Wednesday, April 28, 2004

New cabinet surprises

Former housing minister Brigitte Mabandla was named South Africa's new Justice Minister on Wednesday. Announcing his new cabinet, President Thabo Mbeki announced that Mabandla's portfolio would be taken over by Intelligence Minister Lindiwe Sisulu.

Former Sports Minister Ngconde Balfour would take over as Correctional Services Minister but continue work with the 2010 soccer bid. He also named Naledi Pandor as the new Minister of Education, taking over from the retiring Kader Asmal. Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula is the new minister of Home Affairs, replacing IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi. The ministry of Public Enterprises has been handed to former Trade and Industry Minister Alec Erwin. He takes over from Jeff Radebe who becomes Transport Minister. Former Eastern Cape premier Makhenkesi Stofile becomes the Sports Minister, while the new post of Science and Technology Minister goes to Azanian People's Organisation leader Mosibudi Mangena. "This is a very strong team. I'm glad that when I spoke to them all last night and early this morning they responded well ... to the critical challenge which is the implementation of policy," Mbeki said after announcing the new cabinet.

Mbeki announced that the ministry of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology will be split into a ministry of Art and Culture and a ministry of Science and Technology. "We have not paid enough attention to Arts and Culture over the past ten years," Mbeki said, adding that science in its own right was important for the development of the country. There will also be three additional women in cabinet and two more women at the deputy position, he said. "As you can see we have not reached 50%," he said refering to the percentage of women in parliament.

A list of members of the cabinet and theire credentials can be found here.

Source: News 24

Edna Molewa: Premier of North West Province


Edna Molewa served in the North West legislature for eight years before she was appointed premier in 2004. She was one of the first women chairpersons of a parliamentary committee, heading trade and industry until 1996, when she became North West minister for tourism, environment and conservation. Two years later, she headed the economic development and tourism portfolio and then moved on to the agriculture, conservation and environment portfolio.

Molewa began her career as a teacher in the 1970s before becoming involved in the underground structures of the liberation movement. She served on various trade union leadership structures: she was a first deputy president of Saccawu, and in women's organisations, she was a member of the Federation of Transvaal Women, then provincial chairperson of the ANC Women's League. She completed courses in economic leadership and administration at two prestigious American institutions: the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, and the Kennedy School of Governance at Harvard University.


Picture: http://www.info.gov.za/images/cabinet/molewa_large.jpg
Source: Mail & Guardian

Tuesday, April 27, 2004

PREVENTION AND COMBATING OF CORRUPT ACTIVITIES ACT 12 OF 2004

The purpose of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act is to provide for the strengthening of measures to prevent and combat corruption and corrupt activities; to provide for the offence of corruption and offences relating to corrupt activities; to provide for investigative measures in respect of corruption and related corrupt activities; to provide for the establishment and endorsement of a Register in order to place certain restrictions on persons and enterprises convicted of corrupt activities relating to tenders and contracts; to place a duty on certain persons holding a position of authority to report certain corrupt transactions; to provide for extraterritorial jurisdiction in respect of the offence of corruption and offences relating to corrupt activities; and to provide for matters connected therewith.

WHEREAS the Constitution enshrines the rights of all people in the Republic and affirms the democratic values of human dignity, equality and freedom;

AND WHEREAS the Constitution places a duty on the State to respect, protect, promote and fulfil all the rights as enshrined in the Bill of Rights;

AND WHEREAS corruption and related corrupt activities undermine the said rights, endanger the stability and security of societies, undermine the institutions and values of democracy and ethical values and morality, jeopardise sustainable development, the rule of law and the credibility of governments, and provide a breeding ground for organised crime;

AND WHEREAS the illicit acquisition of personal wealth can be particularly damaging to democratic institutions, national economies, ethical values and the rule of law;

AND WHEREAS there are links between corrupt activities and other forms of crime, in particular organised crime and economic crime, including money-laundering;

AND WHEREAS corruption is a transnational phenomenon that crosses national borders and affects all societies and economies, and is equally destructive and reprehensible within both the public and private spheres of life, so that regional and international cooperation is essential to prevent and control corruption and related corrupt activities;

AND WHEREAS a comprehensive, integrated and multidisciplinary approach is required to prevent and combat corruption and related corrupt activities efficiently and effectively;

AND WHEREAS the availability of technical assistance can play an important role in enhancing the ability of States, including by strengthening capacity and by institution-building, to prevent and combat corruption and related corrupt activities efficiently and effectively;

AND WHEREAS the prevention and combating of corruption and related corrupt activities is a responsibility of all States requiring mutual cooperation, with the support and involvement of individuals and groups outside the public sector, such as organs of civil society and non- governmental and community-based organizations, if their efforts in this area are to be efficient and effective;

AND WHEREAS the United Nations has adopted various resolutions condemning all corrupt practices, and urged member states to take effective and concrete action to combat all forms of corruption and related corrupt practices;

AND WHEREAS the Southern African Development Community Protocol against Corruption, adopted on 14 August 2001 in Malawi, reaffirmed the need to eliminate the scourges of corruption through the adoption of effective preventive and deterrent measures and by strictly enforcing legislation against all types of corruption;

AND WHEREAS the Republic of South Africa desires to be in compliance with and to become Party to the United Nations Convention against Corruption adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 31 October 2003;

AND WHEREAS it is desirable to unbundle the crime of corruption in terms of which, in addition to the creation of a general, broad and all-encompassing offence of corruption, various specific corrupt activities are criminalized.

Source: SABINET

Saturday, April 17, 2004

BASA: Awesome Africa Music Festival

“The arts are the soul of a people: they express their joys and sorrows, their fears and their hopes. The history of our cultural heritage is one to be preserved and inspire us to new creation.”

Athol Fugard,
Patron of Arts & Culture Trust


“The Festival’s links to the City (of Durban) have opened up various channels which have enabled the bank to forge a closer working relationship with local and provincial government. It has also given us the opportunity to endorse the City’s regeneration programme in the Albert Park area which will eventually offer more business opportunities for the bank.”

Thomas Naidoo, Provincial Director, Standard Bank

Results:Through its sponsorship of the festival, the Bank is seen to be making a direct contribution to the regeneration of the City. Arising from this is a successful partnership with the City of Durban, an important business partner for the Bank.

Source: BASA

Monday, April 5, 2004

Gito Baloi shot dead

Gito Baloi, a bass guitarist originally from Mozambique, lived and performed in South Africa for many years.

Gito Baloi, 39, was driving home from a gig in Pretoria when he was attacked. Eyewitnesses say he was shot three times through the window of his car by two men as he dropped off a friend in central Johannesburg.

This is the second killing of a high profile musician in Johannesburg this year - in February the lead singer of the band Mafikizolo, popular with young black people, was shot in Soweto in a road-rage incident.

His murder comes one week before a general election, in which South Africa's high crime rate is an important issue.


Source: BBC News