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SOUTHERN AFRICA
IRIN-SA Weekly Round-Up 244
13 - 19 August 2005


CONTENTS:

ZIMBABWE: Regional bodies lack clout to end crisis, say analysts
ZAMBIA: Pro-democracy groups concerned over "political crackdown"
ANGOLA: War-damaged infrastructure the biggest challenge to elections
MADAGASCAR: Economic boost expected from SADC membership
MALAWI: Shortages spur food prices and vulnerability
MOZAMBIQUE: Needs escalating, but aid slow to arrive
SOUTHERN AFRICA: US aid arrives ahead of critical lean season
SWAZILAND: Lack of legal status hinders the progress of women


ZIMBABWE: Regional bodies lack clout to end crisis, say analysts

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union 
(AU) lack the leverage to resolve the crisis in Zimbabwe, leaving South 
Africa as the only 'player' with enough clout to force a resolution, 
analysts told IRIN on Friday.

President Robert Mugabe this week rejected an offer by Joaquim Chissano, 
the AU envoy and former Mozambican president, to mediate talks with the 
opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in a bid to resolve the 
country's political deadlock.

Despite calls by civil society groups, the SADC avoided making any 
pronouncements on Zimbabwe during its annual summit in Gaborone this 
week.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=48673


Operation Live Well struggles to take off

The painful lesson of the government's urban cleanup campaign, launched 
three months ago in defiance of international opinion, is that it is 
much easier to destroy shanty homes than to build the victims proper 
accommodation.

A UN report estimated that Operation Murambatsvina ('Clean Out Garbage') 
- which the government said was aimed at clearing slums and flushing out 
criminals - left more than 700,000 people homeless or without jobs after 
kicking off in mid-May.

Beginning in July, its successor, Operation Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle (Live 
Well), under which the authorities promised to provide the deserving 
displaced with decent and affordable accommodation, has barely scratched 
the surface of those in need.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=48674


Inflation hits record high

The price of goods and services in Zimbabwe rose by at least 47 percent 
last month - the highest increase ever recorded in the country, 
according to the Central Statistical Office (CSO).

Low-income families were experiencing "difficult times, as shortages of 
basic commodities continue and price adjustments occur daily", the 
Consumer Council of Zimbabwe (CCZ) reported.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=48642


Picking up the pieces after Operation Cleanup

One early morning in June, Mthulisi Ndiweni, 55, suddenly found himself 
homeless. Government bulldozers rumbled into the squatter camp of 
Kilarney on the outskirts of Zimbabwe's second city, Bulawayo, and tore 
it down.

Ndiweni and his family of five, along with a thousand other unemployed 
or low-income earners in Kilarney, had become local victims of the 
government's much-criticised Operation Murambatsvina (Drive out Trash) - 
a nationwide programme ostensibly aimed at urban renewal, which left 
more than 700,000 people homeless and jobless.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=48629


Govt relinquishes grain monopoly to ease shortages

A move to free grain trading from the monopolistic grip of Zimbabwe's 
government has been roundly welcomed, but observers have labelled the 
measure a tactful acknowledgment that Harare is unable to import 
sufficient maize to offset widespread food shortages.

While requesting approval of a Zim $6.6 trillion (about US $377 million) 
Supplementary Budget on Tuesday, Finance Minister Herbert Murerwa 
scrapped duties on maize and wheat imports, and announced that the 
state-owned Grain Marketing Board (GMB) would no longer enjoy a 
monopoly.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=48628


Pilot project provides shelter to cleanup victims

A pilot project has been set up by various international humanitarian 
agencies to provide shelter to Zimbabweans affected by the government's 
controversial urban cleanup campaign.

Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, said 
the project was being implemented by UN-HABITAT, in partnership with the 
UN Development Programme (UNDP), the International Organisation for 
Migration (IOM) and the Zimbabwean government.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=48627


Newspapers struggle to survive political and financial pressures

Steep production costs and political pressure are making Zimbabwean 
newspapers financially vulnerable, according to media sources.

"There are exorbitant costs involved. All of us [newspaper publishers] 
have enormous debts - we owe money to the banks," said publisher and 
editor Ibbo Mandaza.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=48599


UN hopes for greater access to displaced

The United Nations country team in Zimbabwe met with government 
representatives this week to finalise an appeal to help those made 
homeless by the controversial Operation Murambatsvina ('Drive out 
Filth') campaign in urban areas.

UN Resident Coordinator Dr Agostinho Zacarias told IRIN on Monday that 
the team had made concrete progress in formulating the appeal.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=48597


Education system unravels

Ratidzai Haparingi trots along the veranda of a classroom block at the 
Zengeza 3 High School in Chitungwiza, a satellite town 30km east of 
Zimbabwe's capital, Harare, occasionally stopping to check whether a 
classroom is vacant.

This has been her daily routine since last year, when the school 
introduced 'roving classes' in an attempt to alleviate classroom 
shortages. A 'roving class' has no permanent classroom.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=48593


ZAMBIA: Pro-democracy groups concerned over "political crackdown"

Zambian pro-democracy groups have expressed fears that an apparent 
crackdown on opposition leaders will escalate ahead of general elections 
next year.

The Catholic Commission for Justice Development and Peace, an NGO, and 
rights watchdog Transparency International (TI), told IRIN they were 
concerned by the "increasing interference" of President Levy Mwanawasa 
in the criminal justice system, allegedly to tackle his political 
adversaries.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=48625


WHO calls for stepped-up polio surveillance along borders

The UN World Health Organisation (WHO) has called for polio immunisation 
to be stepped up along Angola's borders with the Democratic Republic of 
Congo (DRC) and Zambia.

Oliver Rosenbauer, WHO's polio spokesman, noted that "the recent two 
cases in Angola - bringing the total to six cases in that country - were 
diagnosed close to the ... borders with the DRC and Zambia in the 
northeast".

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=48609


ANGOLA: War-damaged infrastructure the biggest challenge to elections

Angola's biggest challenge will be rehabilitating as much of the 
dilapidated infrastructure as possible before general elections next 
year, a regional poll expert told IRIN on Friday.

President Eduardo Dos Santos is yet to announce a date for the country's 
first post-war presidential and legislative elections, but both are 
expected to take place before September 2006.

The National Electoral Commission (CNE), the body mandated to prepare 
for and oversee the vote, formally took office on Friday and announced 
that its first task would be to launch a nationwide voter registration 
campaign.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=48669


"Home-grown" poverty reduction plan to be presented to IMF

Despite making progress since the end of its civil conflict, Angola 
still needs a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to 
overcome "daunting challenges", a senior Fund official told IRIN.

"Angola needs a Fund programme to restructure its debt, to access 
concessional financing, to have donor support and to ensure that the 
macroeconomic gains it is making now are sustainable," IMF Alternate 
Director Peter Gakunu said during a three-day visit to the oil-rich 
country last week.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=48592


MADAGASCAR: Economic boost expected from SADC membership

Madagascar's entry into the Southern African Development Community 
(SADC) is expected to boost regional economic integration and give the 
Indian Ocean island a financial leg up, IRIN reported on Thursday.

"Madagascar is coming with a huge market potential; the advantages are 
enormous," Outgoing SADC executive secretary Prega Ramsamy told 
reporters at this week's SADC meeting in Gaborone, the capital of 
Botswana.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=48652


MALAWI: Shortages spur food prices and vulnerability

Food security experts in Malawi are keeping a close watch on maize 
prices in local markets as the country braces itself for another year of 
chronic food shortages.

Officials said on Tuesday that an increasing number of households were 
becoming completely dependent on the market for their food requirements 
as own-grown food stocks dwindled.

Humanitarian groups estimate that up to 4.6 million Malawians could face 
hunger this year after a dramatic drop in maize production, the 
country's most important staple crop.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=48611


MOZAMBIQUE: Needs escalating, but aid slow to arrive

Mozambique's drought-induced food shortage is spurring vulnerability in 
parts of the south and centre of the country but the World Food 
Programme (WFP) says relief aid has been slow to arrive.

Currently some 428,000 people need food aid, but this will rise to 
534,000 between October and December, and to 587,000 between January and 
March next year, WFP spokeswoman Karin Manente told IRIN on Thursday.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=48640


SOUTHERN AFRICA: US aid arrives ahead of critical lean season

A United States aid package worth more than US $50 million is going to 
help Southern Africa through "a very tough period", says the World Food 
Programme (WFP).

Recent food and crop assessments by the UN, NGOs and governments in the 
region revealed that at least 10.7 million people would need food aid 
during the year ahead, WFP said in a statement.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=48610


SWAZILAND: Lack of legal status hinders the progress of women

Swazi businesswomen say the floundering national economy will benefit 
from their entrepreneurial talents when they are no longer constrained 
by discriminatory laws.

Gender rights activists in Swaziland often use the story of 
businesswoman Thandi Khumalo to illustrate the personal and economic 
devastation that can result from Swazi women's lack of legal status as 
adults in traditional law.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=48649


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Copyright (c) UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 
2005


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