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 258
19 - 25 November 2005


CONTENTS:

ZIMBABWE: Voter apathy ahead of senate poll
ZAMBIA: Opposition lose constituent assembly vote
SWAZILAND: Govt turns down "orphan city" proposal
SOUTHERN AFRICA: Civil society calls for bigger role in food security
   issues
SOUTH AFRICA: ANC maintains a united front
MALAWI: Drought insurance cover for local farmers



ZIMBABWE: Voter apathy ahead of senate poll

Zimbabwe's senate poll is scheduled for this weekend, but there is 
little sign of the heated political activity that normally accompanies 
elections, IRIN reported on Wednesday.

With the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) still divided 
over contesting the senate election and the ruling ZANU-PF doing little 
campaigning, the result has been apathy among voters in the southern 
Matabeleland region, who remain focused on the daily struggle to survive 
hunger and poverty.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=50267


NGOs call on AU rights body for aid

Zimbabwean NGOs have appealed to the African Union's human rights body 
to help the hundreds of thousands of people left homeless by the 
government's recent clean-up campaign.

The AU's African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR) is in 
session in Gambia until next week, "and we are asking the organisation 
to champion the cause of those affected by Operation Murambatsvina 
[Drive Out Filth] - it is a humanitarian disaster," said Eileen Sawyer, 
director of the Human Rights Forum (HRF), a coalition of 17 Zimbabwean 
NGOs.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=50264


Poor ignore ban on urban farming as food prices climb

Urban Zimbabweans, facing soaring food prices, are increasingly defying 
a government order not to grow crops in cities and towns ahead of the 
new agricultural season, IRIN reported on Tuesday.

The government early this year banned urban farming in undesignated 
areas as part of a clean-up campaign, saying it was contributing to soil 
erosion, siltation of dams and providing cover for criminals.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=50250


Food shortages force traditions to change

A small column of women trudges along the path to a funeral in Mufiri, 
in Zimbabwe's eastern Masvingo district, occasionally tilting their 
heads to glance grudgingly at the clear sky above.

Discussion among the women braving the searing heat revolves around the 
spectre of yet another dry season, if the cloudless skies are anything 
to go by. "If it does not rain soon, we will all starve to death," said 
50-year-old Dorica Zenera, at the head of the column. The other women 
chorus in agreement.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=50218


ZAMBIA: Opposition lose constituent assembly vote

Zambia's ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) this week used 
its majority in parliament to defeat opposition plans to pass a law 
creating a constituent assembly to agree a new governing charter, IRIN 
reported on Thursday.

After more than five hours of heated debate, the motion tabled by 
lawmaker Given Lubinda, from the main opposition United Party for 
National Development (UPND), was put to a vote on Wednesday evening and 
the ruling party's majority held sway. The vote was 65 against and 52 in 
favour.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=50291


Aid agency opts to hand out cash instead of food

In an innovative approach to relief assistance, the development agency, 
Oxfam, has opted to provide cash instead of food in two drought-affected 
districts in Zambia.

Cash was more cost-effective than food aid and gave beneficiaries 
spending choices, said Ric Goodman, Oxfam's country programme director.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=50288


SWAZILAND: Govt turns down "orphan city" proposal

After months of controversy, the Swazi government has turned down a 
church group's offer to build an "orphan city" in exchange for the 
country's two largest game parks and other property.

Enterprise and Employment Minister Lutfo Dlamini was quoted in the Swazi 
media on Thursday as saying, "We pointed out that their approach to the 
problem was too radical for us to understand."

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=50290


Relief for the elderly as pensions go up

Gogo ("Granny") Mkwanaze, 72, knows what she is going to do with the 
extra money she will be getting when government revamps its pension 
system for the elderly.

"My grandchildren need shoes and new school uniforms - the schools open 
in just two months. I am raising those children all by myself, you 
know," she smiles.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=50212


SOUTHERN AFRICA: Civil society calls for bigger role in food security 
issues

NGOs in Southern Africa say they can contribute to strengthening food 
security but have been ignored by regional governments.

"Civil society organisations have an advantage over government bodies, 
as they are based within communities, they work closely with the people 
and are often the first to access information on [impending] food 
security disasters," said Tobias Takavarasha, a Zimbabwe-based 
agricultural economist.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=50240


Trucking fleets under pressure to deliver food aid

South African trucking fleets are experiencing difficulties in meeting 
the demand to supply food aid to drought-affected countries in the 
region, particularly Zimbabwe, according to logistics experts.

Massive orders to ferry fertiliser to Malawi ahead of the planting rains 
have put trucking fleets under tremendous pressure, said Charles Nicolle 
of Cargo Africa, a logistics company.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=50211


SOUTH AFRICA: ANC maintains a united front

South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) party emerged from 
a crisis meeting of its top executive at the weekend to deny claims of 
internal divisions in its ranks, IRIN reported on Tuesday.

The ANC national executive committee (NEC) meeting was called to heal a 
rift between President Thabo Mbeki and the party's deputy president, 
Jacob Zuma, which has degenerated into the worst crisis the ANC has 
faced since being elected to power in 1994.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=50217


MALAWI: Drought insurance cover for local farmers

IRIN reported on Thursday that a new pilot programme aims to help 
Malawi's smallholder farmers access agricultural loans and risk cover in 
the event of drought, boosting their ability to recover from shocks.

The country is in the grip of widespread food shortages after a 
prolonged dry spell in some parts.

"The insurance will help farmers obtain the financing necessary to 
obtain certified seeds, which produce increased yields and revenues [and 
have] greater resistance to disease," the World Bank said in a 
statement.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=50268


IRIN-SA
Tel: +27 11 895-1900
Fax: +27 11 784-6759
Email: IRIN-SA@irin.org.za


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Appropriate Donations for International Disaster/Humanitarian Needs
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Center for International                  web: www.cidi.org
     Disaster Information             listserv: www.cidi.org/listsub.htm
                                    guidelines: www.cidi.org/donate.htm
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Southern Africa                  www.cidi.org/humanitarian/irin/safrica