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 328
31 March - 6 April 2007


CONTENTS:

SOUTHERN AFRICA: Extreme weather threatens over a million people
MADAGASCAR: Successive cyclones bring country to its knees
NAMIBIA: Flood water keeps displaced in camps
ZIMBABWE: Both sides claim victory over stayaway
SWAZILAND: Tuberculosis still killer number one


SOUTHERN AFRICA: Extreme weather threatens over a million people

Following months of erratic weather local authorities and aid agencies 
warn they are stretched beyond capacity in Southern Africa, where 
unusually heavy rains, a string of cyclones, severe flooding and extreme 
drought continue to threaten the lives of over a million people.

Communities in Madagascar, Angola, Mozambique, Namibia and Zambia are 
struggling to recover. "The region has been exceptionally hard hit this 
year. The rains were early and heavier than usual and there have been 
more cyclones in a shorter period than in recent memory, in particular 
in Madagascar," Kelly David, head the United Nations (UN) Office for the 
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Southern African regional 
office, told IRIN.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=71204


MADAGASCAR: Successive cyclones bring country to its knees

As the sixth major cyclone to hit Madagascar this season tears across 
the northeast of the impoverished Indian ocean island, a relentless 
succession of natural disasters has left nearly half a million people in 
desperate need of humanitarian assistance.

Tropical cyclone Jaya made landfall on Madagascar's northeastern coast 
on Tuesday on a projected trajectory that will see it rage through areas 
already devastated by cyclone Indlala just over two weeks ago.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=71170


NAMIBIA: Flood water keeps displaced in camps

Water levels are still keeping thousands in camps after flooding in 
Namibia's northern Caprivi region in early March, and aid agencies warn 
it could take months before displaced residents can return home.

Torrential rain in neighbouring Angola caused the Zambezi River to burst 
its banks and spill onto the floodplains. Villages outside Katima 
Mulilo, regional capital of the Caprivi Strip, have been submerged, and 
parts of the constituencies of Kabbe, Linyanti and Kongola in eastern 
Caprivi are flooded.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=71186


ZIMBABWE: Both sides claim victory over stayaway

The Zimbabwe's Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has declared its two-day 
job stayaway to protest deteriorating standards of living a "major 
success", but by midday on Wednesday shops and banks had begun to 
reopen.

"The workers heeded the call to stayaway while some companies 
contributed by shutting down although we are aware that some of them 
were forced to open their business premises by security officials," said 
ZCTU information officer Last Tarabuka.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=71188


Constitutional reform basis for mediation, say activists

Civil society groups in Zimbabwe have revived calls for constitutional 
reform as South African President Thabo Mbeki begins mediation between 
the ruling ZANU-PF party and the opposition to help resolve the 
country's political and economic crisis.

Lovemore Madhuku, chairman of the National Constitutional Assembly 
(NCA), a pressure group advocating constitutional reform, said, "Even 
though we don't expect Mbeki to dictate terms, it should be realised 
that constitutional reform is paramount in any dialogue that might take 
place and as a mediator he should stress that."

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=71203


Govt accused of using 'trumped up charges' against opposition

Human rights activists have dismissed the recent arrest of several 
members of Zimbabwe's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) for allegedly 
playing a role in the recent spate of petrol-bombings across the country 
as an attempt to discredit the main opposition party.

"It does not take a rocket scientist to see that the MDC activists were 
arrested by the police, which is increasingly becoming a political arm 
of the government, on trumped up charges," Jacob Mafume, a human rights 
lawyer working with Crisis in Zimbabwe, a coalition of more than 300 
civil society organisations, told IRIN.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=71169


SWAZILAND: Tuberculosis still killer number one

Tuberculosis (TB), aggravated by HIV/AIDS, remains chief cause of death 
in Swaziland, which holds the dubious record of having the most TB 
infections in the world per population.

Cesphina Mabuza, Director of Health Services for the Ministry of Health 
and Social Welfare, told IRIN there were 186 TB patients per 100,000 
people, and "of the 8,500 reported cases in the country, all are on some 
form of treatment."

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=71139


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