Mon séjour en Afrique du Sud (Cape Town)

North West education MEC Pitso Tsolo has suspended target shooting in public schools in the province until Education Minister Kader Asmal has issued regulations on the sport.

Spokeswoman Patricia Boikanyo said on Friday the North West education department had not been aware that some 20 schools in the province kept .22 rifles and ammunition on their premises. The rifles were the property of the SA National Defence Force, and had been issued to the school by the old SA Defence Force.

The matter came to light when the SANDF advised schools to obtain firearm licences for the rifles on their premises.

Boikanyo said the department was aware of all other sporting activities in schools, but knew nothing of target shooting.

"We're not saying there's Boeremag in schools. But the sport must be regulated," she said. The Boeremag is a shadowy and reportedly heavily armed rightwing group that has been implicated in a plot to overthrow the government.

Schools were gun-free zones, Boikanyo said, and even a teacher with a licensed firearm was not permitted to bring it to school.

The matter had been referred to education Minister Kader Asmal for a decision. Until then, target shooting was suspended.

Anti-apartheid soldiers 'must get a fair deal' Committee shuns pension scheme Political Correspondent CAPE TOWN - Parliament's finance committee would like to reject a proposed pension scheme for former anti-apartheid soldiers which it finds "discriminatory", even though the cabinet and the public sector bargaining council have approved of it. The committee is seeking legal advice about whether it is possible for it to override the agreements reached and opt for a more costly scheme, which would treat former members of the African National Congress' military wing Umkhonto we Sizwe and of the Azanian People's Liberation Army on the same basis as members of the statutory forces. Such a scheme would cost R584m more than the one proposed, and was rejected by government because it was regarded as unaffordable.

Briefing the committee on the proposed amendments to the Government Employees Pension Law Amendment Bill, SA National Defence Force (SANDF) Col Helen Zobane said current members of the SANDF or employees of the defence department who had joined the nonstatutory forces before end-December 1990, would have to sacrifice 33,3% of their years of service for the purpose of calculating their pension. Members of the statutory forces were not required to do this. She said that the same scheme would apply to members of the National Intelligence Agency and the SA Police Service if the cabinet approved it. Members who decided not to join the defence force would be excluded as they had already received demobilisation benefits and could be considered for special pension benefits.

Committee members felt it was discriminatory for the antiapartheid fighters to have to sacrifice part of their service, especially as some members had joined the antiapartheid struggle as soldiers as early as 1961 and had not had any opportunity to accumulate adequate pensions.

Zobane told the committee that financial constraints were the main reason for choosing this option, which would cost R766m. Members would be required to pay R265m of this and employers R501m. If all the prior years' service was recognised, the total cost would be R1,25bn, with members' paying R462m and the employer R785m. Employer contributions equalled 15% and member contributions 7,5%, which could be paid in a lump sum or in instalments. The Government Employees Pension Fund has set aside R1,5bn to cover the state's contribution to the pension scheme.

If members could not afford to make these contributions, their periods of recognised service would be reduced accordingly. However, defence portfolio committee chairwoman Thandi Modise said this would not be fair. She also expressed the concern that a holistic approach was required to deal with pensions for former antiapartheid soldiers.

FROM THE ECONOMIST INTELLIGENCE UNIT 

SUMMARY

South Africa's political environment is stable. No major challenge to the position of President Thabo Mbeki is expected from within the ruling African National Congress (ANC). The overwhelming political dominance of the ANC is also unlikely to be threatened in the next few years. The re- emergence of extreme right, white elements poses some threat to political stability, but it is not likely to become significant. Their capacity to engage the state in any kind of protracted struggle is limited. Small- scale political protests over the next year cannot be discounted, however. These could arise from the slow pace of housing provision or general union agitation. The greatest threat to political stability in the next year could come from Zimbabwe: if the political tensions there spiral out of control, large numbers of refugees could flood across the border into South Africa.

FROM THE ECONOMIST INTELLIGENCE UNIT                     

SUMMARY

Violent crime is a major problem, and a serious concern for business. South Africa heads many international cross-country comparisons of crime, such as the number of murders per capita. Much of the crime is gratuitous: victims are often shot during a simple robbery, with no apparent motive. Car-jacking is also a major concern both in urban areas and when driving between cities. The security industry in South Africa is well-developed, and many foreign firms employ sophisticated monitoring and alarm systems. Aside from crime, there are few other major security risks in the country. South Africa is not engaged in armed conflict with any of its neighbours, and has no active secessionist movements.

Government is set to formalise its plans to deploy forces, together with Mozambique and Ethiopia, to monitor a ceasefire between the army and rebels in Burundi by the end of January.

The move follows Deputy President Jacob Zuma's call to the African Union (AU) organ on conflict resolution and management to urgently establish and deploy an African Mission to the conflict-torn nation as provided for in the recently struck ceasefire agreement between the transitional government and rebels.

Mr Zuma, who is on his way back to the country, told the AU gathering during his visit to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, two days ago, that troops from the three nations would be responsible for 'the verification and control of the ceasefire.'

The three countries were approached by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and had agreed to take part in an African Mission to the central African country, wracked by civil war since 1993, said Mr Zuma, who also met with the AU commission chairperson Emara Essy.

In a breakthrough move last month, the government of President Pierre Buyoya and the main Hutu rebel movement at war with the Tutsi-dominated army signed a ceasefire agreement.

However the Hutu movement, the National Liberation Forces has yet to sign the peace plan.

Mr Zuma, a leading mediator in the conflict, also recommended to the African organ to consider sending an observer mission to Burundi.

Speaking to BuaNews this morning, defence spokesperson Sam Mkhwanazi said the country's forces were ready and waiting for the Presidency to formalise deployment by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).

He added such a deployment would only be activated once President Thabo Mbeki and defence minister Mosioua Lekota had formalised such a move.

South Africa has played a key role in mediating progress towards a settlement in the conflict, which has claimed an estimated 300 000 lives in a decade, mainly those of civilians.

The country, a mediator in the conflict, already has 700 soldiers in Burundi, whose duty is to protect politicians who have returned from exile to take part in a transitional government formed in November 2001 under a peace and power-sharing plan.

In a joint endeavour to ease congestion at the county's borders, the department of home affairs and its Zimbabwe, Botswana, Swaziland and Mozambican counterparts have agreed to extend service hours to accommodate increased traffic over the festive season.

The move comes as borders continue to experience an increased annual outflow and inflow of thousands of travelers, resulting in a peak in traffic at ports of entry adjacent to the neighbouring countries.

Addressing the media in Pretoria this morning, home affairs spokesperson Apollo Gopolang said it was understandable that border traffic would be at its peak during the festive period, saying the extension of hours would render services manageable.

He urged travelers to use the improved measures to plan their trips.

'Travelers are requested to plan their journeys with due consideration of these extended hours to avoid peak hours, thus minimising discomfort and long waiting periods at the busiest ports of entry,' he advised.

He said the busiest borders included Beit Bridge in Limpopo and Lebombo in Mpumalanga.

Operation hours have been extended at the Lebombo, Mahamba, Oshoek and Mananga borders.

At the Lebombo border, services will be rendered around the clock until 10 January while at Mananga, services will be rendered until 22h00 this evening.

Furthermore, the home affairs department has deployed more personnel at these borders and has also enlisted the services of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and the South African Revenue Services (SARS).

'The department is committed to rendering an effective service at the ports of entry and will continue to redouble its efforts to prevent any foreseeable problems,' Mr Gopolang affirmed.

The South African government will continue to encourage Iraq to comply with all the requirements of the United Nations (UN) resolution regarding inspections of weapons of mass destruction, deputy foreign affairs minister Aziz Pahad said yesterday.

Addressing media in Parliament, the deputy minister said the government through interaction with the UN and other states in that region, would try to ensure that there was a political solution to the issue of weapons.

He added that the Iraqi government had already handed over to the UN a 12 000 page document regarding weapons of mass destruction in its country. The document is currently being studied.

Mr Pahad said on 19 December, the International Atomic Energy briefed the UN Security Council.

'They told the security council that Iraq had fully cooperated with weapons inspectors in terms of logistics and processes. However, there are some omissions and possible contradictions. They need a little more evidence,' the deputy minister said.

'A war in Iraq will open the floodgates of terrorism throughout the world,' Mr Pahad said, adding however that most religious and world leaders were keen for a peaceful situation in Iraq.

Mr Pahad said the South African government would assess progress made by Iraq after the weapons inspectors had delivered their report on 27 January. - BuaNews.

Enough is enough! Reckless motorists told

REP By David Masango tel: (012) 314 2230

The KwaZulu-Natal department of transport says this festive season's road carnage is more than enough and it has to stop.

The province leads with the most number of road fatalities at 193.

The province's transport MEC S'bu Ndebele yesterday said the killing on the country's roads was totally unacceptable and the province's department of transport could not continue with business as usual.

He said KwaZulu-Natal transport department had, since the beginning of December, been analysing the province's traffic trends on a daily basis as part of the province's 'Asiphephe' road safety strategy.

According to Mr Ndebele the department had since 1996 focused on traffic education, engineering, law enforcement and evaluation to determine where they could be underperforming.

The MEC said the department was involved in road safety public awareness campaigns, advertisements, the establishment of community road safety councils and informing people that road safety was everybody's responsibility.

' We are determined to ensure that we continue the campaign to ensure sustained support by all sectors of the community, the youth, business, taxi and freight industries, the religious community and those who have experienced the trauma of being involved in or losing loved ones in a car crash,' Mr Ndebele said.

He said his department, since 1994, had strived to improve urban roads and had also constructed and continue to construct thousands of rural roads. The MEC said the department built speed humps, barriers and other traffic calming devices in the bid to eliminate hazardous locations on the roads.

'We have increased our Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) staff and trained them professionally to deal with a broad spectrum of offences. These include overloading, specialized public transport enforcement (the only one of its kind in the country) and increased general visibility.

'Zero Tolerance' has become our second name,' the MEC said.

He said they were working in collaboration with the SAPS, SANDF, Emergency Medical Rescue Services and local traffic agencies in order to ensure optimum efficiency.

The department also introduced booze buses, traffic camera offices, roadside courts and it acquired more Drager Evidential Breatherlysers that are used in SAPS Accident Units around the country.

Meanwhile, the MEC said the department had learnt with shock that most South African companies budgeted for traffic fines as part of their senior management operating costs.

'This has helped us understand the contempt and arrogance with which some of these offending motorists buy their freedom. Even as they leave the scene they leave at great speed. The fines do not serve as a deterrent at all,' he said.

He said the department aimed at suspending or canceling licenses of those who broke the law deliberately.

Two off-duty SA National Defence Force personnel were killed on Saturday when their vehicle overturned after a tyre had burst, police said.

Captain Motarafi Ntepe said four SANDF members stationed in Middleburg in Mpumalanga, and a lady whom they had given a lift were travelling in a Toyota Venture on the N3 about 40Km from Warden towards Villiers when the accident occurred killing the driver and one other SANDF member.

Two other SANDF men were injured and were taken to the Union Hospital in Alberton on the East Rand, while the lady, apparently from Hammarsdale in Kwazulu-Natal, was taken to the Frankfort provincial hospital. The names of the dead and injured could not be released as their next-of-kin had yet to be notified, Ntepe said.

General Data

Area: 1,129,266 sq.km (433,678 sq.miles); 11% arable, 65% meadows and pastures, 3% forest and woodland, 21 % other.

Coastline: 2,9541an (1,836 miles).

Maritime claims: Territorial waters 22km (12nm), EEZ 370km (200nm), continental shelf -200m or to depth of exploitation.

Population: 43,647,658 (July 2002 est.); annual growth rate 0.02% (2002 est.). The population is 75.2% black, 13.6% white, 8.6% coloured, 2.6% Asian.

Religions: 68% Christian, 1.5% Hindu, 2% Muslim, 28.5% indigenous beliefs.

Languages: Eleven official languages. Literacy rate: 85%.

Government

Long-form or legal name: Republic of South Africa.

Type of government: Republic.

Administrative divisions: 9 provinces.

Legal system: Based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law.

Branches of government: The President (elected by the National Assembly) is Head of State and Government and Chairman of the Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the President; bicameral legislature (400-member National Assembly and 90-member National Council of Provinces); the 9 provincial parliaments each appoint 10 members to the National Council of Provinces; judiciary headed by Supreme Court; separate Constitutional Court.

Suffrage: Universal over age 18.

Member of: UN, AU, IAEA, ICAO SADC, ISDSC and others.