Global News Post: South Africa

Men and Women in South Africa Still Not Equal: Minister Xingwana

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">PORT ELIZABETH (SOUTH AFRICA) (NNN-SANEWS) -- While South Africa has recorded great strides in the quest for women empowerment and gender equality, there was still persistent inequality between women and men, says Minister for Women, Children and People with Disabilities, Lulu Xingwana.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The problem was compounded by the continuing practices of patriarchy and sexism, Xingwana said at a gala dinner to honour women judges on Friday night. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She told the gathering in the Eastern Cape, organised by the International Association of Women Judges, that her department remained concerned about the slow pace of transformation in the judiciary to include more women on the bench. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"Quite often, when we talk about women representation on the bench, we are told that there are no women to appoint. This is an insult to all women in the legal profession," Xingwana said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She believed that women were as competent as their male counterparts. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"The real reasons behind such assertions are the stereotypes that influence the perception of the world around us."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">South Africa's first female Judge President was only appointed two years ago when President Jacob Zuma approved the nomination of Judge Monica Leeuw to lead the North West High Court in 2010. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Xingwana now wants to see 50-50 gender parity in the judiciary. Her address was a strong call for South Africa to do more to ensure that women took their rightful place in the country's courts. It was also seen to be reflective of the frustration felt by many at the perceived slow pace of transformation in key sectors of governance and the economy. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"The pursuit of race and gender representation is not an idle numbers game, but a constitutional imperative... [The Constitution] requires that when appointing judicial officers, the need for the judiciary to reflect broadly the racial and gender composition of South Africa should be considered."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Given the fact that women constituted 52% of the population of South Africa, it was reasonable to demand that the judiciary should progressively realise the 52% women representation on the bench, said Xingwana.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As a country that had made great strides since the attainment of democracy in 1994, South Africa should be careful of "attempts to reverse some of the gains we have made in this direction," the minister warned.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"I call on women judicial officers to become vocal on matters such as these so that together, we can ensure that the agenda of women empowerment and gender equality is consolidated and advanced."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Turning her focus to the issue of violence against women, Xingwana moved to underscore that government had done fairly well in tackling the war against gender-based violence.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Cabinet had approved the establishment of the National Council against Gender-based Violence, which is a high-level, multi-sectoral national response to the scourge. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Led by Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, the minister expressed confidence that the work of the council would lead to a significant reduction in the incidents of violence against women and children. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The council will be launched later this month. It will, among other things, review and monitor the implementation of the existing 365 Days National Action Plan on No Violence against Women and Children, which was adopted on 8 May 2007. -- NNN-SAnews<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Men and Women in South Africa Still Not Equal: Minister Xingwana

PORT ELIZABETH (SOUTH AFRICA) (NNN-SANEWS) -- While South Africa has recorded great strides in the quest for women empowerment and gender ...

PAKISTAN: Rough ride for bomb blast victims and their families

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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgclmB2kkcUu8HCo9l_lRPt1udbEnefNvF4gK1vRBMbCsBlL7pXLkSLVncfebtYq9QkrvYsS-oOkvtk0VWKtqxZ6CL7f7ceB_7aKZH6YYa8iI0uAzMIgJVmhtlTL48nz7i-lQ0JVDJEj08/s1600/200911090904270640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgclmB2kkcUu8HCo9l_lRPt1udbEnefNvF4gK1vRBMbCsBlL7pXLkSLVncfebtYq9QkrvYsS-oOkvtk0VWKtqxZ6CL7f7ceB_7aKZH6YYa8iI0uAzMIgJVmhtlTL48nz7i-lQ0JVDJEj08/s1600/200911090904270640.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Photo: </span><a href="http://www.irinnews.org/photo.aspx"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Abdul Majeed Goraya/IRIN</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">A bomb blast in October 2009 left 117 people dead<o:p></o:p></span></div></td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;">ISLAMABAD</span><span lang="HI" style="font-family: "Mangal","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;">IRIN) - With bombs causing nearly </span><span lang="HI" style="font-family: "Mangal","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">600</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;"> deaths and over </span><span lang="HI" style="font-family: "Mangal","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">1,400</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;"> injuries in Pakistan in the first half of </span><span lang="HI" style="font-family: "Mangal","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">2012</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;"> alone, a new scheme to help those directly affected by such explosions is being put to the test.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;">In November </span><span lang="HI" style="font-family: "Mangal","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">2011</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;"> the government decided to provide an assistance package for victims of “terrorist” attacks under the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), which was set up in </span><span lang="HI" style="font-family: "Mangal","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">2008</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;"> with initial government funding of US</span><span lang="HI" style="font-family: "Mangal","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">425</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;"> million and is designed to help the needy. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;">Muhammad Ahsan, a media assistant at BISP, told IRIN: “We are currently assisting some </span><span lang="HI" style="font-family: "Mangal","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">1,500</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;"> blast victims with a stipend of Rs </span><span lang="HI" style="font-family: "Mangal","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">1,000 [</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;">US</span><span lang="HI" style="font-family: "Mangal","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">$11] </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;">per month. He said the amount was the same as that offered to other families across the country - and was given out as cash. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;">Ahsan explained that the verification process to determine who is a victim is carried out by the National Database and Registration Authority. “There are some problems involved in this, as many terrorism victims come from tribal areas, and may lack documentation. This is especially true for women. In this case we seek help from local union councillors or other officials to ensure the claim is correct,” he said, adding: “The stipend helps support family income and offers some help.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;">Thousands of victims need help, with violence “peaking in the country after </span><span lang="HI" style="font-family: "Mangal","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">2001</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;">, when Pakistan made the crucial decision to join the US as an ally in the war against Taliban militants,” according to Peshawar-based analyst Rahimullah Yusufzai. He told IRIN: “Civilians have become caught up in this conflict.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;">According to the South Asian Terrorism Portal maintained by the New Delhi-based Institute for Conflict Management, </span><span lang="HI" style="font-family: "Mangal","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">598</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;"> people were killed and </span><span lang="HI" style="font-family: "Mangal","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">1,453</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;"> injured in various blasts up to </span><span lang="HI" style="font-family: "Mangal","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">22</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;"> July. Previous years have also been violent, with </span><span lang="HI" style="font-family: "Mangal","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">1,508</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;"> killed in </span><span lang="HI" style="font-family: "Mangal","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">2009</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;">, for example. The figures are based on news reports.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;">“It is vital for the future of our country that the militants are defeated, Mian Iftikhar Hussain, minister of information for Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa Province, who lost his own son in a </span><span lang="HI" style="font-family: "Mangal","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">2010</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;"> attack, told IRIN.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;">But many families of victims are most concerned about their own future. Kulsoom Bibi, </span><span lang="HI" style="font-family: "Mangal","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">50</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;">, who lost her husband and eldest son in a </span><span lang="HI" style="font-family: "Mangal","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">2009</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;"> blast at a Peshawar bazaar, now lives with her sister in Rawalpindi, a city adjoining Islamabad. “We lost two wage-earners in that blast. My son was only </span><span lang="HI" style="font-family: "Mangal","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">22. </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;">My two teenage daughters and I now sew, to keep my youngest son, Arsalan, </span><span lang="HI" style="font-family: "Mangal","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">13</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;">, at school as I do not like to depend on my brother-in-law, but we earn little and I worry my son may have to drop out of school.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;">She said she had not heard of the BISP programme, but commented: “What can such a small amount bring us anyway?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;">Livelihoods lost<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;">Livelihoods have been lost as a result of blast injuries. Hazar Gul, </span><span lang="HI" style="font-family: "Mangal","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">60</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;">, who says he was injured in both legs following a </span><span lang="HI" style="font-family: "Mangal","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">2006</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;"> blast in Bajaur, now begs on a Rawalpindi roadside. “I used to drive a wagon, but of course I can no longer do that. My sight has also been affected by the explosion,” he told IRIN.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;">Sometimes the authorities “compensate” blast victims by distributing cheques among the heirs of victims or those injured in such attacks. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;">“In some cases cheques handed over at ceremonies have proved very difficult to cash, as these victims - especially women - lack documents like national ID cards… Also [some] people have no bank accounts so cheques in their names are very hard to cash,” a government official in Peshawar who asked not to be named, told IRIN, adding: “I have seen families of those killed in bomb blasts suffer - sometimes for years.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;">Psychological problems <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;">Twelve-year-old Adnan Hussain, who lost nine family members in the same Peshawar blast, says he is “very depressed” and feels today that there is no point in building “any life for myself”.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;">“Psychological problems are common among people caught up in blasts, or those who have lost relatives in them, but sadly, mainly because of their socio-economic backgrounds, few seek professional help,” Rubina Shaheen, a psychologist at a private hospital in Rawalpindi, told IRIN.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;">I have seen families of those killed in bomb blasts suffer - sometimes for yearsThere have also been concerns about delays by patients injured by blasts in seeking treatment, leading to serious medical complications, or poor treatment offered by hospitals in remote areas. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;">Fawad Khan, health director for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), told the media in </span><span lang="HI" style="font-family: "Mangal","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">2010: </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;">“A combination of medical facilities destroyed by militants, poverty and a lack of education among FATA residents are why people are not getting the treatment they need right away, resulting in amputations and deformities,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;">The situation remains largely unchanged today. Fruit vendor Muhammad Dawar Khan, </span><span lang="HI" style="font-family: "Mangal","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">40</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;">, was injured in both legs in a blast targeting a bus in Peshawar in June </span><span lang="HI" style="font-family: "Mangal","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">2012. </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HI;">“Doctors at the time just bandaged both shins, but I have been feeling sharp pain continuously and have now been told after X-rays that I have metal embedded in one leg and will need surgery to remove it. I need to find a way to pay for this surgery, and also make up for the time taken off work,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

PAKISTAN: Rough ride for bomb blast victims and their families

Photo: Abdul Majeed Goraya/IRIN A bomb blast in October 2009 left 117 people dead ISLAMABAD ( IRIN) - With bombs causing nearly 600 ...

S. Africa Aims to Cash in on E. Africa Energy Boom

S. Africa Aims to Cash in on E. Africa Energy Boom

CAPE TOWN (NNN-ANGOP) -- South Africa's budding energy service industry is aiming to reap the benefits of new natural gas and oil find...

Famous Mandela Trial to Be Digitised

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 20%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 20%;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">JOHANNESBURG (NNN-ANGOP): Records of the 1964 trial where Nelson Mandela got a life sentence are to be digitised as part of archives of the life of South Africa's first black president, his foundation said on Thursday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 20%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 20%;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory and Internet giant Google in March created online digital archives of Mandela's life, comprising thousands of handwritten documents, photographs and videos of Mandela.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 20%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 20%;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">These will soon include the Rivonia Trial of 10 anti-apartheid activists and members of the African National Congress that took place between 1963 and 1964.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 20%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 20%;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"One of the key projects we will soon be embarking on is the digitisation of the Rivonia Trial trial records," Sello Hatang, spokesman of the centre told AFP.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 20%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 20%;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Once digitised, it will ensure records are available to a greater number of people and form part of the Nelson Mandela greater archives."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 20%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 20%;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Though this digitisation will increase the records' accessibility, very few original documents are available, according to Verne Harris, head of the memory programme at the centre.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 20%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 20%;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"Most of the Rivonia trial records are lost," he told the centre's donors on Thursday night.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 20%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 20%;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Mandela was captured by police and sentenced in 1964 to life in prison during the Rivonia trial where he delivered a speech that was to become the manifesto of the anti-apartheid movement.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 20%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 20%;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He was jailed on Robben Island for 18 years before being transferred in 1982 to Pollsmoor prison in Cape Town and later to Victor Verster prison in nearby Paarl. -NNN-ANGOP<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Famous Mandela Trial to Be Digitised

JOHANNESBURG (NNN-ANGOP): Records of the 1964 trial where Nelson Mandela got a life sentence are to be digitised as part of archives of th...

New Delhi Firm to Implement Treaties with Bangladesh: Pranab

New Delhi Firm to Implement Treaties with Bangladesh: Pranab

DHAKA, Bangladesh (NNN-BSS) -- Visiting Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today said New Delhi was firmly committed to implementi...

India, S.Africa Trade Targets to be Reached Ahead of Deadline

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">PRETORIA (NNN-BuaNews): South Africa and India are set to reach a target of 15 billion US dollars of trade before the agreed upon deadline of 2014, President Jacob Zuma said on Thursday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">Addressing the South Africa -India Business Forum at the Reserve Bank, Zuma said the target, which had been set by the two governments during his maiden state visit to India in 2010, could be reached sooner than anticipated.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">"We set a target of 15 billion US dollars of trade between South Africa and India, to be achieved by 2014. According to current trade statistics this could be reached earlier than anticipated. The figure by the end of 2011 was close to 7 billion US dollars. We are on the right path indeed," Zuma said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">The Business Forum forms part of Indian President, Pratibha Devisingh Patil's state visit to South Africa. Patil, who arrived in South Africa on Wednesday, has brought a business delegation and several government officials along on her visit to the country.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">On Thursday, Zuma commended business for taking on the challenge.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">The two countries have set a bilateral trade target of R111 billion to be reached by 2014.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">"Our ministers responsible for trade, industry and commerce are of the view that we should increase our mutual trade to R111 billion by 2014. I fully endorse the view," said Zuma.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">The South African economy grew by 3.1% in 2011 with unemployment at 23.9%.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">The two countries were keen on expanding relations, said the President, adding that various areas for economic cooperation existed such as in manufacturing and energy.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">India is one of South Africa's top ten export countries and it is among the top five import countries for South Africa.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">Indian companies that are investing in South Africa include Mahindra and Tata, while several South African companies operate in India, such as the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) - which is assisting India's Mumbai Airport - and Sasol which is considering investing in the Asian country.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">Speaking at the Business Forum, Business Unity South Africa (Busa) President Futhi Mthoba said strong people-to-people links existed between the two countries, as evidenced in trade and investment flows between the two countries.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">She said private sector discussions had been forward-thinking.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">The two countries cooperate in a number of areas in forums such as the bilateral involvement in the SA-India CEO's Forum while multi-laterally there is cooperation in the IBSA Business Forum and the Brics Business Forum of which these platforms provide for direct business- to- business interaction and allow for collective consensus building on global policy areas.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">From 2002 to 2011, South African exports to India increased by 21% and a 28% increase in imports from India.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">Indian investment had created jobs and transferred skills into the South African market, said Mthoba.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">"South African business welcomes foreign direct investment and greater trade between South Africa and India," she said, adding that there were challenges that hindered business.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">South African countries would like to see greater transparency in India's tariff schedule as well as more clarity on Indian regulations like licensing and packaging.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">"We hold that there are numerous opportunities for SA and Indian private sector engagement," said Mthoba, adding that opportunities for increased cooperation included travel and tourism.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">Black Business Council President Ndaba Ntsele said the visit by Patil came at the right time for the country, given that South Africa had announced its infrastructure programme.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">Patil said: "South Africa is one of our most important trading partners and in the future I believe our countries will have deep economic engagement. We view South Africa as a gateway to the Southern African region.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">"Our confidence in the South African economy is reflected in that several Indian banks operate in South Africa," said Patil.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">She called on South African business to seize opportunities in India.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">Chairman of Overseas Infrastructure Alliance India Dr VB Soni said Indian business was ready to cooperate with South Africa for mutual benefit. He said India considered South Africa as an important partner for development on the continent and both countries needed to enhance cooperation in healthcare and pharmaceuticals.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">India called for the establishment of a friendly Visa regime for Indian business.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">Zuma said South Africa was ready to provide whatever support was needed to make doing business easy in the respective countries.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies described the long standing relationship between the two countries as a "rapidly growing strategic relationship".<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">Patil is set to visit Durban and Cape Town before her departure from the country on 7 May. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>-NNN-BuaNews<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

India, S.Africa Trade Targets to be Reached Ahead of Deadline

PRETORIA (NNN-BuaNews): South Africa and India are set to reach a target of 15 billion US dollars of trade before the agreed upon deadli...

Gandhi's Prison in Johannesburg Now Houses His Bust

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">JOHANNESBURG (NNN-Bernama) - Indian president Pratibha Patil on Thursday unveiled Mahatma Gandhi's bust at the historic Number Four cell in the Old Fort prison here where he served four terms of imprisonment between 1908 and 1913, including his very first sentence in South Africa. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The President when speaking at the occasion recalled that South Africa's anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela was also imprisoned in this old fort for some time, Press Trust of India reported. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The bust, sculpted by Gautam Pal, was presented by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations to the Constitution Court which the prison has now been converted. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The great grand-daughter of Mahatma Gandhi, Kirti Menon, and Chief Justice of South Africa Mogoeng Mogoeng were present at the event. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The notorious Old Fort Prison -- a high security jail built in 1890 – has been converted into Constitution Hill and houses the Constitution Court, the highest court of the country. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"South Africa is the place where the world witnessed for the first time Gandhi's contribution to political transformation through non-violence and peaceful dialogue," president Pratibha said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">She said the people of India owe a deep sense of gratitude to South Africa "for giving them the Mahatma". <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"During the 21 years of his stay in South Africa, he shaped his philosophy of 'Satyagraha and Non-Violence', which later became potent tools for liberation of the people of India from the yoke of colonialism." <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">She expressed hope that Gandhi's bust would symbolise values enshrined in the histories of India and South Africa, and underpin their continuing resolve to fight injustice and inequality in the world. -- NNN-BERNAMA<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Gandhi's Prison in Johannesburg Now Houses His Bust

JOHANNESBURG (NNN-Bernama) - Indian president Pratibha Patil on Thursday unveiled Mahatma Gandhi's bust at the historic Number Four ...

India Invited to Invest in South Africa's Infrastructure Development

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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeyFP-XqMlJ9sQoufNSDSjG6mZxxPpgzwKYwZmht6y2HECXM_4ih1FznRa1EQfdBtQyoFN4vjCvEFZ4bKp6sz9idOedYpJWbOjPFWnmTSiEfmr7QevgdHRczPkYR4gDSXIWHJZAcYcsCk/s1600/l2012050240470.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeyFP-XqMlJ9sQoufNSDSjG6mZxxPpgzwKYwZmht6y2HECXM_4ih1FznRa1EQfdBtQyoFN4vjCvEFZ4bKp6sz9idOedYpJWbOjPFWnmTSiEfmr7QevgdHRczPkYR4gDSXIWHJZAcYcsCk/s640/l2012050240470.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><a href="" name="OLE_LINK5"></a><a href="" name="OLE_LINK4"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The Indian President, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil and the President of South Africa,<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></a></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Jacob Zuma, at the joint press conference, at Union Buildings,<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">in Pretoria on May 02, 2012.</span></span> </span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Photo© PIB<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"></span><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"></span>  <div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</tbody></table><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">  <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">PRETORIA (NNN-BUANEWS) -- As part of efforts to deepen relations with India, South Africa has invited the Asian nation to invest in the country's massive infrastructure plan announced in the president's State of the Nation Address in February.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"We have once again extended an invitation to Indian business to invest in our infrastructure development programme, in which we are to invest more than 800 billion Rand (one USD = about 7.72 Rand) until 2014," President Jacob Zuma said here Wednesday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This would translate into R300 billion in the energy sector and R262 billion in transport and logistics projects. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">President Zuma was speaking following a meeting with Indian President Pratibha Devisingh Patil, whose official state visit to South Africa began on Wednesday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The President deemed the visit as significant due to the fact that relations between the two countries date back many years. South Africa and India also share a history of struggle against colonial oppression and racism. "We also share deep social, economic and cultural ties," noted the President.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Bilateral trade in 2011 between the two countries stood at R53.7 billion with South Africa exporting goods to the value of R24.4 billion to India. South Africa imported goods to the value of R29.3 billion.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">President Zuma said although trade was increasing steadily, "we should all work to reach even higher figures".<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Patil said relations between the two nations had taken on a robust and dynamic character, adding that strong ties and institutional frameworks for dialogue and co-operation in economic, political and technological areas were evident.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"Our bilateral relations today are wide-ranging, multi-dimensional and mutually beneficial. Our shared and abiding commitment to the ideals of democracy has only reinforced our close and friendly ties," she said at the joint press conference following a meeting with President Zuma.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">President Patil said her visit formed part of high-level exchanges to re-affirm India's commitment to taking its relations with South Africa further. Her visit follows an invitation by President Zuma.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Issues discussed between the two leaders, she said, were wide-ranging and included international issues as well as the reform of financial institutions. These also included areas of opportunities in the trade area.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The two countries have set a bilateral trade target of R111 billion to be reached by 2014.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"We felt that considerable opportunities need to be explored," explained President Patil, who is due to retire in July.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">She is in the country with a government minister, four parliamentarians, various officials and a business delegation.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Both presidents are to take part in a business forum Thursday, when, according to President Patil, the presidents will listen to the captains of industries.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Additionally, the two countries, which are part of various forums including BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) and IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa), will monitor the implementation of agreements between them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In March, President Zuma visited India to partake in the 4th BRICS Summit.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"We have agreed to monitor the implementation of various agreements that exist," said President Patil, adding that the two countries were looking into expanding these into the areas of health, science and technology and infrastructure, among others.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Co-operation agreements have been signed in trade, investment, education, defence, information and communication technology (ICT).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">President Zuma said: "In our talks, we reflected on how we can further translate our historical ties into meaningful socio-economic development co-operation. Progress in being made in that regard."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The two countries were also in the process of negotiating a preferential trade agreement that will accelerate trade flows and extend the range of traded goods, the South African High Commissioner (ambassador) to India, Harris Majeke, said at a business seminar held in India in March.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">President Patil added that India was interested in working with South Africa to develop a Ghandi heritage site in South Africa, adding that she was mindful of the sporting ties between the two countries. This as South African Gary Kirsten helped India win the Cricket World Cup in 2011.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">President Zuma added that people of Indian descent had contributed to South Africa in various fields.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">President Patil is expected to depart South Africa on May 7. -- NNN-BUANEWS<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

India Invited to Invest in South Africa's Infrastructure Development

The Indian President, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil and the President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, at the joint press conference, at Union...

South Africa-India J-V to Produce 16 Gigawatts of Energy in Southern Africa

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;">   </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">   </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">JOHANNESBURG (NNN-BUANEWS) -- A unique private energy company unveiled here is expected to produce a massive 16 gigawatts (GW) of energy generation capacity projects in southern Africa by 2025, its founders say.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Cennergi, a joint venture between South African mining group Exxaro and India's largest private power utility, Tata Power, already runs five renewables projects situated in South Africa's Northern Cape, Limpopo and Eastern Cape and Western Cape Provinces.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The new 50:50 partnership will particularly be targeting the expanding energy markets in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana, says Cennergi chief executive officer Thomas Garner.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He told guests who attended the launch on Wednesday night that the company had already submitted solar and wind power bids for the second bidding round under South Africa's renewable energy Independent Power Producer (IPP) procurement programme, which closed on Thursday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Its focus would be on the investigation of feasibility, development, ownership, operation, maintenance, acquisition and management of power generation projects.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Exxaro head Sipho Nkosi was, however, quick to point out that Cennergi was in no way going to be competition for South African power utility Eskom. In fact, the company will be looking at the possibility of partnering Eskom, he added.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"Eskom provides base [power] for this country and for other countries as well. They have this incredible immense knowledge in so far as power is concerned and we would like to congratulate them," Nkosi said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He said the idea by Exxaro, one of South Africa's leading coal producers and Eskom's number one supplier, to venture into energy generation has been in the pipeline for the past two years.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"We felt that as coal producers in South Africa, we start immersing ourselves in renewable energies because we need to continue to be responsible corporate citizens in South Africa. The whole continent of Africa is well endowed with renewable energy and ... these are the organizations that can harness these opportunities."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Tata Power Managing Director Anil Sardana said the demand for energy in southern Africa necessitated that there should be more than one player in the sector. Given that, arduous challenges to meet all the energy needs remain.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"Therefore, it's important for people to bring all the inputs together, not just to contribute to the space but do it effectively," he said, adding that Tata Power currently served more than 1.7 million customers in Delhi and Mumbai.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">South Africa's Integrated Resource Plan for the energy sector envisages 3,725 megawatss (MW) of renewables capacity to be introduced in the country over the coming few years.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Kevin Nassiep from the Department of Energy, who delivered a speech on behalf of Energy Minister Dipuo Peters, described the project as responsive to South Africa's energy needs, particularly in the renewable sector.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"Initiatives such as this one are therefore well poised to accelerate the development of our electricity sector and will propel our green energy revolution to a new level," Nassiep said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He said it was not a coincidence that South Africa was moving with speed in greening its economy, considering that the country had just introduced the New Growth Path, which seeks to deliver five million new jobs by 2020.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Industrial Policy Action Plan and the signing of the new local procurement accord last year were testimony to the government's seriousness to boost industry investments in South Africa, he said. -- NNN-BUANEWS</span></div>

South Africa-India J-V to Produce 16 Gigawatts of Energy in Southern Africa

JOHANNESBURG (NNN-BUANEWS) -- A unique private energy company unveiled here is expected to produce a massive 16 gigawatts (GW) of e...

For HIV-Positive S. Africans, Urban Gardens Change Lives

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt;">By Emilie Iob from <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Johannesburg</st1:place></st1:city><o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivf_mmxebzUpA9Hn2QjpW7wq_hGhWHSDmQ7O9F-4YQvqUon_UxjxibcRICIAWF3b1ajOmiBsYMciAdc41OLvogcj5wnm6rTsSs30ZV0UfSXXreFs2m9Qs1Iwfj0ELxAz4_63gjR1Hdfgo/s1600/potatoes+and+gardeners-1+480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivf_mmxebzUpA9Hn2QjpW7wq_hGhWHSDmQ7O9F-4YQvqUon_UxjxibcRICIAWF3b1ajOmiBsYMciAdc41OLvogcj5wnm6rTsSs30ZV0UfSXXreFs2m9Qs1Iwfj0ELxAz4_63gjR1Hdfgo/s1600/potatoes+and+gardeners-1+480.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Photo: VOA - E. Iob A lot of different veggies are<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt;">cultivated in the communal garden: potatoes,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt;">tomatoes, onions, beans,and also corn.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div></td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">South   Africa</st1:country-region></st1:place>, 18% of adults are estimated to be HIV positive or have AIDS.  It is one of the highest infection rates in the world. In the large sprawling townships, poverty often prevents those with the virus from strengthening their immune systems with proper medication and diet.  But this is changing - thanks to a new trend: city gardens. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Life changer<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">As she delicately digs out potatoes from the ground, Annah Mogoathe chats with the other women. It's 1:00 p.m. and the summer sun is shining at its peak over the township's community garden. Annah takes a pause. Just one year ago, she wouldn't have the energy to work like that. She's HIV positive.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"The garden has made a big change in my life. I was weak before, and now I'm strong," Mogoathe declares. "The food I grow and eat from the garden make me stronger and healthier."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">We are in Ennerdale, a township 30 km south of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Johannesburg</st1:place></st1:city>. Here, about 50 people come every day to grow vegetables in the garden next to the community center. This is a relatively new idea here … and most say a life-changer for residents who are HIV positive. It all started thanks to Lettie Ngubeni, the director of the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Osizweni</st1:placename>  <st1:placetype w:st="on">Community Center</st1:placetype></st1:place>. She decided to transform the dumpster into a communal garden, and teach people how to grow vegetables.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“We decided that we must encourage the beneficiaries to plant, to do gardens," Ngubeni explains, "because most of them are vulnerables, they don't have income to go and buy vegetables, always.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Healthy food <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWF4dyYjyHdupDSN4QIzIxoTtl5C_aVqsFfU1FKePguWo-u2ztSdc5PmpsqUgeFEGDEfVQ0h1CeGxmZxTUwlmTzDuQX445FBUeWU9WQpxoP12mUx6BwtEue2YXMSKmgCrSNl4F7i745UY/s1600/Ncengwa+buying+veggies+480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWF4dyYjyHdupDSN4QIzIxoTtl5C_aVqsFfU1FKePguWo-u2ztSdc5PmpsqUgeFEGDEfVQ0h1CeGxmZxTUwlmTzDuQX445FBUeWU9WQpxoP12mUx6BwtEue2YXMSKmgCrSNl4F7i745UY/s1600/Ncengwa+buying+veggies+480.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Portia Ncengwa comes twice a week to buy veggies at <o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Osizweni community center. She hopes that <o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt;">when she gets better, she will also be able to come <o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt;">work at the communal garden. (VOA Photo - E. Iob)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div></td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">A balanced diet is essential for people with HIV - a virus that attacks the immune system and causes AIDS.  But when living in the city - although the access to clinics is relatively easy - finding a nearby market with affordable healthy food is difficult. So when Ngubeni came up with her idea of a city garden, it took her some time to convince people.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“It’s not our culture," she notes. "And it was difficult, first, when we started to change the mind-set of the people. You know in this place, the culture is that you buy, instead of doing the gardens."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">But little by little, more people saw the value. Now, HIV and non HIV positive people work side-by-side in the garden, and every day, on a table by the entrance, fresh veggies are being sold to the community. Portia Ncengwa lives nearby. She is HIV positive, and comes twice a week. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“It's cheaper because maybe there, I can get potatoes for 3 Rands [$.39], then when I go to Shoprite, I get potatoes for 7 Rands or 8 Rands [$.92]," Ncengwa explains. "So it's much less transport for me, and much less: I can get potatoes, tomatoes, onions, beetroots for 10 or 11 <st1:place w:st="on">Rands</st1:place>  [$1.45].”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Benefits <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0MqFSeDhak77mDuihxbfmuYWKmKMjSQno7zzx9ys1-p7DPtFnW1wV06McdMTFlFO0vMzYC2ih7jeaiICPXzDQZur_I_hOeFBk7kIL_tLv_BBswA7u4vOBz3kyynoydIQB-Iq8OZhpCh8/s1600/ladies+picking+up+tomatoes+480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0MqFSeDhak77mDuihxbfmuYWKmKMjSQno7zzx9ys1-p7DPtFnW1wV06McdMTFlFO0vMzYC2ih7jeaiICPXzDQZur_I_hOeFBk7kIL_tLv_BBswA7u4vOBz3kyynoydIQB-Iq8OZhpCh8/s1600/ladies+picking+up+tomatoes+480.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Women gardeners working together at<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt;">the communal garden. (VOA Photo - E. Iob)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">With the help of the Ministry of Agriculture, the community center trains people to garden every Thursday. They are taught water management, rhythm of the season, and they can ask questions. About 250 people have already benefited from the program. They were given "starter packs", which included tools and seeds, to encourage them to start cultivating a little plot in their backyard. They say no backyard is too small for a garden.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Kneeling down in his garden, Moussa Pitso grows carrots, greens, beetroots, onions, spinach, and more. He was a pioneer, one of the first to have his own garden. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“Thanks to the garden, I can now feed my family," Pitso says. "Before, I couldn't. It has completely changed my life, but the community at large also benefit from it. They took example from me and made their own garden.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Under the curious eyes of his seven children, Pitso intends to instill in them, over the years, all the benefits of gardening and prove to them that you don't need to be wealthy to eat healthy.</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> ---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

For HIV-Positive S. Africans, Urban Gardens Change Lives

By Emilie Iob from Johannesburg Photo: VOA - E. Iob A lot of different veggies are cultivated in the communal garden: potatoes, tomatoe...

South Africa Expands Foothold in India's Tourism Market

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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">PRETORIA, (NNN-BUANEWS) -- South African Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk is making a two-day visit to India to promote South Africa as a tourism destination and highlight the potential and importance of India as a tourism source market South Africa.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Speaking at a networking event in Mumbai Sunday, Van Schalkwyk said: "The number of Indian tourists travelling from India to South Africa has steadily increased by over 122 per cent between 2005 and 2010 and South Africa is continuing to attract Indian tourists in great numbers -- with 67,039 Indian tourists travelling to South Africa between January and September 2011, 29 per cent more than over the same period in 2010."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Van Schalkwyk said <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s world renowned events and lifestyle offerings had proven to strike a chord with the Indian traveller who is eager to experience a unique and varied destination with a wide range of choices to suit every budget. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"The importance of <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region> as a source market for <st1:country-region w:st="on">South Africa</st1:country-region> cannot be underscored as <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place> is an emerging travel market with massive growth potential. <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region>'s economic growth is also expected to continue over the next 40 years and by 2050, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place> is expected to be among the top-three global economies," he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">India</span></st1:country-region></st1:place><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> is ranked 7th in the top 20 source markets for South African Tourism. Rising incomes, changing attitudes and a desire to travel abroad increase demand for outbound travel by Indians. Since 2005, South African Tourism has been promoting the destination very successfully in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Air connectivity between the two countries is also good, with South African Airways operating four frequencies a week, while Jet Airways operates five times a week. There are also daily flights from eight different cities via Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">More good news is that <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region> recently won the bid to host the Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) Convention which attracts an average of 1,000 delegates, excluding accompanying parties. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The conference serves as a platform for professional development, tourism information and intelligence exchange as well as a super familiarisation trip where delegates get to explore the tourism potential and attractions of the hosting region. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">This event will be held in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">KwaZulu-Natal</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Province</st1:placetype></st1:place> in November this year. The TAFI Convention is a major milestone and the first of landmark events following the alliance formed between TAFI and Southern Africa Tourism Association (SATSA), and it will give the Indian Travel fraternity great exposure to South Africa. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region> is also bidding to host the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) Convention in 2013. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">SATSA is currently in the process of training over 1 000 Indian travel agents and tour operators to ensure they have the necessary skills and experience to sell <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">South   Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region>. ---</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">NNN-BUANEWS</span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

South Africa Expands Foothold in India's Tourism Market

PRETORIA, (NNN-BUANEWS) -- South African Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk is making a two-day visit to India to promote South Afri...