adminANC congratulates Zuma on 70th birthday
Johannesburg — President Jacob Zuma’s 70th birthday is a milestone that South Africans should be proud of, the ANC Women’s League said yesterday.“Comrade Jacob Zuma has dedicated most of his 70 years to the African National Congress and to the people of South Africa and for that we thank him,” it said.
“Not many can boast a track record of selfless service to the struggle and to the country as the president can.”
Malema appeals expulsion from ANC
JOHANNESBURG — South Africa’s firebrand youth leader Julius Malema on Thursday appealed his expulsion from the ruling African National Congress, which found him guilty of sowing divisions within the party.Algerian founding father Ben Bella dies
Ahmed Ben Bella, Algeria’s first president and one of the leading figures in its independence struggle against France, has died at the age of 95.Ben Bella, whose death comes just weeks after the 50th anniversary of Algerian independence, passed away at his family home in Algiers on Wednesday, Algerian state media reported.
New Mali leader threatens rebels with ‘total war’
BAMAKO — Mali’s new leader threatened to wage total war on Tuareg rebels and Islamists controlling the north of the country as he took the oath of office yesterday, ending a brief period of military rule.Labour laws will slow job creation
Johannesburg — Proposed new labour legislation will slow job creation amid concerns that South Africa’s labour productivity is waning, the SA Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Sacci) said yesterday.
President back from Singapore
Takunda Maodza Senior Reporter
PRESIDENT Mugabe returned home yesterday from Singapore dispelling media reports that he was unwell.
His visit to the Asian country on private business a week ago fuelled speculation over his health.
International news channels and some local private media organisations spread rumours that President
Mugabe was ill and hospitalised in Singapore.
This was despite the fact that the Ministry of Media, Information and Publicity had issued a statement saying that President Mugabe had gone to Singapore to oversee postgraduate arrangements for his daughter Bona, who graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration (Honours) in Accountancy degree last year.
The Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces touched down at the Harare International Airport at 7am accompanied by First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe.
Vice President Joice Mujuru, Media, Information and Publicity Minister Webster Shamu, State Security Minister Sydney Sekeramayi, senior Government officials and service chiefs were at the airport to welcome him.
Also at the airport to witness the President’s return were journalists from most of the media houses in the country.
Some of the journalists had gathered at the airport as early as 5am.
Minister Shamu told the journalists President Mugabe was fit and fine.
“He is as fit as a fiddle. You have seen the reality,” he said.
Makandiwa builds house for chief
Fungai Lupande Herald Reporter
Founder of the United Family International Church Prophet Emmanuel Makan-diwa is building a house for Chief Kasekete Changara of Mashonaland Central. The three bed-roomed house is being built at the chief’s homestead in Gweshe Village, Muzarabani South.
Construction started a fortnight ago and will be complete in the next few weeks.
In an interview, Chief Kasekete was exhilarated about Prophet Makandiwa’s generosity and said this will go a long way in cementing the relationship between chiefs and churches.
“Makandiwa is a child who grew up in my area of jurisdiction and his parents live at Vhudzijena Village, Muzarabani,” said Chief Kasekete.
“In 2010, he came here during one of his crusades and paid me a courtesy visit.
“He promised me that one day he will build me a house only to return this year to fulfil his promise.”
Chief Kasekete urged all church leaders to emulate what Prophet Makandiwa has done and help chiefs in their areas.
Zanu-PF MP for Muzarabani South constituency Cde Edward Raradza commended Prophet Makandiwa for giving back to the community where he was raised.
“The community is blessed to have a child like Prophet Makandiwa who looks back to his people,” he said.
Harare-Bulawayo highway set for dualisation
Tendai Mugabe Senior Reporter
The highway linking Plumtree and Mutare is now set for dualisation between Harare and Bulawayo as Government’s Infralink Project changes scope from rehabilitation only.
Infralink is a joint venture between the Zimbabwe National Road Administration and Group Five International of South Africa.
The project seeks to rehabilitate the highway linking Plumtree, Bulawayo, Harare and Mutare.
Zinara has a 70 percent shareholding in the joint company while Group Five International owns 30 percent.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Infrastructural Development Mr cconfirmed that the Government was now seeking additional funding from the Development Bank of
Southern Africa for the dualisation project.
He said Ministers Nicholas Goche (Transport) and Tendai Biti (Finance) met DBSA officials to work on modalities of additional funding.
“Yes I can confirm that the two ministers met with officials from DBSA last month seeking additional funding for that project.
“In principle they (DBSA) are sympathetic to the project but there is no agreement that has been reached yet since negotiations are still going on.”
Mr Mbiriri said DBSA was a regional bank with the capacity to fund dualisation of the road linking Harare and
Country faces 1 million-tonne maize deficit
Elita Chikwati Agriculture Reporter
ZIMBABWE is expecting to harvest one million tonnes of maize from the 2011/12 summer cropping season.
Zimbabwe, Germany aim to restore relations
Herald Reporters
ZIMBABWE and Germany should work to restore normal relations, Zanu-PF national chairman Cde