U N I T E D   N A T I O N S
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Integrated Regional Information Network for Southern Africa

Tel: +27 11 880 4633
Fax: +27 11 880 1421
e-mail: irin-sa@irin.org.za


SOUTHERN AFRICA
IRIN-SA Weekly Round-up 155
10 - 14 November 2003


CONTENTS:

ANGOLA: Amnesty calls for halt to forced evictions
ZIMBABWE: Doctors' strike continues
LESOTHO: Union officials arrested after wage protests
SOUTHERN AFRICA: Meeting to draw up an "implementable plan" for orphans
MOZAMBIQUE: Migrant miners disadvantaged by new SA immigration law
MAURITIUS: Unemployment on the rise
SWAZILAND: king accepts new constitution and appoints new premier
SOUTH AFRICA: Strong opposition to new communal land rights bill


ANGOLA: Amnesty calls for halt to forced evictions

IRIN reported on Thursday that Amnesty International (AI) called for a
moratorium on forced evictions in Angola, claiming that over 5,000 people
had been forcibly removed from their homes in three mass evictions between
2001 and 2003.

The London-based rights group alleged that evictions in the Boavista, Soba
Kapassa and Benfica areas in the capital, Luanda, were "arbitrary and
carried out at police gun-point, without adequate prior notice or
consultation".

The 46-page report, "Mass forced evictions in Luanda - a call for a human
rights-based housing policy", examines the evictions in the capital city,
and discusses current Angolan law in light of international human rights
standards on the right to adequate housing and the right not to be
forcibly evicted.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=37853


Govt should take lead in recovery effort

On Monday IRIN reported that experts have called on the government to take
the lead in the Angola's recovery, as focus shifts from the humanitarian
emergency towards reconstruction and development.

Earlier this month government representatives, NGOs, donor countries and
key UN agencies met in Switzerland to discuss ways of building new
partnerships as the oil-rich country moves towards a development agenda.

Participants at the meeting said donors would continue their support in
key strategic areas, but international assitance would be dependent on
increased efforts by the government, particularly towards greater
transparency.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=37766


ZIMBABWE: Doctors' strike continues

As state doctors continue their strike in Zimbabwe, the situation in
public hospitals worsens daily, IRIN reported on Thursday.

Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) information officer Mlamleli
Sibanda said that while nurses had returned to work, the continuing
stayaway by doctors was crippling public health services.

Doctors at state hospitals have been on strike since October, demanding
pay hikes of up to 8,000 percent. They argue that their monthly salaries
can barely cover basic expenses like rent and groceries, as inflation,
currently running at about 450 percent, continues to soar.

Tensions were raised this week when the public service commission ordered
police to arrest doctors who failed to turn up for work.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=37854


"Armed struggle" warning from new opposition group

The Zimbabwe government has dismissed a threat made by a previously
unknown opposition organisation that it would use military action to
topple President Robert Mugabe, IRIN reported on Thursday.

A group calling itself Zimbabe Freedom Movement (ZFM) released a statement
in London saying that "since we have not achieved democracy by peaceful
means, despite the best efforts of the only viable opposition party in
Zimbabwe, it is necessary to place the illegitimate president and
government of Zimbabwe on notice that they are about to be removed by the
judicious use of appropriate force".

Government spokesman Steyn Berejena told IRIN there was "no room for talk
of an armed struggle" in Zimbabwe.

The ZFM describes itself on its website (www.zfm.cc) as a "non-political
movement consisting primarily of serving members in the Zimbabwe
security/defence forces, but also with a strong following from the
civilian sector".

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=37856


Govt to set up agri-focused community radio stations

On Tuesday IRIN reported that media activists in Zimbabwe had welcomed the
government's plans to set up agri-focused community radio stations, but
remained sceptical that the stations would be truly community-owned.

Addressing a graduation ceremony of agriculture students at Esigodini
Agricultural Institute south of Bulawayo last weekend, minister of
information and publicity, Jonathan Moyo, announced that new community
radio stations were to be established, that would produce and broadcast
agricultural programmes and news in local languages.

Moyo did not disclose the number or locations of the stations, but said
they were meant to further the goals of the fast-track land reform
programme by becoming a source of agri-news and advice for farmers.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=37796


LESOTHO: Union officials arrested after wage protests

A leader of Lesotho's Factory Workers Union (Fawu) was arrested following
a strike earlier this week that left two dead and scores of people
injured, IRIN reported on Wednesday.

Police reportedly arrested Willie Matheo, Fawu's deputy secretary-general,
at the union's headquarters in the capital Maseru early on Wednesday
morning.

Both Matheo and Fawu secretary-general Billy Macaefa, who was arrested on
Monday, are expected to face charges of causing public disorder and damage
to property.

Thousands of workers marched to the offices of the Employers' Association
of Lesotho early on Monday to hand over a petition protesting a 5.5
percent wage increase offered by textile factories.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=37822


Death of protesting textile workers condemned

On Tuesday IRIN reported that two people had died following a clash
between the textile workers and police in Lesotho on Monday.

Fawu members were intercepted by the Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS)
as they marched to the offices of the Employers' Association of Lesotho to
deliver a petition over wage increases.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=37793


SOUTHERN AFRICA: Meeting to draw up an "implementable plan" for orphans

Although governments have increasingly become aware of the problem of
orphans and vulnerable children in Southern Africa, countries still lacked
the capacity to effectively deal with the problem, a regional workshop
heard on Monday.

Government representatives and NGOs from Angola, Botswana, Lesotho,
Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe
held a five-day meeting in Maseru, Lesotho, to draw up technical
strategies to deal with children affected by HIV/AIDS.

"The objective is to come away with a manual to assist these countries.
They all have a problem with orphans and either don't know how to handle
it, or are not sure they are handling it properly," Amina Said, UNICEF
Lesotho spokeswoman, told PlusNews.

According to Said, countries like Lesotho were in particular need of
guidance. "Lesotho has done very little. There's a little bit here and
there, with no streamlining and cohesion."

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=37770


FAO warns threat of animal diseases epidemic

The livelihoods of millions of vulnerable people in Southern Africa are
threatened by the spread of Transboundary Animal Diseases (TADs), the UN
Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) warned in a statement on Friday.

TADs such as Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) and Contagious Bovine
Pleuropneumonia are having a "devastating impact" across Southern Africa -
a region that is already battling a catastrophic combination of food
shortages, malnutrition, HIV/AIDS, and poverty.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=37890


New plant to bring regional power on stream

Clean energy for the continent and beyond - that's the aim of five
Southern African Development Community (SADC) members who have joined
forces to build a 3,500 megawatt power plant on the Congo river.

South Africa's Eskom, the Botswana Power Corporation, Angola's Empresa
Nacional de Electricidade (ENE), NamPower of Namibia and Societe Nationale
d'Electricite (SNEL) of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) - have
formed the Westcor Power Project.

The project aims to provide low-cost, affordable and environmentally
friendly electricity to ensure that economic development in the region is
not constrained by capacity shortages.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=37889


MOZAMBIQUE: Migrant miners disadvantaged by new SA immigration law

The Mozambican embassy in South Africa confirmed on Wednesday that it was
trying to renegotiate a recently passed immigration law with authorities
in Pretoria, claiming that the legislation discriminated against migrant
mine workers.

"We have raised our concerns with the relevant authorities, and they have
assured us that they will take some of the issues seriously. Our main
objection is that many of the Mozambican migrant workers have worked in
South Africa for 20 years. Their contribution to the development of South
Africa needs to be recognised," Petro Taimo of the labour department in
the Mozambican embassy told IRIN.

According to Taimo, the new legislation introduces a 2.5 percent tax on
foreign miners' wages to fund training courses for South African workers.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=37823


Election race heats up

On Monday IRIN focussed on the run-up to Mozambique's local elections.

The campaign for the 19 November polls to elect both mayors and
representatives in 33 municipalities around the country began officially
last week.

Although other political parties are contesting the local elections, the
race is really between FRELIMO - which has ruled Mozambique since
independence - and the RENAMO Electoral Union (a coalition of 10 parties
with the main opposition party, RENAMO).

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=37771


MAURITIUS: Unemployment on the rise

Maurtitius' economic success is being tarnished by a rising unemployment
rate, which is not expected to improve in the near future, IRIN reported
on Wednesday.

The financial services and corporate affairs director of the Ministry for
Economic Development, Guy Wong So, told IRIN that the middle-income
country has "on the one hand, been unable to create employment, while on
the other hand losing [jobs], in particular in the export processing
zone".

The current official unemployment rate is 10.2 percent, nearly double the
average of 5.9 percent for 2000.

Since its independence from the United Kingdom in 1968, the Indian Ocean
island country has developed from a low-income, agrarian-based economy,
dependent largely on sugar exports, to a middle-income diversified
economy, mainly through the growth of the tourism and industrial sectors.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=37819


SWAZILAND: king accepts new constitution and appoints new premier

King Mswati of Swaziland on Friday accepted a new national constitution
that safeguards monarchical rule, and appointed a member of the royal clan
as his new prime minister.

"The whole nation contributed to this constitution. The man I give you can
work with the king, and you will work with him. He is Themba Dlamini,"
Mswati told a crowd of 10,000 subjects in the main cattle kraal of
Ludzidzini Royal Village, 20 km east of the capital, Mbabane.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=37887


Govt blamed for blood supply crisis

Swaziland's national blood bank is on the brink of collapse following the
government's failure to honour a partnership agreement with the
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), IRIN reported on
Wednesday.

"This couldn't happen at a worse time, with the AIDS crisis, which
requires extremely vigilant monitoring of the blood supply for use in
surgery and in emergency trauma situations," Sive Mdluli, a blood donor
recruiter with the Swaziland chapter of the ICRC, known as the Baphalali
Red Cross, told IRIN.

Sources with the ICRC told IRIN that the organisation might have to pull
out of the country because the government had not honoured a funding
agreement.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=37820


SOUTH AFRICA: Strong opposition to new communal land rights bill

IRIN reported on Monday that a new land bill, which activists say will
give un-elected chiefs control over communal areas, was at the centre of a
controversy over land reform in South Africa.

Opposition to the Communal Land Rights Bill (CLRB) has been vociferous,
with concerned NGOs going as far as placing an advert in a national daily
newspaper to urge the public to reject the bill.

The cabinet approved the CLRB for submission to parliament on 8 October,
noting that the bill was "aimed at facilitating secure land tenure rights
in communally held land within the framework of the constitution".

However, the National Land Committee (NLC) and the Programme for Land and
Agrarian Studies (PLAAS) has called on concerned South Africans to "stop
the Communal Land Rights Bill" in an advertisement in the Business Day on
Monday.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=37765



IRIN-SA
Tel: +27 11 880-4633
Fax: +27 11 447-5472
Email: IRIN-SA@irin.org.za

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