskisiki
and Mqanduli were reached by volunteers who had used a 4x4 vehicle
before continuing on foot.
He confirmed registration was taking place in those areas
yesterday (subs: Sunday).
He said very few scanner problems had been reported.
"We expect that most of the data captured in the last three days
will be off-loaded when registration stations close."
He said one area of concern was that a large number of people
had reported to the voting stations without proper identity
documents.
"This is causing much concern especially in the former Transkei
area."
@ DRCONGO-REBELS
KIGALI, Jan 31, Sapa-AFP
DR CONGO REBELS CLAIM SEIZURE OF NORTH KATANGA TOWN
Rebels in the Democratic Repubhe northern Katanga province town of Lubao,
killing "many" soldiers of Rwanda's routed Hutu army, a top rebel leader said
Sunday.
"The town was taken on January 27," Ernest Wamba dia Wamba, the
head of the rebel's political wing, the Congolese Rally for
Democracy (RCD), told AFP in Kigali by telephone from Goma on the
Rwandan border.
"A lot of arms were found there and we took two prisoners,"
Wamba dia Wamba said, adding that "these prisoners told us that the
town was defended by soldiers of the ex-Rwandan Armed Forces (FAR).
The enemy saw many killed, but only one person on our side was
injured."
The FAR consists of Rwandan former government troops held
responsible with extremist Hutu youth militias for the 1994
genocide of more than half a million Rwandan Tutsis and moderate
Hutus. They were defeated by rebels of the Tutsi-led Rwandan
Patriotic Front (RPF) in July that year and many fled across the
border into the DRC, then Zaire.
Military sources among the DRC rebels, who began a Congolese
Tutsi-led insurgency against President Laurent Kabila last August,
also told AFP that Lubao had been captured.
The small town lies about 240 kilometres (125 miles) northeast
of Mbuji-Maya, the provincial capital of the diamond-rich Kasai
Orientale province. Mbuji-Maya appeared to be the next rebel target
in the area.
A spokesman for the Rwandan Patriotic Army, Major Emmanuel
Ndahiro, confirmed the fall of Lubao without giving further
details. Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi are allied with the DRC rebels,
though Burundi has refused to admit to any military involvement.
Wamba dia Wamba also said that a rebel force led by businessman
Jean-Pierre Bemba "took back control of Gemena a few days ago" in
the northwestwern Equateur province.
"Enemy soldiers fled to the Central African Republic and are
running amok," Wamba dia Wamba said.
He added that "loyalist" pilots on Kabila's side had recently
bombed the Moba and Kongolo towns in northeast Katanga.
"Such blind bombing has become a habit," he said. "They're out
to kill civilians, but have no military impact."
After the uprising began and Kabila's foes threatened Kinshasa
itself, he won strong military support, including aviation, from
Zimbabwe, Angola and Namibia.
@ MR CHEQUEBOOK SLAMS THE LID ON ITCHY FINGERS
Issued by: East Cape News (Ecn)
BISHO (ECN Feature) - Despite a R2,2bn debt hangover from
previous financial years the Bisho government could end this
financial year with its overdraft within two percent of budget - as
stipulated by Finance Minister Trevor Manuel.
And its days of cowboy accounting could also be over.
The Eastern Cape, long the administrative laughing stock of SA, has
finally taken firm - and often brutal - steps to ensure that
"crisis budgeting", unpaid creditors and empty coffers could become
nothing more than an embarrassing part of the province's history.
The man behind the turnaround is Eastern Cape Finance and Economic
Affairs MEC and former union stalwart Enoch Godongwana.
When Godongwana presented his first budget as Finance MEC last year
he had a R1bn debt on his hands of which the lion's share belonged
to the Education Department.
In an interview with ECN last week he revealed that after the budget
was finalised a further R1bn in "unrecorded commitments" came to
light and had to be met out of the already strained coffers.
The moratorium on civil servant promotions was then lifted and the
province was left owing staff about R200m in back pay.
Despite this R2,2bn hangover, Godongwana insists the province can
meet all its financial obligations and will end this financial year
with its overdraft within Finance Minister Trevor Manuel's two
percent of budget guideline.
This was made possible through the accessing of R600m in conditional
grants from national government, the receipt from national
government of the R597m that the provincial government had paid to
clear inherited homeland debts and the shaving off from departmental
budgets of over R1bn in "unnecessary expenditure".
Godongwana said he welcomed Manuel's hard-line stance on provincial
government over-expenditure because it gave him a "big stick" to
wield in his dealings with departments.
Manuel has said that financially sound management of public funds is
key to accessing conditional grants.
As Godongwana put it: "If we behave ourselves we get the money."
Dressed in a golf shirt and twill trousers in his plush Bisho
office, he seems unperturbed about the maelstrom of ill-feeling that
many of his decisions have caused.
He has put in place a centralised payment system, insisted on
electronic payment of staff and creditors and introduced safeguards
to try ensure that the potential for fraud is reduced.
Godongwana said: "A central cheque book is not ideal, but where no
financial discipline exists you need to take extraordinary
measures."
Political insiders say that the Education and Health departments are
very displeased with the new status quo.
They want control back, and this, the source said, was why they were
"causing problems".
Godongwana insists there is money to meet all the province's
obligations and that media reports to the contrary result from lack
of administrative capacity in departments and their failure to
adhere to the financial systems.
Godongwana intimated that if departments sorted out their
administrative problems and could guarantee that there would be no
recurrence of the politically embarrassing chaos that characterised
previous years, he would happily decentralise again.
Human factors aside, the province's outdated information technology
(IT) environment is threatening to collapse the system.
When Godongwana took over the Finance portfolio at the end of
January last year the provincial administration was running three
separate computer systems - the old Cape Provincial Administration's
Financial Management System (FMS) and the malfunctioning systems
used by the former Transkei and Ciskei governments.
The province decided to adopt the FMS across the board and
incorporating the former homelands' data into it was "a mammoth
task".
The FMS is fatally flawed though.
It does not automatically record financial commitments which
contributed to the R1bn debt carry-over from the 1998 financial year
being forgotten about when this year's budgets were drawn up.
However, personnel who work closely with the system say this is an
administrative rather than a system problem.
It also does not comply with generally accepted accounting practice
(Gaap) requirements. This is because the government still operates a
cash-based accounting system which only recognises expenditure once
it is paid.
It was confirmed that the system was "nearly Y2K compliant" and they
hoped it would avoid a cyber-meltdown.
PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC) in Bisho has confirmed
that they were finalising a list of all provincial commitments. This
list will be presented to Godongwana this (subs - coming) week.
They are also cleaning up the Welfare database to ensure that it is
complete and correct by the beginning of the next financial year.
This is vital if realistic budgets are to be prepared.
@ NGUBANE-DISMISS
ULUNDI, KwaZulu-Natal Jan 31 Sapa
NGUBANE REMOVED AS KWAZULU-NATAL PREMIER
KwaZulu-Natal premier Dr Ben Ngubane has been removed from
office, ostensibly because of poor matric results in the province,
a joint press statement from the Inkatha Freedom Party's president
Mangosuthu Buthelezi and Ngubane, said on Sunday.
The statement said Arts, Culture, Science and Technology
Minister Lionel Mtshali would take over as premier.
Een kaNkosi-Shandu is to take over as MEC for education in the
province. "As premier of the province, Dr BS Ngubane carries the
final responsibility for the delivery of essential services by the
KwaZulu-Natal government," the statement said.
According to the statement the decision was made on January 28
at a meeting of the IFP's executive.
"While recognising that the KwaZulu-Natal government and its
leadership have tried their utmost best to make the province's
education system a successful one, it is clear that this year's
matric results have shown that even their best was objectively not
good enough."
The statement said the IFP accepted responsibility for the
results and had undertaken to address the situation, "if needs be
with drastic measures".
"The present status is particularly regretful in the light of
the fact that just a few years ago the erstwhile KwaZulu government
prided itself on the highest matric pass rate in the country, while
the erstwhile House of Delegates was running some of the best
schools.
"There is no reason why the amalgamation of these success
stories should not produce the finest education system in the
country."
The statement denied Ngubane had been removed over his handling
of gambling in the province.
"It is utter nonsense for some media ... to speculate that
there is a connection between the removal from office of Dr BS
Ngubane and the gambling issue.
"Dr Ngubane is committed to finalising, before his resignation,
the resolution of the vexed problem which he himself identified in
the existing gambling legislation, which, inter alia, removes any
power of Cabinet in the decision-making of casino licensing and
regulation".
On where Ngubane would be going the statement said: "It would
not be proper to comment ... until a final decision was made."
"Dr Ngubane remains willing to serve wherever our party or the
interests of the country wish to deploy his widely recognised great
skills and valued leadership."
@ REGISTER-GAUTENG by Steve Matthewson
JOHANNESBURG Jan 31 Sapa
STILL TOO MUCH CONFUSION AMONG VOTERS: IEC OFFICIAL
Insufficient voter education and the Independent Electoral
Commission's low profile are partly to blame for the lower than
expected turnout during registration this weekend, the IEC in
Gauteng said on Sunday.
"There is still a certain amount of confusion among voters,"
electoral officer for Gauteng, Terry Tselane, told Sapa.
"I don't think the public fully understands the difference
between registration and the election and a lot of people think
'why do I have to register now, I didn't have to register last time
(in 1994?'."
Tselane said that many people did not seem to understand the
IEC's function and this was perhaps because the commission kept a
low profile.
"We would like to do more voter education but you know the
financial constraints the IEC is going through," Tselane said.
Negative reports about registration problems also probably
deterred potential voters from going to register, he said.
Although many of the 1900 stations in Gauteng were quiet on
Friday and Saturday, Tselane was confident that the province would
have registered between 1,5 million and two million voters when
registration closed on Sunday.
Provisional figures indicated that at least 310898 people
registered on Friday and 454911 registered on Saturday, he said.
These figures did not include data from the southern and
eastern metropolitan areas of Johannesburg.
In the last registration drive in November, 2,2 million of
Gauteng's estimated 5,5 million potential voters registered.
Tselane said the rain on Sunday probably kept many people at
home. "Nevertheless, I was quite impressed.
When I visited two stations in Diepkloof, I saw people standing
in the rain with umbrellas, waiting to register," Tselane said.
"Those stations registered 400 people each just in the morning.
If every station could register 400 in three hours then we would
almost be there," he said.
The Freedom Front on Sunday said it was disappointed by the
poor turnout for the second round of voter registration this
weekend, especially among opposition supporters.
FF spokesman Kallie Kriel in a statement urged the public to
register, saying the African National Congress had a good chance of
winning a two-thirds majority in parliament.
"Should the ANC achieve a two-thirds majority, they will have
the power to change legislation, especially clauses on ownership
and language rights," he said.
Kriel said potential voters had been discouraged by reports of
problems at registration points, but on the whole registration was
proceeding very smoothly.
Kriel appealed to people without bar-coded identity documents
to apply for them as soon as possible while there was still time to
register for the general elections.
@ THE STOP-OVER OF PRESIDENT MANDELA IN NIGERIA
Issued by: Government Communications (GCIS)
JOINT COMMUNIQUE ISSUED FOLLOWING
THE STOP-OVER OF PRESIDENT MANDELA IN NIGERIA
At the invitation of the Head of State, Commander-in-Chief of
the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, General
Abdulsalami A. Abubakar, the President of the Republic of South
Africa, H.E. Mr. Nelson R. Mandela, made a stop-over in Abuja on his
way back from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
The Head of State and Senior Government Officials received the
President and his delegation warmly at Nnamdi Azikiwe International
Airport.
The two leaders had the opportunity to review recent
developments on the African Continent and exchanged views on various
issues affecting their bilateral cooperation.
President Mandela on his part again extended his congratulations
to General Abubakar on the resolute steps taken towards the
transition Programme and returning the Country to civilian rule. He
expressed the best wishes of South Africa to the successful
transition in Nigeria and pledged any support require.
The two leaders reiterated their commitment to the peaceful
resolution of the conflicts on the African Continent and call on
various leaders to abide by the resolutions and decisions of the
various Summits. They expressed particular concern at the conflicts
in Sierra Leone, Congo and Angola.
The leaders reaffirmed the need for peace and stability, social
harmony and development in Africa in order to uplift the standard of
living of the peoples of the Continent. Towards this end, the two
leaders agreed to continue their close cooperation.
ISSUED AT ABUJA, THIS 31ST JANUARY, 1999
For the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
For the Govern of the Republic of South Africa
@ N/L-REGISTER
PRETORIA Jan 31 Sapa
ELECTORAL OFFICES TO OPEN ON PERMANENT BASIS FOR REGISTRATION
People who had not yet registered for this year's general
election would be able to do so at the Independent Electoral
Commission local offices during February, IEC chairman Judge Johann
Kriegler said on Sunday.
"The local electoral offices will be open during office hours
during business days for people who missed out at their local
registration points, to go and register," he told reporters in
Pretoria.
Kriegler said in addition to opening the electoral offices to
the public, there would be a third national drive in late February
or early March, on a similar scale to this weekend's campaign.
Kriegler said it was still too soon to give a figure on how
many people had registered in the second round of voter
registration this weekend.
"About 28 percent (of registration data files) have been
downloaded. It is far too soon to draw any kind of inference of the
percentage we are ultimately going to hit."
Over one million people had registered countrywide on Friday.
More than 10,8 million registrations had been downloaded by 6.30pm
on Sunday. About 9,6 million people were registered in the first
round of registration in November and December last year.
Kriegler said about 14 registration stations did not open at
all over the three day registration period from Friday to Sunday.
He said all the stations in the Western Cape, Northern Cape,
Eastern Cape, North West, Free State, Mpumalanga, and Gauteng were
open on Sunday.
Two mobile registration stations did not open in the Northern
Province.
Registration in Richmond in KwaZulu-Natal was postponed over
the weekend because of the funerals of United Democratic Movement
national secretary Sifiso Nkabinde who was killed last Saturday
followed by 11 other people killed subsequently in the area.
Registration was scheduled to be held in Richmond on Monday,
Tuesday and Wednesday.
Kriegler said there were some registration points which did not
open on time due to communication, staffing and transport problems.
"Ultimately the solution which will find favour all round, is
that you use the local people who you do not have to transport, who
you do not have to house and who you can draw from the local
community," he said.
Kriegler said the registration figures so far showed a low
turnout in youth.
The figures were progressively better among older people,
including "the fogeys in my age group".
"One must not read too much into the youngsters' poor turnout.
It is universally a feature and problem.
"It is a fact of life that youngsters are less concerned with
public affairs."
Kriegler said this weekend's registration drive had improved
compared with last year and the IEC would aim for "zero defect" in
the next registration drive in February.
This weekend's registration drive came days after Kriegler
announced his resignation from the IEC, as of February 1.
While a selection panel began the search for another member of
the judiciary to fill the vacancy, speculation about who would
replace Kriegler as chairman began. The Sunday Independent, quoting
government sources, named Kriegler's deputy Brigalia Bam as the new
chairman.
The head of the IEC's operation in Gauteng, meanwhile, blamed
the lower than expected turnout on insufficient voter education.
"There is still a certain amount of confusion among voters,"
electoral officer for Gauteng, Terry Tselane, told Sapa.
"I don't think the public fully understands the difference
between registration and the election and a lot of people think
'why do I have to register now, I didn't have to register last time
(in 1994?)'."
"We would like to do more voter education but you know the
financial constraints the IEC is going through," Tselane said.
Negative reports about registration problems also probably
deterred potential voters from going to register, he said.
Although many of the 1900 stations in Gauteng were quiet on
Friday and Saturday, Tselane was confident that the province would
have registered between 1,5 million and two million voters when
registration closed on Sunday.
Provisional figures indicated that at least 310898 people
registered on Friday and 454911 registered on Saturday, he said.
In Gauteng and most other provinces, provincial electoral
officers emphasised that the figures released to the media were
interim figures because many stations had not downloaded the data
into the main computer at the IEC's head office in Pretoria.
In many rural areas, local electoral officials were told to
keep their "zip zip" bar-code scanners until Sunday night before
travelling to major registration centres where they could download
the electronically-stored data into a computer for transmission via
satellite to Pretoria.
No incidents of political intimidation or election-related
violence were reported on Sunday.
In Western Cape, the ANC said on Sunday that it was clear last
week's bomb blasts in Cape Town did not deter potential voters from
registering.
"In terms of our assessment, the bombs did not stop people from
exercising their constitutional right," the party's deputy election
co-ordinator Marius Fransman said.
The city was shaken by two blasts last week. The first injured
11 people outside the Caledon Square police station on Thursday and
the second injured one person outside the Woodstock police station
on Saturday.
@ REGISTER-HIJACK
JOHANNESBURG Jan 31 Sapa
HIJACKERS HOLD UP ELECTORAL WORKERS, TAKE ZIP-ZIP MACHINE
Armed hijackers on Saturday ambushed a minibus ferrying
electoral workers home from registration stations on the West Rand
and assaulted one of the passengers before taking the vehicle.
Randfontein electoral officer Sarel Breytenbach told Sapa he
had lent the minibus - his personal vehicle - to a colleague to
take staff home to Mohlakeng after registration stations closed on
Saturday night.
"As they were going into Mohlakeng, two kombis pulled out and
surrounded them. One of the men held a shotgun to the driver's head
and told everyone to get out," Breytenbach said.
One woman was injured when the robbers pulled her out of the
vehicle and threw her to the ground.
"I actually phoned them (the electoral staff) on the cellphone
when they were on the way to Mohlakeng and when I spoke to the
driver he said he would be back soon.
"I didn't realise it at the time but when he was speaking to me
he had a gun to his head," Breytenbach told Sapa.
After the incident, the driver realised that someone he did not
recognise had got into the minibus when it left a registration
station. The stranger had asked him to drop him off at an
intersection in Mohlakeng where the hijackers appeared, Breytenbach
said.
Breytenbach put out word about the robbery among political
parties in the Randfontein area and the community of Mohlakeng.
Early on Sunday morning, a teacher at a school in the area
spotted the minibus where it had apparently stalled after the
anti-hijacking device was activated.
He reported it to his headmaster, who was an electoral worker.
Besides the vehicle's radio and two cellphones, the robbers also
took a "zip-zip" barcode scanner in which the names of 112 voters
who registered on Saturday were electronically stored.
Electoral staff, however, had the original registration forms
of these voters and their details would simply be re-entered into
the IEC's computer, Breytenbach said.
West Rand police spokeswoman Sergeant Yolande Bouwer confirmed
the incident.
@ TRUTH-NELSPRUIT
NELSPRUIT Jan 31 Sapa
TWO IFP MEN TO APPEAR BEFORE TRC FOR BUS AMBUSH
Two Inkatha Freedom Party members are expected to appear before
the TRC's amnesty committee in Nelspruit on Monday for a week-long
hearing into an ambush on a bus in 1992, the TRC said on Sunday.
TRC spokesman Vuyani Green said Mzobona Leonard Hadebe and
Raphael Senzangakona Stohomo are applying for amnesty for killing
one person and injuring at least 40 others in an ambush on a bus
near Ratanda hostel near Heidelberg in Gauteng on September 28,
1992.
Green said the bus was transporting passengers from the
Nelspruit area.
The hearing is expected to begin at 9am at Nelsville Community
hall, Grace Street, Nelsville in Nelspruit.
Green appealed to all victims of the attack and their families
to attend the hearing Hadebe and Stohomo are both in prison for the
attack. Sapa /jt/jje
@ WEF-ERWIN
DAVOS Switzerland January 31 Sapa
ERWIN CONTESTS VIEW THAT RAND IS SERIOUSLY AT RISK
South African Trade Minister Alec Erwin on Sunday contested a
statement by a prominent American economist that the rand was one
of the currencies must vulnerable to international speculation.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Rudiger
Dornbusch, an economist who had long predicted this month's
devaluation of the Brazilian real, told the World Economic Forum's
annual meeting on Thursday that South Africa and Turkey were two
countries which faced a serious risk of their currencies declining.
"I am not sure what the grounds for that could be. I wouldn't
take it seriously," Erwin, - who is attending the Davos meeting -
said in an interview on Sunday.
"There is no reason. We don't have any major fiscal exposure in
South Africa at the present, our banking system is efficient, our
financial markets are transparent.
"We have no major debt situation. It can't be said that our
private sector is over-borrowed in international markets."
Erwin did however caution that all markets, particularly
developing and emerging ones were vulnerable to any form of shock
at the moment.
He said a clear distinction had to be drawn between South
Africa's situation and that of Brazil, which had pegged the real to
the dollar as a means of curbing internal inflation.
South Africa was not trying to defend the rand against anything
Erwin said.
"We are confident enough that the basic fundamentals of our
economy are strong enough. As we have seen in the last year the
currency weakens under pressure and strengthens again once this
pressure is gone."
He pointed out that the rand had already gone through three
bouts of currency speculation.
Asked whether South Africa could reap any benefit from an
announcement at the meeting by United States Vice President, Al
Gore that heavily indebted nations were in line for further debt
relief, Erwin said: "No, it is unlikely. South Africa has made no
such request.
"What debt would we ask relief from? We can't ask other
countries for relief from domestic debt which is held by our
pension funds and the bulk of South Africa's foreign debt arises
from the issues from the new government.
"South Africa is not seeking debt relief. We are obviously very
firm supporters of debt relief for the heavily indebted countries
in Africa and elsewhere."
Erwin said Mozambique was particularly deserving of further
debt relief.
Erwin echoed concerns by other African delegates that the
continent was not adequately represented at the meeting, regarded
as one of the leading discussion forums on matters of global
economic importance.
However, he felt that South Africa would have it's say in the
debate about what new controls were needed to control international
capital movements through its membership of the G22 group of
countries.
"The point has been made by the Philippines and other South
East Asian countries that their views need to be heard as well,"
Erwin said.
He again declined to comment on the details of the draft trade
deal struck between South Africa and the EU earlier this week.
The forum, which ends on Tuesday is attended by more than 1600
of the world's business and political leaders.
@ CHINA-LD-VISIT
CAPE TOWN Jan 31 Sapa
CHINESE VICE PRESIDENT ARRIVES IN CAPE TOWN
The vice-president of the People's Republic of China, Hu
Jintao, arrived at Town International Airport on Sunday evening at
the start of a five-day visit to South Africa.
He was met as he stepped of the Air China 747 by Deputy Foreign
Affairs Minister Aziz Pahad, as well as Western Cape premier Gerald
Morkel and South Africa's ambassador to China, Chris Dlamini.
Hu, who is accompanied by a 70-member delegation - including
China's Minister for General Administration of Civil Aviation, Liu
Jianfeng, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Ji Peiding and Vice
Minister for Trade and Economic Co-operation, Shi Guangxjang -
left the airport immediately for the Cape Grace hotel at the city's
Waterfront, where he was scheduled to meet the Speaker of the
National Assembly, Frene Ginwala.
Hu's visit to South Africa is the highest level visit made from
China to South Africa.
In a statement issued on his arrival at the airport, he said he
was very pleased to visit South Africa at the invitation of the
Deputy President Thabo Mbeki.
In April last year Mbeki led a South African delegation on a
state visit to China.
Hu said that since the birth of the new South Africa, the
traditional friendship between the two countries had witnessed
further development with the formal establishment of diplomatic
relations on January 1, 1998.
"I am looking forward to getting a better knowledge of and
learning from, through this visit, the successful experience of the
South African people in their effort to maintain stability and
promote economic development under the leadership of President
Nelson Mandela.
"I sincereley hope that this visit will help further
consolidate the traditional friendship beteween our two peoples and
bring a brand new sound and stable China-South Africa relationship
into the new century," he said.
Hu later received Ginwala in the foyer of his Waterfront hotel
where they exchanged greetings before sitting down to talks.
The talks which took place behind closed doors lasted about 30
minutes.
The two countries are expected to sign an agreement on
bilateral air services, trade, economic and technical co-operation.
Hu will offically open China's consulate-general on Monday, and
on Tuesday is set to hold talks with Mbeki at the Cape Grace hotel.
An official dinner in Hu's honour will be hosted by Mbeki at
the hotel on Tuesday evening.
Hu departs for Johannesburg on Wednesday, where he will also
visit the Hector Petersen memorial in Soweto.
Hu's visit to South Africa forms the fourth and final leg of
his African tour. He last week visited Madagascar, Ghana and Ivory
Coast.
He returns to China on Friday.
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| Prepared by: ANC Information Services |
| Dept Information & Publicity |
| PO Box 16469 Tel: (+27 21) 262740 |
| Vlaeberg 8018 Fax: (+27 21) 262774 |
| Cape Town Internet: in...@anc.org.za |
| South Africa CompuServe: 100014,344 |
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