New fears of xenophobia were raised last week in SA after several foreign-owned shops were looted and vandalized in KwaThema in the East Rand. Several foreign tuck shop owners remained homeless and unemployed after the new attacks, for which no-one had been arrested early this week.
Moz-SA power deal
Eskom is involved in negotiations with the Mozambican government over power produced from the proposed Mphanda Nkuwahydro-electric dam, to be built 61 kilometres downstream from the existing dam at Cahora Bassa. It will have the capacity to produce 1 500 megawatts of electricity.
Power station for Tete
London based Ncondezi Coal Company is planning to build a major power station capable of generating 1 800 megawatts of electricity at its coal mine in Tete, Mozambique. The mine has enough coal to last for more than 20 years at an extraction rate of 10 million tonnes per year.
Ncondezi points out that no large reserve of the higher value coking coal has been found.
Malawi leader shuns AU
Malawi President Joyce Banda will shun an African Union summit in Ethiopia next month over the controversy surrounding the attendance of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. Banda said on state radio that she would be replaced at the summit July 9-16 by Vice President Khumbo Kachali.
Swazi police rapped for “murder”
Police in Swaziland received both praise and condemnation for this week’s killing of fugitive and alleged serial rapist,
Bhekinkhosi “Scarface” Masina. The Swaziland Solidarity Network said this week that Masina, as a citizen of Swaziland, was innocent until proven guilty by a court of law. It described his death in the hands of police as unconstitutional.
DA wants minister jailed
South Africa’s main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, this week called on President Jacob Zuma to jail Minister of Police, NathiMthethwa, over his alleged involvement in the Crime Intelligence “slush fund”. Dianne Kohler Barnard, the DA’s Shadow Minister of Police, said a comprehensive criminal investigation needed to take place and that it should include claims that almost R200 000 was paid from the slush fund for renovations to Mthethwa’s private residence in KwaZulu-Natal. Mthethwa also allegedly used a luxury Mercedes-Benz SUV, bought by Crime Intelligence, for a period of 15 months.
Swazi plane silence
The Swaziland Civil Aviation Authority has not released the names of airlines that will use the multi-million dollar Sikhuphe International Airport when it eventually opens. It could take at least three years before airlines start using the airport. SWACAA has been talking up the prospects for the airport, even though it is not yet finished and no completion date has been announced.
Post published in: Africa News