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Tag: South Africa

  • Nigerian killed, another abducted in South Africa–Union

    The Nigerian community in South Africa on Sunday confirmed the death of a Nigerian and the abduction of another member in that country.

    Mr Ikechukwu Anyene, the President of Nigeria Union, South Africa, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone from Pretoria that both incidents had been reported to the Nigerian Mission in that country.

    He alleged that one Victor Nnadi, a native of Orlu in Imo , was suffocated to death on Thursday by the Metropolitan Police in Cape Town.

    Anyene claimed that eye witnesses saw the police handcuff the victim and suffocated him to death.

    “ When the people saw what happened, they raised an alarm and confronted the police.

    “ The union`s chapter in Cape Town is already on top of the situation and trying its best to facilitate the release of the detained brother of the deceased,” he said.

    Anyene, however, urged the Federal Government to persuade the South African government to put measures in place to stop the killing of Nigerians.

    The union , he said, also got information on Dec. 24 that one Austin Agunwa, a native of Umuawulu, in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra, was abducted by unidentified persons at Rustenburg, North West Province.

    He said Nigerians in the province raised a search team which later found the victim`s car abandoned, after a crash near a bridge.

    Anyene, however, said the vehicle had no blood stain.

    “ As we speak, we don’t know his whereabouts and nobody has claimed responsibility for his abduction.

    “ We have directed the union`s chapter in the area to report the incident to the police and open a case on the missing Nigerian,” he said.

    Anyene also said that the union`s national body would liaise with Nigeria’s High Commission to visit Rustenburg over the incident.

    “ We have also advised our people to be calm and remain law abiding as the union and the Nigerian Mission are handling the situation,” he said. (NAN)

  • South Africa PDP charges Nigerians on patriotism at Christmas

    South Africa PDP charges Nigerians on patriotism at Christmas

    The Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chapter in South Africa, Hon. Ekos Akpokabayen has appealed to Nigerians to continue to toe the path of peace, patriotism, love, selflessness, equity, and fairness during the Christmas celebration.

    Akpokabayen made this appeal in his Christmas and New message said that as a nation whose “National Anthem and Pledge” deeply reflects all the ingredients that constitutes a solemn covenant, we must do away with rottenness of the heart, unforgiveness, tribalism and selfishness at all times.”
     
    He noted that “no matter what the times are sayings, no matter the gravity of the prevalent economic hardship we presently face, we must stand firm in love, bearing in mind that this country belong no one alone but to all of us.”
    “In a very short time, another opportunity to make a collective choice will come and then we can once again make it right. For us, 2019 is a date with destiny.”
     
    He said that our collective progress as a nation has long been hampered by unnecessary desperate and vested interests that benefits just a few and we have to make a resolve now to nip all these on the board.

    Akpokabayen, while facilitating with Nigerians  at home and in diaspora,  said that ” we should use this opportunity, in this season, to call on all Nigerian to join hands together in the coming year to rewrite the battered history of this great country, Nigeria.”

    He also called on the Federal government to take a deeper look and reconsider the most recent ban on the importation of motor vehicles through our land borders.
     
    He said the policy is ” anti people policy targeted at the common masses of Nigeria whose only hope to own car(s) as a necessity have been dashed at a time when almost everything have become totally un-reachable due to the current economic recession.”
    “We condemn it in strong terms and join forces with all right thinking Nigerians who have risen up against this wicked policy to stand hard against it.”

    He noted that this is the time to do everything to console our people and not to add more to their sorrowful hearts.
     
    He opined that as a diaspora chapter of PDP , “our contributions in the general political affairs of our dear nation have only remained most outstanding, going all over the world with the message of re-branding the nation of Nigeria our dearest country, our empathy with the masses of our beloved country both at hard and good times speaks for themselves.”

    Akpokabayen stressed that from inception,  ” we have been in the forefront of every activity that has the capacity to move Nigeria forward, lending our voices to the good and condemning the ills of our society without fear or favour.”
     
    “Our advocacy have always centered on the enthronement of love, peace, equity, selflessness and equal rights among-st our good and great people”, he said.
     
    Akpokabayen continued; “what we preach out here and in most countries of the world where our patriotic diaspora exploits have generated so much impact is also what we bring home especially at this Christmas”.

    “The entire members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) South Africa Chapter uses this medium to wish all Nigerians both at home and in the diaspora a blissful Christmas and a glorious New Year (2017),” he said.
  • Ambode raises Police death insurance benefit to N10m

    Ambode raises Police death insurance benefit to N10m

    …Presents additional patrol vehicles, power bikes to RRS

    Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Monday announced an increment to the death insurance benefit for police officers who die in active service to the State to N10 million, saying that his administration would stop at nothing to ensure the safety of all citizens in the State.

    Ambode, who spoke at Lagos House in Ikeja, after he was presented with two awards recently won in South Africa by the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the State Police Command, said security and safety of the people remains one of the focal objectives of his administration, and that Government would continually embrace measures to motivate and encourage officers of the Command to perform their duties diligently.

    The RRS, at the awards presented by Security Watch Africa (SWA), had emerged as the best anti-crime police squad in West Africa, while the RRS Commander, Olatunji Disu, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, won the award of most outstanding police operational officer in Africa.

    The State Government also bagged award as the best security and most safety conscious state in Africa.

    Speaking after receiving the awards, Governor Ambode congratulated the Commander and men of the RRS for the feat, saying that the people of the State were appreciative of the gallant efforts of the unit at bringing down crime rate in the State, especially in the last one year.

    The Governor also commended the State’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni for his purposeful leadership of the Command, saying that it was evident that the Police in Lagos was performing creditably well.

    While alluding to the need for increment in the death insurance benefit of officers, Governor Ambode recalled the recent loss of some officers in active service, adding that while government was not praying for the re-occurrence of such, it was appropriate to reasonably reward the family of any officer in the event of eventual death.

    The Governor therefore said his administration was raising the stake of death insurance policy from N1million to rank and file and N2million to senior officers to N10 million.

    He said: “Recently, we lost some police officer due to no fault of theirs and then some form of accidental incidences across the State.

    “I have directed the State’s Pension Office and the Office of the Chief of Staff that we are going to increase the payment that we make to officers that die in active service and then we are increasing that irrespective of whether you are a junior or senior office, if you die in active service, the payment that will be made by the State Government is being increased to N10million from this moment onward,” he said.

    As one of the ways of appreciating and motivating the Command, Governor Ambode also presented additional three patrol vehicles and 45 power bikes to the RRS.

    The Governor, while reiterating the commitment of the State Government to the security and wellbeing of residents, also directed the police to ensure hitch-free yuletide celebration across the State.

    He said the government, by the donation, was also sending a strong signal to those who are always willing to disturb the peace that there is no room for them in the State.

    Responding to the gesture, the RRS Commander, Mr. Olatunji Disu said the equipment given to them by the State Government would further spur them to give their best towards protecting the lives and property of residents.

  • AWCON 2016: Falcons to play Cameroon in final : Beat South Africa 1-0

    AWCON 2016: Falcons to play Cameroon in final : Beat South Africa 1-0

  • South Africa warns of gathering risks

    South Africa’s Reserve Bank left borrowing costs unchanged for a fourth straight meeting even as it warned that risks to the rand and inflation may force it to reassess its call that the policy-tightening cycle is near an end.

    The six-member Monetary Policy Committee decided unanimously to leave the benchmark repurchase rate at seven percent, Governor Lesetja Kganyago told reporters last week in the capital, Pretoria. It didn’t discuss a rate cut and none of the members proposed raising the benchmark, he said. All 19 economists surveyed by Bloomberg forecast borrowing costs would stay unchanged.

    “The MPC remains concerned that the inflation trajectory is uncomfortably close to the upper end of the target range,” Kganyago said. “While the committee retains the view that we may be close to the end of the hiking cycle, there may be a reassessment of this position should the upside risks transpire.”

    The MPC has kept the key lending rate on hold since March after raising it by 200 basis points since 2014 in a bid to limit price growth to between three  percent and six percent. The economy that’s strained by a drought, weak demand in its main export partners and domestic and international political uncertainty. Slow economic growth is one of the key factors that rating companies such as Moody’s Investors Services, which will publish its assessment of the nation’s creditworthiness on Friday, have highlighted as risks.

    While inflation quickened to an eight-month high of 6.4 percent in October as food prices surged by 12 percent from a year ago, price growth is projected to slow to within the central bank’s three percent to six percent target band by the second quarter of next year, Kganyago said. The MPC forecasts inflation will peak at an average of 6.6 percent this quarter and slow to 5.8 percent next year and 5.5 percent in 2018.

    “They have left the door ajar in terms of hiking and there could be a possibility of hiking in the future” Thabi Leoka, an economist at Argon Asset Management in Johannesburg said by phone. “I don’t think they are comfortable with their inflation forecast and that it could be compromised. If inflation is significantly above their forecast, or if the currency remains weak and impacts on inflation, that will certainly drive the decision to a rate hike.”

    The rand slid the most in five years after Donald Trump was elected president on fears his spending plans could fuel U.S. inflation and accelerate Federal Reserve rate increases. That boosted South African price expectations and stoked investors’ bets that domestic borrowing costs will have to climb. A decision by South Africa’s chief prosecutor to charge Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan with fraud — before dropping the case three weeks later — contributed to the currency’s volatility.

    The central bank kept its economic growth forecast for the year unchanged at 0.4 percent. Output will expand at 1.2 percent in 2017 and 1.6 percent the year after, according to the MPC.

    The Reserve Bank would have to take into account the state of the domestic economy if it considers any further rate increases, Raymond Parsons, a professor at the North West University Business School in Potchefstroom, west of Johannesburg, said by phone.

    “They have to bear in mind the kind of inflation we are dealing with,” he said. “It’s very much a cost-induced inflation. I think the bank accepts this and will be reluctant to act unless the circumstances change quite dramatically.”

    Moody’s rates South Africa’s foreign-currency debt at two levels above junk, with a negative outlook, and S&P Global Ratings, which will publish its review on Dec. 2, has the nation on the lowest investment-grade level, with a negative outlook. Officials from Fitch Ratings Ltd., which has a stable outlook on its BBB- rating and hasn’t set a date for its assessment, visited South Africa last week.

    “The rand is expected to remain sensitive to changes in the stance of U.S. monetary policy,” Kganyago said. “The rand will also remain sensitive to the sovereign ratings announcements due later this month and early in December.”The currency was little changed at 14.1466 per dollar by 6:26 p.m. in Johannesburg on Thursday. Yields on rand-denominated government bonds due December 2026 rose three basis points to 9.03 percent.

  • BUA boss Rabiu bags another award in South Africa

    Most men who have overseen the rise of a business empire are wont to rest on their oars while savouring the bountiful fruits of their toil. Not so BUA boss Abdulsamad Rabiu. The energetic boss of the business conglomerate, whose interests span manufacturing, port concessioning, real estate development, oil and gas and shipping, continues to innovate and launch big ideas.

    A dynamic game changer with a knack for radical engineering, Rabiu has over time earned the respect and approval of his billionaire peers as he successfully expanded BUA Group into a force to reckon with in the business world. For example, BUA is one of the few viable competitors to heavyweight Dangote Group in the cement and sugar sectors.

    Recently, the billionaire magnate who is worth $1.1 billion, according to Forbes, was recognised for his exploits at the All Africa Business Leaders Awards at a grand finale held in Johannesburg, South Africa. He beat several leading lights in business from east, west, nortth and south of the continent to the coveted award, demonstrating how high his reputation has soared in the competitive business world.

    With his earlier award as the West African Industrialist of the Year by AABLA, Abdulsamad Rabiu is no doubt perched permanently on the treetop as one of the most influential business figures in Africa.

  • Widespread discontent with economy, corruption in Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya

    Widespread discontent with economy, corruption in Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya

    In South Africa and Nigeria – sub-Saharan Africa’s two largest economies – economic sentiments have turned sharply negative since 2015, according to a new Pew Research Center report.

     

    The economies of Kenya and Nigeria  are in bad shape according to seven-in-ten South Africans and Nigerians in a report by Pew Research Centre.

    In the East African economic hub of Kenya, the report finds, just over half say the same, while large majorities in all three countries consider the lack of employment opportunities a very big problem.

    Just over a year ago, the United Nations agreed to an ambitious agenda for bettering the lives of people around the world – the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs call for countries to improve across 17 issue areas, including economic growth, accountable institutions and reduced inequality, among others. While the target for achieving the SDGs is not until the year 2030, the publics in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa are increasingly concerned about some key development issues. At the same time, they express considerable optimism about the future.

    Still, many believe the political and economic system is stacked against them. Political corruption – seen by many experts as a key stumbling block to a country’s development – is a major public concern. Broad majorities in all three countries name government corruption as a very big problem. Most South Africans, Kenyans and Nigerians believe that government is run for the benefit of only a few groups of people in society. Perhaps most troublingly, only around a third of South Africans and Kenyans say government corruption will be less of a problem in their countries when today’s children grow up. Nigerians are more optimistic that there will be less corruption in the future – 60% expect things to improve.

    In the economic realm, most see rewards and opportunities going primarily to those at the top. Majorities in all three nations say the gap between rich and poor has increased over the past five years. And when asked why so many people lack jobs in their country, the top reason given is that many jobs go only to people with connections.

    Despite these concerns, there is considerable optimism about the future across the three nations surveyed. At least six-in-ten in each country say health care and education – two key issue areas that are highlighted by the SDGs – will be better for the next generation. And even though their views about the current state of the economy are negative, most are upbeat about the short-term economic future: Majorities in Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya believe their countries’ economies will improve in the next 12 months. Moreover, roughly three-in-four Nigerians, Kenyans and South Africans believe that young people today who want to live a good life should stay in their countries rather than move abroad.

    These are among the key findings of a new Pew Research Center survey, conducted in South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya among 3,330 respondents from March 29 to July 9, 2016. Additional key findings in the report include:

    South Africa: South Africans are more dissatisfied with the way things are going in their country in 2016 than they were at any time the question was asked in the past eight years. Whereas South Africans were split on their country’s direction in 2014 (47% satisfied, 49% dissatisfied), 74% now say they are unhappy with the way things are going and only 24% are satisfied. The poor state of the economy may be one driver of the souring mood in South Africa. A large majority (70%) describes the economy as bad, with 45% saying it is very bad.

    Kenya: While Kenyans are generally optimistic about the future, they still say a range of development issues pose serious challenges for their country today. At the top of the list, with at least eight-in-ten Kenyans saying each is a very big problem, are government corruption (91%), economic issues such as a lack of employment opportunities (87%) and poverty (86%), and crime (82%).

    Nigeria: Poverty is the top issue for Nigerians, with 93% saying it is a very big problem in their country. Energy shortages (e.g., blackouts or fuel scarcity), crime, government corruption and a lack of employment opportunities round out the top five concerns, with roughly nine-in-ten citing each as a very big problem. Over the past year, there have been food shortages in northern Nigeria and concerns about this issue have risen since our 2015 poll. Lack of public participation in politics was the only issue tested not viewed as a very big problem by a majority of Nigerians.

    Models for Development: When South Africans, Nigerians and Kenyans are asked about the best example of an economically developed country, they tend to cite the U.S. and China. And when asked what makes the U.S. or China the leading model for development, many respondents note the economic opportunities and growth in the two nations. Beyond this, however, people provide very different rationales for what makes the U.S. or China the best example. Respondents who name the U.S. tend to focus on American governance, citing good leadership and low levels of corruption, as well as education, as reasons why the U.S. is economically successful. People who think China is the best example of an economically developed nation attribute this to Chinese technology, as well as the country’s manufacturing and exports and its work ethic.

    Pew Research Center is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts, its primary funder. This report was made possible by The Pew Charitable Trusts, which received support for the survey from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The findings are for immediate release and available at http://www.pewglobal.org/2016/11/14/in-key-african-nations-widespread-discontent-with-economy-corruption

  • NFF, South Africa in discussions for Super Falcons

    NFF, South Africa in discussions for Super Falcons

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)’s Technical and Development Committee chairman, Chris Green has disclosed to SportingLife that the Football House is making a last minute attempt to woo the Banyana Banyana of South Africa for the Super Falcons for a friendly tie ahead of the forthcoming 2016 Africa Women Cup of Nations competition scheduled for Cameroon later this month.

    The Super Falcons are the reigning champions after winning the 11th edition held in Windhoek, Namibia two years ago but NFF’s lean purse has forced the senior women’s national team from playing grade A friendly matches against their potential rivals in Cameroon.

    The team has played some matches against local sides in the country and even pipped Falconets, the national team U-20 side in a test game had on Thursday in Abuja through a Chioma Wogu’s solitary strike.

    But Green in a chat with SportingLife revealed that the NFF has begun

    negotiations with South Africa over a chance for a test duel before the start of hostilities in Cameroon but that it has not been confirmed.

    He said the NFF is satisfied with the current spate of preparation of the Florence Omagbemi led Falcons and that the Football House is confident that the senior women’s national team won’t disappoint in Cameroon when the competition starts on November 19 through December 3.

    Falcons, who have won the competition for record seven times are gunning for an eighth title from 12 attempts and will face Mali (November 20), Ghana (November 23) and Kenya (November 26) in Group B and will play all their group matches at the Stade Municipal de Limbe in Limbe.

  • President Zuma faces impeachment

    President Zuma faces impeachment

    President Jacob Zuma of South Africa is facing a no-confidence vote in parliament next week with his reign mired in crisis, after investigators documented allegations of government corruption.

    Thousands of people took to the streets earlier this week to demand that he should resign from office.

    The vote was called by the main opposition, following a report by the country’s anti-corruption watchdog calling for a judicial inquiry into allegations of influence-peddling in the ANC Government.

    The report was finally released after the president withdrew a court bid to delay its publication in the face of mass public protests.

    Police used stun grenades and water cannon to disperse protesters in Pretoria carrying “Zuma must go’’ placards.

    Mmusi Maimane, leader of the main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA), told a news briefing in Cape Town that the no-confidence debate and vote was scheduled for Nov. 10.

    “This motion should not be viewed as a partisan motion – we do not see it as a DA motion.

    “I know there are ANC MPs and cabinet ministers who have had enough.

    They have an opportunity to actually do something about their anger by Nov. 10,’’ he said.

    Zuma has survived his two previous no-confidence votes this year, largely backed by the support of his ANC (African National Congress) which controls about two-thirds of the Assembly.

    A senior party official said ANC lawmakers were unlikely to break ranks and support the motion this time round.

    However, there have been widening fissures in the ruling party this year.

    There is growing discontent with the scandals that have plagued Zuma’s presidency and played a role in the ANC suffering its worst electoral losses since the end of apartheid in municipal polls in August.

     

     

  • South Africa pulls out of  ICC

    South Africa pulls out of  ICC

    South Africa Friday served notice of its withdrawal from the  International Criminal Court  (ICC),the second African nation after Burundi to do so.

    Justice Minister Tshililo Michael Masutha said the notice had been submitted to the United Nations (UN) Secretary General.

    The pull out will become effective a year from now.

    Masutha told reporters that the ICC’s obligations are incompatible with laws giving sitting  leaders  diplomatic immunity.

    “The Implementation of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court Act, 2002, is  in conflict and inconsistent with the provisions of the Diplomatic Immunity and Privileges Act,2001,” he told reporters.

    He said a bill on the matter would soon go to the parliament.

    International Relations Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said separately  that South Africa’s  laws are  incompatible with obligations under the ICC,pointing out  that government “found that its obligations with respect to the peaceful resolution of conflict at times are incompatible with the interpretation given by the International Criminal Court.”

    Created by the Rome Statute,the  Hague,Netherlands-based ICC comprises 124 states from around the world.

    It is the “court of last resort” and tries four types of crimes: genocide, crimes against humanity, crimes of aggression and war crimes.

    The country’s department of justice said via Twitter that South Africa was “hindered” by certain parts of the Rome Statute, primarily the one that “compels South Africa to arrest persons who may enjoy diplomatic immunity under customary international law, who are wanted by the ICC for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, to surrender such persons to the International Criminal Court.”

    It said the rule forced South Africa to turn over such persons even when the country was “actively involved in promoting peace, stability and dialogue in those countries.”

    During a 2015 visit to South Africa by Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, the ICC had requested his arrest on charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide stemming from the conflict in the Darfur region in western Sudan.

    Al-Bashir departed the country without getting arrested.

    The ICC has come under criticism by African leaders for what they say unfairly targets them.