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 305
21 - 27 October 2006


CONTENTS:

ZIMBABWE: Lack of inputs threatens next year's harvest - experts
BOTSWANA: Media watchdogs concerned over attempts to "muzzle" state
   media
ZIMBABWE: Govt says all land reform affected will get money by 2010
ANGOLA: Poor marks for progress on MDG
SWAZILAND: Fighting a losing battle against cannabis growers


ZIMBABWE: Lack of inputs threatens next year's harvest - experts

Zimbabwean agricultural experts have warned that the prohibitive cost 
and non-availability of farming inputs like fertiliser could affect next 
year's harvest.

Despite denials of a shortfall by government officials, independent 
estimates suggest only 800,000mt of maize was harvested this year, or 
about two-thirds of the country's annual requirement. Most agricultural 
inputs are imported and beyond the financial reach of many farmers.

See report: http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=56074


BOTSWANA: Media watchdogs concerned over attempts to "muzzle" state 
media

Media watchdogs have criticised attempts by the Botswana government to 
control state media coverage of a controversial programme to relocate 
the San community from their ancestral land in a game reserve.

The deputy permanent secretary in the Ministry of Communications, 
Science and Technology urged public media editors in a memo to ensure 
that all negative reports on the relocation programme by the independent 
media were "contrasted strongly with freshly sought government 
statements". International media watchdog Reporters Without Borders 
described the memo as "archaic", "risky" and "unusual" for Botswana.

See report: http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=56073


ZIMBABWE: Govt says all land reform affected will get money by 2010

More than six years after Zimbabwe launched its fast-track land reform 
programme, only around 200 of the several thousand commercial white 
farmers affected have received compensation, and the government will 
only be able to reimburse the rest by 2010.

The lands ministry recently told parliament that it had run out of money 
after being overwhelmed by the number of former white farmers requesting 
compensation.

See report: http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=56060


ANGOLA: Poor marks for progress on MDG

The gap between rich and poor in Angola is widening, according to a 
report sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Angola is one of 191 countries that adopted the Millennium Declaration 
in 2000, in which signatories aim to cut poverty by half. But, according 
to the report, more than two-thirds of the country's 16 million people 
live on US$2 or less a day, and four million of those survive on US$0.75 
or less a day. Angola is Africa's second biggest oil exporter, but 
little of the country's oil wealth is reflected in the daily lives of 
its people.

See report: http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=56042


SWAZILAND: Fighting a losing battle against cannabis growers

'Swazi Gold' cannabis is internationally known for its potency and 
worldwide demand for the substance has attracted international crime 
syndicates to the country to fund and organise the large-scale 
production of the plant, by locals.

So far, the success of the Swazi police in controlling the illegal trade 
of the drug, known as 'dagga', has been limited.

See report: http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=56087


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


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