Imaverick 08 September 2011

thursday 8 september 2011
Index
a day In pIctures
It happened overnIght
south afrIca
afrIca
World
BusIness
lIfe, etc
sport
Index
thursDAY 8 september
A DAY IN PICTURES
thursDAY 8 september 2011
a day in pictures libya
Muammar Gaddaf relaxes with his granddaughter in his tent at the Bab al-Aziziya
compound in Tripoli in this still image taken from an exclusive amateur video from 2005
obtained by Reuters on September 7, 2011. REUTERS/Reuters TV
a day in pictures brazil
Spectators look at contestants competing in the National Ballooning Championship, held to
commemorate Brazil's independence day, in Brasilia September 7, 2011. REUTERS/Ueslei
Marcelino
a day in pictures germany
German Chancellor Angela Merkel (foreground C) listens to a budget debate in the
Bundestag, the German lower house of parliament in Berlin, September 7, 2011.
REUTERS/Thomas Peter
a day in pictures new york
Court workers riding blower machines remove water from the playing surface of Arthur
Ashe Stadium after rain delayed competition in the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New
York, September 7, 2011. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson
IT HAPPENED OVERNIGHT
briefs it happened overnight
thursdAY - 8 september 2011
GOP debate (Reuters)
politics
Usa
Were fnally starting to get
things going as the third
Republican presidential
debate the frst one to
feature Rick Perry took
place on Wednesday night
and featured a terse exchange
between Perry and Mitt
Romney. Romney has been
running around lately telling
everyone he can how he has
worked in the private sector
and understands how to create
jobs. During the debate Perry
said that Romney wasnt able
to translate that into his public
administration. As a matter of
fact, we created more jobs in
the last three months in Texas
than he created in four years
in Massachusetts. Romney
responded that Massachusetts
didnt have the resources Texas
did and he was proud of the
states 4.7% unemployment
rate under his administration
(read: its not my fault!).
The US justice department has
charged 91 people, including
doctors, with fraud within
Americas federal health
programme, Medicare. The
charges relate to prescribing
unnecessary medicine and
treatment, and charging
for treatment, which was
never provided. These dodgy
dealings totalled around $295
million.
The federal government has
moved ahead with plans to
boost solar energy, providing
funding to the tune of $344
million to install 160,000 solar
panels on military housing
in 34 states. The military has
a current goal of achieving
a quarter of its power from
solar by 2025. This decision
will double the amount of
government solar panelling in
the country.
President Barack Obama and
Texas governor Rick Perry
have been on the phone about
federal aid for Texas, which is
being demolished by wildfres
after a very dry summer.
Obama has guaranteed the
USAs second-biggest state
that aid in fghting the blaze
will be forthcoming quickly,
and funds to rebuild it will be
made available too. It is nice to
know that outside congress, a
Democrat and a Republican can
actually get something done.
Laurent Kabila (Reuters)
niger
The brand new Libyan
authorities have urged
neighbouring Niger to prevent
ex-Libyan leader Muammar
Gaddaf from living there
and escaping the prospective
justice over which the
transitional national council is
drooling. Niger has confrmed
that Gaddaf has not entered
the country. The TNC also
claims its forces are within
65km of where Brother Leader
is expected to be.
UK
Britain confrmed its
commitment to liberalism
when it held a parliamentary
debate on abortion yesterday
as if this issue hasnt been
covered by enough hot air and
column inches and voted
against altering its policy by
368 to 118. Although the debate
was specifcally regarding
abortion counselling and not
pro-choice vs pro-life, Britain
has been pro-choice for more
than 50 years. Dianne Abbot,
the shadow health minister
explained to Time how, in a
country that is 40% Catholic,
abortion is a relatively lax
issue, [It is due to] the absence
of a Fox News pumping out
social propaganda 24 hours
a day and British common
sense.
The Scottish National Party
leader, Alex Salmond, will
unveil his policy proposals
today, but is expected to leave
out plans for a referendum on
Scottish independence until
later into his term. Most likely
to be in the headlines after he
announces his plans are the
unifcation of the police force
and minimum alcohol pricing.
drc
The son of one of the worlds
most famous lunatic dictators,
Mobutu Sese Seko, has fled
his candidacy to participate
in the presidential elections
in the Democratic Republic of
the Congo on 28 November.
Nzanga Mobutu has run for
the presidency before in 2006.
He is unlikely to displace
Google in China (Reuters)
current President Joseph
Kabila who also happens to be
the son of a former president,
Laurent Kabila. If politics are
genetic, were quite sorry there
isnt a son of Patrice Lumumba
contesting these polls.
A raid by armed men on a
prison in the southeast DRC
killed two people and freed
nearly 1,000 inmates. AP
reports the two victims were
a police ofcer and a man
visiting an inmate. One of
the escapees, Gedeon Kyungu
Mutanga, is a militia leader
who had been sentenced to
death.
soUth africa
The Umkhonto we Sizwe
Military Veterans Association
is unimpressed with the ANC
Youth League, claiming the
partys juniors only joined
because it was fashionable.
The MKMVA KZN secretary
said the current veterans
joined the party because of
actual liberation, and that
disciplinary procedures (well,
he said expulsion) should be
brought against anyone who
burnt an ANC fag.
Moldova
One of Europes iciest conficts
could be approaching some
sort of impasse as Moldovas
prime minister is due to meet
with the Russian-speaking
breakaway Transdniestria in
a process that is far preferable
to war, we would think. Aside
from creating trust between
the sides, issues such as
reconnecting telephone and
rail lines between the parties,
and what to do about Europe.
The current PM is pro-Europe
in a heavily opinionated
nation, and despite its poverty,
its economy is growing at just
under 8% a year.
greece
The opposition party in
Greece is leaping ahead in
polls, currently 5% ahead
of incumbent George
Papandreou, while the country
comes to grips with its
fnances. Its quite convenient
as an opposition party when
the economy tanks.
israel
Social unrest due to high cost
of living has fnally led to
arrests as weeks of peaceful
protest have come to naught
and violence inevitably
broke out. Police arrested 40
demonstrators as the middle
classes in Tel Aviv went
a-marching. Its nice to know
that the middle-classes in
other countries can get up of
their arses and complain about
something (ahem, Gauteng
tolls, ahem).
bUsiness
China has renewed Googles
licence to operate in the
country. Although the Chinese
government and the search
engine giant dont see eye-to-
eye when it comes to which
Ben Bernanke (Reuters)
results should be displayed,
Google does want a piece of
the worlds biggest Internet
market and peddles its
advertising trade through the
country, in spite of its search
engine redirecting to Google
Hong Kong.
Forbes reports that Michael
Arrington is no longer the
editor of TechCrunch, nor
an employee of AOL after
dufng a few steps in a
confict-of-interest saga he
thought he could straddle
editorial independence and
investments. When he was
told he couldnt he demanded
that AOL sell TechCrunch
back to its original investors or
give it editorial independence.
They didnt do either; they
sacked him.
Stocks and the euro rallied
on the news that Germanys
eforts to help out the cash
crisis in Europe can go ahead
after a court ruling contesting
the countrys current policies
was turfed. Gold fell, nut
oil was up 4% and investors
returned to stocks: the Dow
and S&P 500 were up over
2.5% and the Nasdaq over 3%.
The federal reserve, Americas
central bank, has expressed
concern at sluggish growth in
the US economy. Great news
considering its chairman,
Ben Bernanke, decided to do
nothing last month.
Yahoo co-founder and
infuential board member,
Jerry Yang, has denied the
CEO-less (as of yesterday)
company is up for sale.
Yesterday the Wall Street
Journal cited an anonymous
source, which said the
company would be sold if the
right price could be found.
Kenyas agriculture sector is
set for a recovery as weather
experts predict near-normal
rains during the upcoming
rainy season. Kenya is
currently sufering drought
which has afected food
security, boosted infation
(which reached 16% last
month) and afected the east
African nations electricity
output (a portion of Kenyas
power is hydroelectric).
sport
Usa
Tennis: The US Open was
delayed for a second day due
to rain with only 16 minutes of
play possible. Rafael Nadal is
0-3 down against Gilles Muller
in the frst set while Andy
Roddick is a break up against
David Ferrer. The players all
had a good bitch about the
slippery playing surface when
they came of, saying ofcials
should not have insisted they
play. Any more delays should
see the tournament moving
into Monday. None of the
scheduled womens quarter
fnals took place.
Conrad Mrray (Reuters)
UK
Football: Paul Ince, acting
like an old man, has had a go
at the current crop of players
representing England saying
that they no longer feel like it
is a privilege to play for their
country as the Premier League
and Champions League are
more important. Then he
complained that players
make up excuses to get out of
international fxtures. Then
he also kakked out England
fans for not making a positive
enough environment (Us
Sharks fans know how booing
our own team at Kings Park
improves their performance).
new Zealand
Rugby: Referees boss Paddy
OBrien claims that the 20
World Cup coaches are all with
him in his quest to be harsher
on ofsides and infringements
which slow down the ball. I
can actually hear Div crushing
tranquilisers and stirring them
into Schalk Burgers tea.
life
hUngary
The Hungarian government is
using a scantily-clad woman
to boost the amount of people
flling out its census form
online. Hopefully its results
will show that around 50%
of the people in Hungary are
women.
india
An earthquake struck the
Indian capital city of New
Delhi just before midnight.
The shake measured 4.2 on
the Richter scale and although
many people felt it, there
were no reports of damage or
injuries although some spots
did lose power.
Usa
The trial of Michael Jacksons
doctor is back on track after
his application to sequester the
jury was refused. Jury selection
will begin on Thursday. Conrad
Murray is accused of giving
Jackson the pills that ultimately
killed him. He is also barred
from mentioning other doctors
in Jacksons employ during
the trial, ruining his defence
of blaming the dermatologist.
Indeed, Jackson had someone
looking after his skin. Whoda
thunk it?
SOUTH AFRICA
briefs south africa
Thursday - 08 sepTember 2011
ANC's top six. (Reuters)
Murder suspects shot and
killed in police raid
One ofcer was killed and two
others were injured when po-
lice and the Hawks raided a
house in Chatsworth, Durban
on Wednesday in pursuit of
two men suspected of killing
ANC regional secretary Sbu
Sibiya. The two suspects were
also killed in the raid. Sapa
reported that KwaZulu Natals
community safety MEC Willies
Mchunu said the police were
acting on a tip-of.
idasa: anc blurring line
between party and state
Idasas head of political moni-
toring Judith February warned
that lines between party and
state have been blurred by the
participation of the ANCs Pro-
gressive Business Forum in a
country-to-country trade expo
in China. February said that
South Africas lack of regula-
tion over private political party
funding was what allowed such
trips to happen. Currently, only
funding from public sources is
regulated.
da: open toilets task
teaM shows willingness
to go beyond politics
The Democratic Alliance wel-
comed human settlements
minister Tokyo Sexwales an-
nouncement of a task team
to investigate the countrys
open toilet debacle. A DA
spokesman Butch Steyn said
in a statement the move rep-
resents a willingness to go
beyond politics in the in-
terests of those subjected to
substandard sanitation. The
task team, headed up by Win-
nie Madikizela-Mandela, will
have three months to assess
the extent of the problem and
identify irregularities and
malpractice.
cosatu deMands end
to civil servants doing
business with governMent
Cosatu in Gauteng said in a
statement that civil servants
should be banned from doing
business with the state. The
federation, reacting to a report
from the Standing Committee
on Public Accounts, expressed
concern that even though it is
widely known that civil ser-
vants do business with the
state, nothing has been done
about it. The Scopa report had
given Gauteng premier Nom-
vula Mokonyane a month to act
against civil servants who had
undeclared interests in compa-
nies that won tenders from the
state.
briefs south africa
busa kicked out of black
business suMMit
Nomaxabiso Majokweni, CEO
of Business Unity South Africa,
and the organisations presi-
dent, Futhi Mtoba, were not al-
lowed to attend Tuesdays black
business summit. The pair were
turned away as Busa would be
discussed at the summit and
the organisers, the Confedera-
tion of Black Business Organ-
isations, felt it inappropriate
for the two representatives to
be there. Majokweni had last
week expressed hope that the
summit could be used to heal
what she called an ideological
rift between Busa and black
business organisations.
nziMande: liberal agenda
behind attacks on
governMent
SACP secretary general Blade
Nzimande has accused the
liberal agenda of being be-
hind the criticisms of the
ANC-led government. He said
in an SACP online newsletter
that the criticism of President
Jacob Zumas nomination of
Mogoeng Mogoeng was the
most concerted of the liberal
ofensive. The SACPs stance
compares starkly with that of
tripartite alliance partner Co-
satu, which had joined in the
criticism of the Mogoeng nom-
ination. Meanwhile, the presi-
dents spokesman Mac Maharaj
said Zuma is applying his mind
to the widely criticised nomi-
nation.
cde: turning schooling
systeM around is south
africas biggest challenge
The Centre for Development
and Education released a re-
port on Wednesday that called
for a reform of the South Afri-
can education system. It said
that individual projects would
not do the trick and cited in-
ternational education system
reforms in Brazil, Ghana, In-
dia and the United States as
examples from which South
Africa could learn. CDEs ex-
ecutive director Ann Bernstein
said that a new, incentive and
performance-based approach
is needed for the teaching pro-
fession if the country is to turn
the schooling system around.
whistleblower in John
block case contacts
public protector
Afriforums newly established
investigative team has ap-
proached public protector
Thuli Madonsela on behalf of
a Northern Cape whistleblower
who is in hiding. The whistle-
blower has apparently gone
into hiding after exposing the
corruption in the province that
eventually led to the charges
made against Northern Cape
MEC John Block. Madonsela
had, during her roadshow in
the Northern Cape, ask for
help locating the whistleblower
so that she could release her
fnal report into the investiga-
tion.
eskoM workers to go
strike
The National Union of Mine-
workers said that 16,000 Eskom
workers would go on strike due
to deadlocked wage negotia-
tions. The union rejected Es-
koms ofer of a 7% increase,
which the power company will
be implementing for its Sep-
tember payroll. NUM is de-
manding an increase of 13%,
but will need to approach the
CCMA before it goes on strike.
labour brokers to be
phased out
Labour minister Mildred Oli-
phant told the Food and Allied
Workers Union that follow-
ing the Human Rights Watch
report on the abuse of farm
workers in the Western Capes
winelands, her department
would prioritise dealing with
labour brokers in a way that
protects workers and elimi-
nates abuses. She said, how-
ever, that labour brokers could
not be banned overnight as
demanded by trade unions. In-
stead, the Labour Relations Act
would be amended to allow the
phasing out of labour brokers.
Themb'elihle souTh africa
THursday - 08 sepTember 2011
Themb'elihle: a breakdown of
ingredienTs for a service-delivery rioT
Many pieces of the Themb'elihle puzzle are still
missing, and many facts will probably remain in
dispute for a long time. And some of those are
important. Did police fre the live rounds that
injured at least two residents when they made
a push into the township late on Tuesday night,
or did those shots come from residents, as the
police claim? Would a more decisive response to
initial violence on Monday either by police or
politicians have made a diference?
On Wednesday, though, other important
facts were fnally confrmed, giving us much
greater insight into a protest that seems unlikely
The residents of Themb'elihle, now in their fourth day of protests, have one simple demand: electricity.
Beneath that, though, lies a complex mix of politics and agendas, criminality and xenophobia.
By PHILLIP DE WET.
Photo: Residents gather late on Wednesday afternoon to discuss their next
move. The consensus: the protest continues, indefnitely. (Phillip de Wet)
to be the last of its kind.
Somebody was using live rounds, which
ups the ante signifcantly. There has probably
(we can't confrm this beyond doubt) already
been an exchange of gunfre between black
residents of the township and the mostly Indian
residents living nearby, during a battle for an
electrical distribution box. That went no further
though. Some shops inside Themb'elihle have
been looted, but only those owned by Somalis
and Pakistanis. This despite the fact that the
Themb'elihle souTh africa
township escaped the widespread xenophobic
attacks of 2008. The local councillor's house
in the township was not burnt down, as had
been rumoured, but now has two uniformed
security guards on duty in front of it. Though
it took only a day-and-a-half to replace a
sabotaged electricity distribution box in
Lenasia, in the township just metres away
street lighting remains out because the same
had not happened there.
Patterns have started emerging. Criminals
within the township have taken advantage
of the relative chaos. These are mostly young
men, who tend to emerge at night or after
trouble has already started. Young women,
on the other hand, are constantly at the
coal face, and tend to be mightily militant.
A few residents from other, nearby informal
settlements have come to show support.
Local police are more likely to over-react (and
infame) than the imported variety. And, of
course, apocalyptic rumours swirl and mutate
as time passes by.
Themb'elihle has also confrmed
hearteningly, for future longer-running
service-delivery protests that basic South
African values don't change under prolonged
strain. Many of the protesters are happy to
deal in property damage and inconvenience
to others, but get uncomfortable with
intimidation and draw the line at intentional
physical harm. Racism fares up and the
rhetoric can get ferce, but everyone still pretty
much gets along afterwards. The primary
concern is for comrades in arms, in this
case those arrested during the course of the
protests.
Politically the bag is more mixed. Outsiders
who tried to enter the fray to campaign
or push a cause were gently, but frmly
rebufed, perhaps all the faster because this
is a relatively small community. While local
leaders kept a grip on the reins, it was a loose
one; their approach was one of polling for
consensus rather than manufacturing it, and
it seems pretty sure that anything else would
have failed. That leaves nobody to call a halt
until the community, on average, simply runs
out of anger to vent.
All of this has combined in the case
of Themb'elihle, to make for a long and
tense standof, with residents unlikely to
gain anything of consequence, trust in the
government and its ability to deliver eroded,
and two communities' faith in the police badly
damaged. None of which need have happened
had the people of Themb'elihle not considered
themselves voiceless. iM
Patterns have started
emerging. criminals
within the township
have taken advantage of
the relative chaos. These
are mostly young men,
who tend to emerge at
night or after trouble
has already started.
south africa wikileaks
the evidence to nail Zuma was there:
us embassy cable
US Department of Justice Intermittent Legal
Adviser (ILA) believes that the Supreme Court
of Appeal's 7 November verdict upholding Schabir
Shaik's conviction is legally sound, provides little to
nothing for Shaik to credibly challenge, and fur-
ther bolsters the State's case against former Deputy
President Jacob Zuma, said the cable, which origi-
nated from the US Embassy in Pretoria.
The cable was written based on reports of a
US adviser to the National Prosecuting Authority
(NPA) on the corruption case against Zuma.
ILA believes that the State has enough evi-
dence from the Shaik trial to convict Zuma; evi-
dence gathered from Zuma's house and attorney
is icing on the cake. If the State loses the search
warrant appeals, they simply will try to focus on
proving (again) that Shaik made 238 payments to
The evidence to successfully prosecute ANC President Jacob Zuma was always there, according to a
US Embassy cable leaked by WikiLeaks. By SIPHO HLONGWANE
Zuma, totalling 1.2 million rand, the cable says.
The case was nonetheless tossed out of the
courts by Judge Chris Nicholson on 12 September
2008, who said that Zumas constitutional rights
had been breached by the prosecutors for not al-
lowing him to make representations before charg-
ing him. Nicholson also cited political infuence in
the case as a reason for dropping the charges.
The Supreme Court of Appeal upheld an ap-
peal by the NPA against Nicholson's ruling and
the criminal charges against Zuma were then
reinstated. In April 2009, then acting National Di-
rector of Public Prosecutions Mokotedi Mpshe de-
cided to drop charges against Zuma after mysteri-
ous recordings of phone conversations surfaced,
which Mpshe said amounted to abuse of process
by the state.
south africa wikileaks
aNcYl has beeN buddies with MotlaNthe for
a loNg tiMe wikileaks
The cable, which apparently originated from
the US Embassy in Pretoria, details a meet-
ing between ANC Youth League spokesperson
Floyd Shivambu, ANCYL national executive
committee member Magdalene Moonsamy and
a US diplomat only identifed as Polof.
The original cable was obtained by EyeWit-
ness News.
The meeting took place at the time when
reports of Motlanthes infdelity were surfac-
ing in the media. Polofs reported that the two
ANCYL representatives were fully committed
to defending Motlanthe. Shivambu replied, We
are defending Motlanthe. I am getting tired of
writing that, 'We stand behind Motlanthe as the
President.
Shivambu denied that anyone in the ANCYL
If a US Embassy cable leaked by WikiLeaks is anything to go by, the ANC Youth Leagues love for
Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe is no new thing. Theyve been buddies since Motlanthes days
as a caretaker president. By SIPHO HLONGWANE.
or Zumas supporters in the ANC NEC had leaked
the story about Motlanthe to the media. In recent
weeks, as tensions between the ANCYL and Zuma
spike, the League has once more come out very
strongly in favour of Motlanthe.
Shivambu said that Motlanthe has always been
a caretaker leader and that he would stand down as
national leader after the election, the cable reads.
It later transpired that the stories of Motlanthes
infdelity were not true.
The cable concludes by noting that Shivambu
and Moonsamy downplayed the threat posed by the
newly-formed Congress of the People, and said that
the list controversy that the ANC was battling with
at the time was not a sign of a Zuma vs Motlanthe
tussle.
The US Embassy in Pretoria has previously said
that it would not comment on the veracity or con-
tent of a document leaked onto a public website. Photo: REUTERS
thursday - 08 september 2011
SECTION HEADING
BACkyArDErS vS DE LILLE: A TuSSLE OvEr
THE SHApE Of pArTICIpATOry DEmOCrACy
Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille on Tuesday
announced the citys plans to provide basic
services such as sanitation, power and water
to over 450,000 households who are on
housing waiting-list backlog. She made the
announcement at an information session with
associations representing backyarders the
many hundreds of thousands of residents of
informal settlements who themselves may or
may not be on waiting lists to receive housing.
De Lille hoped the session would mark
a change in the historically acrimonious
interaction between the city and provincial
administration one side and the backyarders on
the other. The event, however, was not without
controversy. Originally scheduled to take place
at Oliver Tambo Hall in Khayelitsha, the session
was moved at the last minute to the Cape Town
city centre.
De Lilles spokesman Solly Malatsi says
that the meeting was moved due to fears
that Abahlali baseMjondolo one of the
backyarder associations would disrupt the
meeting. Abahali, if youd recall, was named
in a Wikileaks cable where US Embassy staf
compared the ANC governments crackdown
Government has a paternalistic approach to dealing with the poor. Thats according to some of the
organisations behind the backyarders movement. They also say that the government speaks to the poor
as though they are invalids and does not engage them in decision-making that affects them. OSIAME
MOLEFE scratches the surface in the frst of a series of articles on the countrys so-called poor and
marginalised.
on the organisations members to that of the
apartheid government on the ANC members.
Malatsi says that Abahlali had asked De Lille
for a meeting shortly after she became mayor
this year. De Lille, however, said she would frst
like to meet with the organisations leadership
before meeting with the organisations
members. But Abahlali, according to Malatsi,
declined saying that De Lille was refusing to
meet with poor people on their own terms.
Abahlali then boycotted the information
session and announced that it would mobilise
residents to protest outside the venue.
According to Malatsi, a lot of work had been
put into setting up the meeting with over 50
backyarder organisations. He says that the
mayors ofce was not prepared to let it all go
to waste because one organisation was holding
them to ransom. So the meeting was moved on
the day and, according to Malatsi, transport was
provided to the new venue.
Mzonke Poni, Abahlalis Western Cape
chairman disagrees with Malatsis account. He
says De Lille did agree to meet with Abahlalis
leadership, but only with three members. As
an umbrella organisation with a leadership
CApE TOwN SOuTH AfrICA
rEAD mOrE:
1. Is the ANC as democratic as it claims, a Wikileaks cable on
AllAfrica.com
2. What we're doing to assist backyarders - Patricia de Lille on
PoliticsWeb
3. Mayor De Lille Unwilling to Meet Backyarders on our own
Terms Abahlali baseMjondolo
of over 30 representing as many community
organisations, Abahlali found De Lilles
conditions for a meeting unacceptable and
counter to the principles of a participatory
democracy, Poni says.
The information session too was limited to
three people from each organisation, which
is why Abahlali boycotted and protested,
Poni adds. When politicians hold rallies for
backyarders during election campaigns, they do
not limit the number who can attend, but when
it comes to discussing real issues that efect
communities most, suddenly the number is
limited, Poni says.
The information session was convened to
announce that basic services would be provided
to those who have managed to build their own
housing structures and to gather information
on their service needs. But given the last minute
change, and how Abahlali and the Anti-Eviction
Campaign, another backyarders umbrella
organisation, say they were not notifed of
this change nor was there transport provided,
its clear that De Lilles message did not reach
all concerned. Neither did it represent a new
step in the administrations dealing with the
backyarders, as hoped.
The city says it is providing basic services
because some of the backyarders have been on
housing lists since the 1990s and will probably
have to wait quite a while longer before they
receive their houses. De Lille says this is a
reality they must accept. The city last year
received R700 million from National Treasury
and, along with its own contribution of R500
million, provided housing and basic services.
De Lille says last year, the administration
provided 7,000 housing opportunities
nowhere near providing for the estimated
15,000 households that move to Cape Town
and seek housing every year, let alone the
many more already waiting.
Mncedisi Twalo, chairman of the anti-
eviction campaign, says government needs to
change the way it engages with the poor. He
says the poor are best positioned to say what
they need and have been trying to change the
dynamic of the conversation, but this has fallen
on deaf ears. As long as government persists
with a paternalistic approach to dealing with
the poor, Twalo says, the protests such as the
ones in Thembelihle will continue.
De Lille says last year, the
administration provided
7,000 housing opportunities
nowhere near providing
for the estimated 15,000
households that move
to Cape Town and seek
housing every year, let
alone the many more
already waiting.
south africa western cape
western cape crackdown on child
maintenance defaulters
Western Cape is getting serious about child
maintenance defaulters. The department of jus-
tice held a press conference this week to name
some of those parents who owe a total of R10
million in outstanding child maintenance. They
listed 50 of the worst defaulters, whose names
have now been published in a number of na-
tional newspapers.
In South Africa, name-and-shame tech-
niques have previously been used largely to tar-
get drunk drivers. The Cape Argus runs a cam-
paign with LeadSA which sees them publish
the names of recently convicted drunk drivers
every six weeks, and it's believed this has been
successful in helping discourage the behaviour.
Elsewhere in the world the concept of naming
and shaming attracts more controversy, how-
ever. In late 2009 the Rat Book was launched
The Western Cape department of justice is the latest government arm to use name and shame
tactics to get results in this case on child maintenance defaulters. But is naming and shaming
actually legitimate? By REBECCA DAVIS.
as the UK's biggest name and shame website. It
listed the details of over 14,000 criminal convic-
tions, divided into categories like paedophilia,
rape and murder. But in July 2010 the site was
forced to shut after criticism over the fact that
they named people prior to convictions and also
released the details of people found not guilty.
Of course, the question of whether its right
or wrong often comes down to what kind of in-
formation you're disclosing. The practice of out-
ing prominent gay people who would prefer the
anonymity of the closet is a form of naming and
shaming which can cause serious harm, for in-
stance. Its more difcult to make the case that
parents defaulting on child support have a right to
their privacy.
read more:
1. Dads and moms owing R10m are named, shamed in The
New Age Photo: REUTERS
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equality act grootes assessment
Julius malema, a freedom of speech
revolutionary?
Any act of racism is repugnant. So is any act
of homophobia. So is any act of sexism. South
Africa, and many other countries, dont punish
them specifcally. We have measures in place
to make sure people are protected though. If
you are assaulted, you lay a charge of assault. It
doesnt and shouldnt matter what the reason for
that assault is. If someone slurs your character,
you go to court. Its expensive, time consuming
and probably less than satisfying, but it is still
an option.
Next week Julius Malemas hate speech trial will climax when Judge Colin Lamont hands down his ruling
on whether he should be allowed to sing Dubula Ibhunu. Over the past weekend National Prosecuting
Authority head Menzi Simelane said it was time to put legislation in place to stop people being racist.
But in the middle of all of this is the Equality Act . And the parts of it that are currently used to stop hate
speech may in fact, be unconstitutional. Really. By STEPHEN GROOTES.
Photo: Peter Carvell. (Reuters)
SA law generally punishes the act, and
not the motivation. Speaking in the Sunday
Times, Simelane seemed to think this was not
enough. Some of his utterances, that the courts
are flled with racists, were probably unwise.
We doubt he has the numbers to back up that
claim. At the same time, when in Kimberley
or Ventersdorp a farm worker is punished
by his employer by being dragged behind a
Hilux Double-cab, racism is surely one of the
motivations. But that act is punished. Or it
certainly should be.
Then you have newspaper columinists
like Jon Qwelane, who was hauled before
the Human Rights Commission for saying
gay marriage is not okay and equating
homosexual sex with having intercourse with
dogs. Its repugnant alright, but whether he
should be punished for it is another story.
At present, the Equality Acts main aim is to
ventilate issues in society. The Equality Courts,
sitting in the high courts and the magistrates
courts are meant to host a debate on what is
acceptable speech and what is not. Hence the
desire by Lamont to hear about the history of
Dubula Ibhunu (aka Kill the Boer) and its
importance to the ANC. The point is that by
holding a case that is not an inquiry, as is the
case in criminal matters, the court essentially
educates the nation about itself. So AfriForum
gets to explain in public why this song is so
worrying, and Malema gets to explain why he
should be allowed to sing it.
But the problem comes with the sanction.
Should the court say to Malema, you are not
allowed to sing it, it will no doubt rely on
Section 10 of the Act that says no person may
publish, propagate, advocate or communicate
words based on one or more of the prohibited
grounds, against any person, that could
reasonably be construed to demonstrate a
clear intention to be hurtful; be harmful or
to incite harm; or to promote or propagate
hatred.
Thats a pretty wide discretion. So, for
example, if nasty capitalists like us stood
up and said, Anyone who supports the
nationalisation of the mines is stupid that
could be considered harmful. And thus an
illegal utterance. Even if we depersonalised
it and said that Anyone who supports the
nationalisation of the mines is thinking
stupidly we could, no doubt, still be in
trouble. And when you consider that the
current chief justice nominee believes that
the right to dignity is as important as the
right to freedom of expression, (as quoted in
the McBride judgment) our debate could be
curtailed very quickly indeed.
So if Simelane is able to have a law banning
racism passed in the way he appears to want,
Zapiros days could be numbered. You can
imagine the line of thinking: He draws the
President with a shower head. The President
is black. Hes never drawn a white man with
a showerhead. Therefore, the motivation is
racial. Thus its hate speech. Thus its illegal.
Thus he must stop doing it or be prevented
from doing it by using force of Law.
so if simelane is
able to have a law
banning racism
passed in the way
he appears to want,
Zapiros days could
be numbered.
Never mind such arcane arguments like
satire, the point of political speech, or even
freedom. If it can be declared to be racial
in motive, it will be. Lets go a step further.
Would a woman who leads a political party
that opposes the ANC have a racial intent. Her
party (sometimes) appears to be white. The
ANC is black. Therefore.
However, should Malema lose on Monday
(and I dont expect him to, and it looks like,
bizarrely, he may not even be able to be in
the room at the time due to another pressing
engagement) he will no doubt appeal. And that
appeal will rest on the Bill of Rights. It states
that everyone has the right to freedom of
expression, but this is limited in that it does
not extend to: propaganda for war, incitement
of imminent violence, or advocacy of hatred
that is based on race, ethnicity, gender or
religion and that constitutes incitement
to cause harm. Punctuation matters here.
Because the Constitution doesnt say advocacy
of hatred that is based on race, ethnicity,
gender or religion and stop there. It carries
on to say and that constitutes incitement
to cause harm. This would mean Qwelanes
comments, so long as he did not advocate
physical violence, would be protected. Even if
they are patently harmful.
Notice also the diference between the
Constitutions constitutes incitement to cause
harm and the Equality Acts demonstrates a
clear intention to be hurtful, be harmful or to
incite harm. To my non-legally-trained mind,
the Equality Acts be harmful could perhaps
be construed to mean harmful to a shower-
head wearers dignity, while the Constitutions
incitement to cause harm would seem to
mean inciting physical violence. Malema
would also rely on the provision Freedom of
Expression clause that points to freedom of
artistic creativity as that could cover his song.
Perhaps.
South African politics is a weird place.
Sometimes the people who seem to be doing
the most to curtail freedom of speech could
actually end up doing a lot to protect it.
Sometimes journalists who say hurtful things
end up doing us all a favour.
For me though, and this is a personal view,
to punish what happens in someones head
is problematic. A crime is a crime is a crime,
no matter what the motivation. Sometimes
the motive can perhaps be a mitigating
circumstance, a father stealing bread to feed
his starving child comes to mind. Sometimes
it can be an aggravating factor, killing a
defenceless old lady even though shes your
grandmother for her cash is perhaps so cold-
blooded it should be punished more harshly
than the person who bottles his friend in a
tavern one Friday night.
But punishing someone more harshly
for a belief they hold is something else. If
a paedophile abuses a child, he must be
punished. But he shouldnt be punished
more for believing that paedophilia is okay.
The same has to apply for those who hold
deeply repugnant views regarding race,
homosexuality or religion. Simelane is wrong,
Qwelane is wrong, but protected, that joker
who posed with a dead-looking black child is a
moron, but has to be protected too. Its called
freedom.
Grootes is an EWN reporter
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AFRICA
briefs africa
Youssou N'Dour (Reuters)
sudan facing large
budget deficit
Sudan estimates that it will
need as much as $1.5 billion
in foreign aid following the
declaration of independence
by its oil-rich south, accord-
ing to the countrys minister of
fnance Ali Mahmoud. He told
reporters at a meeting of Arab
fnance ministers on Wednes-
day that the country needed to
cut spending by 25% and was
looking for other ways to boost
revenue, such as mining. The
country is still under sanctions
from the African Development
Bank, the International Mon-
etary Fund and other fnance
institutions.
Pirates free danish
family and crew
Somali pirates on Wednesday
freed seven Danes whose sail-
boat had been captured of the
Horn of Africa coast in Febru-
ary. According to Reuters, one
of the pirates said they had
been paid a $3 million ransom
for their release, however Dan-
ish ofcials declined to com-
ment on the ransom. Instead,
they said the family of fve and
their two crew members are
expected back in Denmark
shortly. Somali pirates, accord-
ing to popular estimate, have
made in excess of $80 million
in ransoms.
nigerian muslim leader: un
bombings detestable
to islam
Mohammed Saad Abubakar,
Nigerias top Muslim spiritual
leader, spoke out against the
recent suicide bombing of the
UN headquarters in the coun-
try. The attack, which killed
23, has been attributed to Boko
Haram, a Nigerian Islamic sect
with suspected links to al-Qa-
eda. Abubakar said the attacks
were detestable to Islam. Two
suspects are in custody and Ni-
gerian authorities are seeking a
third, who is thought to be the
ringleader.
youssou ndour:
africans should do more
for horn of africa
Senegalese singer Youssou
NDour has teamed up with So-
malias Knaan to raise aware-
ness and funds for victims of
the Horn of Africa famine.
NDour and Knaan will hold
events across Africa as they
say Africans are conspicuously
absent from relief eforts in the
drought-struck region. Ac-
cording to the Guardians latest
data map on the crisis, $2 bil-
lion (of the $2.5 billion needed)
has been raised so far.
briefs africa
Colonel Gaddaf (Reuters)
red cross launches chad
cholera appeal
It is the start of the rainy sea-
son in Chad, raising fears that
cholera which has claimed
364 lives this year could
spread into a serious outbreak.
According to a statement by
the International Federation
of the Red Cross, 12,713 cases
have been reported this year,
but this is now likely to more
than double and may spread to
neighbouring countries. The
agency said it was launching a
campaign to raise $3.5 million
to assist 200,000 people.
somaliland: foreigners
are trouble
Somaliland, a self-declared
(but unrecognised) sovereign
state in Somalia, has decided
to expel the 1,772 mainly Ethio-
pian and Pakistani refugees
within its borders as they are
of no beneft [to Somaliland].
According to Radio Garowe,
Somalilands acting minister of
interior said that the foreign-
ers only bring trouble and will
be expelled within 30 days.
Somaliland has in the past
expelled Somalis who had fed
war in the south of the country.
president Zuma extends
south african defence
force deployments
Thabang Makwetla, deputy
minister of defence and mili-
tary veterans, said that Presi-
dent Jacob Zuma has extended
the defence forces deploy-
ments in the Central African
Republic and the Democratic
Republic of Congo. South Afri-
cas defence force is helping the
Central African Republic build
its own defence force and is in
the DRC to help the country
reform its security sector fol-
lowing years-long civil war.
Zimplats in danger of
losing Zimbabwe mining
licence
Zimplats, a subsidiary of South
African mining company Im-
pala Platinum, is in danger of
losing its mining licence in
Zimbabwe. Following the re-
jection of its original plan, the
company was given 14 days to
submit a revised plan to trans-
fer 51% of its shares to black
Zimbabweans to comply with
the countrys new indigenisa-
tion law. Zimplats had said
last week that discussions with
government were ongoing fol-
lowing the expiry of the 14-day
grace period. But according to
The Herald, Zimbabwes in-
digenisation minister Saviour
Kasukuwere on Wednesday
warned that the companys
refusal to comply will force him
to cancel its mining licence.
algerias security
minister warns that
gaddafi weapons could
fall into al-Qaeda hands
Countries around the conti-
nents Sahel region, south of
the Sahara, have expressed
concern that weapons and mu-
nitions have fooded into the
area following the confict in
Libya. Speaking at a security
conference for the region, Alge-
rias security minister warned
that the weapons, brought in
the area by feeing pro-Gaddaf
fghters, could fall into the
hands of al-Qaeda and turn the
area into a warzone. He told
delegates that the countries in
the region should reinforce se-
curity and seek assistance from
foreign nations.
africa swaziland
cosatu leader arrested in swaziland
From 5 to 9 September, pro-democracy activists
in Swaziland have embarked on a global week
of action. The protesters are calling for politi-
cal parties and trade unions to be unbanned,
free and democratic elections, and a free media,
among other demands.
Cosatu sent a delegation to Mbabane, in sup-
port of its comrades across the border. The trade
union federation has been a vociferous support-
er of calls for democracy in Swaziland, in partic-
ular critising South Africa's recent R2.4 billion
bailout of the impoverished nation.
Cosatu is proud, yet humbled and honoured
to have been available when called upon to share
the pains and sacrifces daily experienced by
the struggling masses of Swaziland. The whole
delegation of South Africans from Cosatu, its
afliates and civil-society organisations is about
45 people currently inside Swaziland for the ac-
tions, read a statement released on Monday.
As anti-government protesters in Swaziland embark on a global week of action, Cosatu's deputy
president, Zingiswa Losi, has been arrested during the demonstrations. By THERESA MALLINSON.
At least one Cosatu member, none other
than deputy president Zingiswa Losi, has
been arrested in the demonstrations. Si-
bongile Mazibuko, head of the Swaziland Na-
tional Association of Teachers, told AFP that
Losi was one of three Cosatu representatives
to be arrested. When Cosatu representatives
got up to speak, police gathered to remove
them. The crowd tried to protect them. There
were gunshots (of rubber bullets), teargas. I
think they are being taken back to their coun-
try, said Mazibuko.
Losi was arrested in Siteki, as was former
secretary-general of Swaziland's People's
Democratic Movement, Siphasha Dlamini.
Cosatu spokesperson Patrick Craven was un-
available for comment, but Pudemo's head of
publicity, Zakhele Mabuza, told iMaverick:
I've not received any information on new
developments on these people. Mabuza indi-
cated that there would be more information
available on Thursday. Photo: REUTERS
africa malawi
mutharika announces
a whole new cabinet
as opposition gets
impatient
Nearly three weeks after summarily dissolv-
ing Malawis cabinet in the face of mass pro-
tests against his increasingly authoritarian
rule, President Bingu wa Mutharika fnally an-
nounced a new one on Wednesday. This came
after a civil society petition to the president on
Monday, which told him that his ofce couldnt
competently handle all the functions of govern-
ment alone.
The new cabinet is made up largely of old
faces, but Mutharika has reduced the number of
ministers to 31 - still large by world standards,
but nine ministers less than before. The bloated
cabinet had been a key concern for anti-govern-
ment protesters. In addition to the president,
there are two other Mutharikas involved. His
brother and anointed successor, Peter Muthari-
president bingu wa mutharika fnally got around
to naming a new cabinet after running the country
by himself for three weeks. but opposition to his
rule continues to grow and, as if to prove it, the
presidents party was wholeheartedly rejected in a
crucial by-election. by simon allison.
ka, has been promoted to head the prestigious
foreign ministry, while his wife Callista as-
sumes the post of minister of safe motherhood;
a laudable cause no doubt, but we doubt it de-
serves its own ministry.
The announcement of the cabinet may also
have been precipitated by the unexpected de-
feat of the ruling party candidate in a local by-
election on Wednesday. The northern district
of Rumphi elected a candidate from a minor
opposition party in what was widely interpreted
as a rejection of Mutharikas rule, although the
handling of the election was described as fawed
by the ruling party and one of the major opposi-
tion parties.
read more:
1. Malawis New Cabinet on Malawi Voice
2. Malawis ruling party foored in by-election on Africa Review Photo: REUTERS
africa uganda
act ii in uganda vs the gays
The cabinet debate happens a week after South
Africa's ambassador to Uganda, columnist Jon
Qwelane, successfully defended a claim that
a homophobic column did not constitute hate
speech. Qwelane may well be cheering the pro-
posed Ugandan law from the sidelines, since the
Ugandan government appears to concur with
Qwelanes sentiment that gay is NOT okay.
The legislation proposes to imprison gays and
execute those convicted of "aggravated homosexu-
ality" ofences. The bill was originally tabled in
May, but the Ugandan cabinet initially voted to
discard the legislation after coming under intense
international pressure from donor countries. It
also argued there was little point in spending time
and money to pass the bill when Uganda's existing
anti-homosexuality laws are very strict, with ho-
Nobody appears to be paying much attention to the fact that Ugandas infamous anti-gay bill is on the
table once more. According to activist group Behind The Mask, the chairman of Ugandas legal and
parliamentary affairs committee has announced that the Anti-Homosexuality Bill would be debated on
Wednesday again. By REBECCA DAVIS.
mosexuality already punishable by a jail term.
The new impetus behind its re-tabling now has
now been provided by the anti-gay "Pass the Bill
Now campaign, spearheaded by the Uganda Na-
tional Parents Network and the Uganda Coalition
for Moral Values. This time they are proposing
Uganda sever all international relationships that
might impede the implementation of the law. In
a statement to government, the campaign urged
them to "Remember that it is the Ugandans who
elected you and not donors or foreign govern-
ments," suggesting Uganda focus on strengthen-
ing ties with nations that "share common values".
We can only hope, if nothing else, the threat of
losing a lot of aid again discourages the Ugandan
government from making the bill into law.
read more:
1. Parent group supports Uganda Kill the Gays bill, on
Care2.com Photo: President Museveni of Uganda. (Reuters)
egypt africa
THURSDAY - 08 SepTembeR 2011
football and egypts
hooligan revolutionaries
The organised hooligan elements of Al
Ahly, Egypt and Africas biggest and most
successful football club, are enjoying the post-
Mubarak era. Every weekend, the terraces in
Cairo Stadium rock with chants that are only
possible in the new Egypt. Fuck the mother
of Hosni Mubarak, goes one. And to the
As they ripped up stadium seats and showered police with urine, it was hard to remember that the
hooligan supporters of Egypts top football clubs were on the frontlines of the revolution. But after
besting police in running street fghts, it was easy to see to why they remain one of the transitional
governments biggest headaches. By SIMON ALLISON.
Photo: REUTERS
ranks of police stewards in the stadium: Go
fuck your minister, Habib al Adly, a reference
to the former interior minister and police
boss, who is co-accused in Mubaraks trial.
As is custom, the police circle the feld
egypt africa
with their backs to the action, eyes frmly
trained on the fans. Understanding that
power has shifted, most match-days they
stand there and take the abuse. But not on
Tuesday night. Al Ahly were playing Kemi
Aswan, and the action on the pitch was less
entertaining than policeman-bashing. Seats
were broken, frecrackers were lit, bottles
were thrown.
The fans slapped the policemen on the
back of their heads and threw plastic bottles
at them containing urine, said a government
representative later. The police are subjected
to constant assaults everywhere and we are
doing our best to exercise self-restraint. I
dont know why those fans are acting fercely.
This time, the police lost their patience. As
the match ended with a resounding victory
for Al Ahly, the lights in the stadium went
out and police advanced with sticks, chasing
fans out of the stadium and along a nearby
road. In the course of the clashes, more than
70 people were wounded most of them
policemen.
The hardcore fans of Al Ahly, as well as
those of their archenemies Zamalek, have
never had a good relationship with the
police, although theyve never before been
able to challenge them to such a degree. In
the stifed, oppressive political atmosphere
of Mubaraks Egypt, football gangs were one
of the few areas where young men could
channel their emotions, and violence has
long been an integral part of Egypts football
culture usually, its been directed at the
support of opposition teams. Mubaraks
security forces tolerated them, mindful of
giving a frustrated population some outlet for
expression, but were nervous of their growing
popularity.
The more they tried to put pressure on us,
the more we grew in cult status. The [interior]
ministry and the media, they would call us a
gang, as violent, said Assad, a leader of the
Al Ahly ultras, in an interview with CNN.
It wasn't just supporting a team; you were
fghting a system and the country as a whole.
We were fghting the police, fghting the
government, fghting for our rights...this was
something new, a little bit of a seed...
And as popular momentum gathered
behind Egypts revolution earlier this year,
Al Ahly and Zamalek ultras temporarily
put aside their diferences and came out
openly against Mubarak. In the revolutions
fercest battles against pro-Mubarak forces,
Mubaraks security forces tolerated them, mindful of
giving a frustrated population some outlet for expression,
but were nervous of their growing popularity.
egypt africa
read More:
1. Sept 9th Friday of Anger set to intensify as Egypts football
ultras vow to settle score with police in Egypts Al Ahram
2. Egypts revolutionary soccer ultras: how football fans toppled
Mubarak on CNN
3. Egypt police attack fans after anti-Mubarak chants on
Egypts Bikya Masr
be it against the police or the rent-a-militia
recruited to quell the uprising, the ultras were
on the frontlines, using their street-fghting
know-how to help organise the fghtback.
I don't want to say we were solely
responsible for bringing down Mubarak,
Assad said. Our role was to make people
dream, letting them know if a cop hits you,
you can hit them back. This was a police state.
Our role started earlier than the revolution.
During the revolution, there was the Muslim
Brotherhood, the activists and the ultras.
That's it.
Football hooligans are rarely on the right
side of history, in other countries attracting
a particularly right-wing reputation, as
evidenced last week in Bulgaria where black
English players were subjected to racist
abuse from certain sections of the home
crowd during a Euro 2012 qualifer. But their
infuence in Egypt has been strong and
largely positive, and in this strange interim
period they are keeping pressure on the
transitional government to deliver on the
ideals of the revolution and not revert to a
police state.
In addition to police-baiting, Egyptian
ultras are guarding the families of people
who died in the revolution from any possible
police vengeance. And theyll be out in
force this Friday in Tahrir Square, where
another million-man march is planned to put
pressure on the transitional government to
implement reforms.
But all this political action doesnt mean
that Egypts ultras have put their own
diferences behind them. The derby between
Al Ahly and Zamalek remains one of the
most volatile in world football, and amid
Egypts chaos and instability, thats one thing
that wont change any time soon.
and as popular
momentum gathered
behind egypts
revolution earlier
this year, al ahly
and Zamalek ultras
temporarily put aside
their differences and
came out openly
against Mubarak.
niger/libya africa
thurSDAY - 8 SEPtEMBEr 2011
The Tuareg people and The
mysTery of The niger convoy
On Tuesday, while Nato jets continued to
pummel Sirte, the hometown of Colonel
Muammar Gaddaf, the nearby town of Bani
Walid laid down their arms and agreed to hoist
the fag of the National Transitional Council
(NTC) well before the 10 September deadline.
Nigers foreign minister insists that while several people, of varying importance, arrived in Niger
in a heavily armed convoy on Tuesday, neither Gaddaf nor any of his sons were among the
passengers. Asked whether Gaddaf was welcome in Niger, the minister said that decision was up to
the president but added: "Gaddaf in Niger could cause some problems". Niger is certainly too close
to Libya for any future government of Libya to feel free of the shackles of Gaddaf but in Niger itself,
Gaddafs wheeling and dealing with the nomadic Tuareg people could prove especially challenging.
By KHADIJA PATEL and SIMON ALLISON.
Photo: REUTERS
Rebel soldiers celebrated the advance closer
to Gaddafs hometown by shooting into the
air but their celebrations proved premature.
Tribal leaders in Bani Walid recanted later in
niger/libya africa
the day. But away from the to-and-fro of the
negotiations, the most salacious news of the
Libyan war came from Niger. Early reports
indicated that a convoy of between 200 and
250 vehicles was given an escort by the army of
Niger across the Libyan border. Reuters soon
fanned rampant speculation of who exactly was
aboard the convoy by quoting a French military
source who believed the convoy would be joined
by Gaddaf en route to neighbouring Burkina
Faso, which has of course ofered Brother
Leader asylum.
The speculation was killed by the foreign
minister of Niger who unequivocally denied
that Gaddaf had fed Libya and was in Niger.
"It is not true, it is not Gaddaf and I do not
think the convoy was of the size attributed to
it," the minister told AFP. Reports from Chad
late on Tuesday appeared to corroborate the
minister. The size of the convoy does now
appear to have been signifcantly exaggerated.
Eye witnesses claim no more than 30 vehicles
passed into the town Agadez on Monday night.
Speculation however has grown that South
Africa diplomatic superheroes that we are
is brokering a deal that would see Libya
move entirely into rebel hands in exchange for
a safe passage for Gaddaf into Burkina Faso.
In Libya, the rumour mill is a particularly
lucrative industry.
The much trumped-up convoy consisted
of more than a dozen pickup trucks bristling
with well-armed Libyan troops, according
to eyewitnesses. Tuareg rebel leaders were
reported to have led the convoy into the town
of Agadez under the protection of the local
army. Gaddaf remains popular in towns like
Agadez, where the majority of the population
is Tuareg. Gaddaf is remembered fondly for
his for his assistance to the Tuareg during
their fght for independence.
The convoy into Niger raises questions about
the Tuaregs and their political infuence in
Libya and the Sahel region. The Tuaregs are the
nomads of the Sahara desert, and move largely
unimpeded across the borders of Libya, Niger
and Mali. Theyre historically uncomfortable
with governments and restrictions, and are a
headache for whatever government is trying to
exert its control over them. For example, the
leadership of Western Sahara, the breakaway
region of Morocco, is led by Tuaregs; and
Tuaregs feature prominently in the ranks of al-
Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. Gaddaf was one
The much trumped-
up convoy consisted
of more than a
dozen pickup
trucks bristling with
well-armed libyan
troops, according to
eyewitnesses. Tuareg
rebel leaders were
reported to have
led the convoy into
the town of agadez.
niger/libya africa
of the few leaders who successfully co-opted the
tribe into his regime, a feat achieved through
the provision of political support and money.
Tuareg fghters from other countries were
welcomed in Libya, and Gaddaf funded Tuareg
wars, even across borders: the two Tuareg
leaders who apparently headed the convoy
Agbaly Alambo and Rhissa Agbouly led an
unsuccessful Gaddaf-funded rebellion in Niger
before fnding refuge in Libya.
In this context, Tuareg support for Gaddaf
makes sense. What is more puzzling is how and
why they escaped or were allowed to escape
into Niger. Apparently, the convoy originated
from Bani Walid, the town which has been
besieged by the rebels for the last week. But did
it fght its way through the rebel lines, or was
it allowed past? Theres plenty of speculation
about a possible secret deal to let the convoy
through, with Libyas new leaders perhaps
preferring to be rid of a potentially troublesome
and heavily armed group of people.
The heavily armed convoy also raises
pressing questions about Gaddafs reported
use of mercenaries during this war. Allegations
of African mercenaries in Gaddafs troops
have circulated for as long as this war has
raged, but there has so far been scant evidence
that Gaddaf did indeed hire mercenaries
to quell the armed insurrection against his
rule. An Amnesty International investigation
into rebel claims that Gaddaf had paid men
from Central and Western Africa to fght for
him, found no evidence to corroborate such
allegations. Early on in the war, many of the
foreigners that were paraded to journalists as
foreign mercenaries were later found to have
been quietly released. Many of the foreigners
accused of being mercenaries are actually sub-
Saharan migrant workers without the requisite
visas permitting them to be in the country. Talk
about African mercenaries has famed mistrust
of dark skinned people in Libya, lending an air
of racism to the foundations of the new Libya.
Dark skinned people face arbitrary arrest and
persecution as rebels seek to win Libya over
an amnesty international investigation into rebel
claims that gaddaf had paid men from central and
Western africa to fght for him, found no evidence
to corroborate such allegations. early on in the
war, many of the foreigners that were paraded to
journalists as foreign mercenaries were later found
to have been quietly released.
niger/libya africa
from what they deem to be Gaddafs hired
hands. So too, the Tuaregs in Libya have also
been accused of being hired guns.
Tuaregs specifcally from Niger and Mali
have been singled as suspected mercenaries
in Gaddafs army. Reports indicate that some
4,000 Tuaregs who had been unemployed after
a peace deal ended their rebellion against the
Niger and Mali governments in 2009 did indeed
take up arms for Gaddaf. In March, the BBC
reported that Tuaregs were being paid $10,000
to join the Libyan government forces and a
further $1,000 a day to fght. If indeed true, this
would not be the frst time Colonel Gaddaf has
turned to the Tuareg for troops. In the 1970s he
bolstered his Islamic Legion, a military force to
fght for a united state across North Africa, with
the Tuareg.
Many Tuaregs have already left Libya,
returning to Niger and Mali, but their
reputation for violence remains with Tuaregs
who remain in Libya, severely exacerbating
tensions between the local Tuaregs and rebels.
The report on Tuesday of the convoy of vehicles
crossing into Niger is markedly similar to a
report late last month of a convoy of 60 vehicles
that had driven over the Libyan border into
Niger. French media also reported a separate
incident of a convoy of 20 vehicles crossing into
Mali. The Tuareg seem to be in an almighty
hurry to leave Libya, taking with them anything
that could fetch a price across the border. In the
case of the convoy that had crossed the Niger
border last month, Niger ofcials found the
remnants of a destroyed helicopter piled on to
the back of a pickup truck. But the convoy on
Tuesday is reported to have been loaded with
cash looted from the central bank but more
signifcantly, senior members of the Gaddaf
regime. As Americans implore Niger ofcials
to arrest any of Gaddafs aides found in the
country, the Tuareg might fnd that their
passengers fetch a handsome price.
read more:
1. Libyan army convoy in Niger may be Gaddaf deal
in Reuters Africa
2. Reports Say Loyalists Are Fleeing From Libya to Niger
in The New York Times
3. Poor, Destitute Niger: Gadhafs New Home?
In International Business Times:
Tuaregs specifcally
from niger and mali
have been singled as
suspected mercenaries
in gaddafs army.
reports indicate that
some 4,000 Tuaregs who
had been unemployed
after a peace deal ended
their rebellion against
the niger and mali
governments in 2009 did
indeed take up arms for
gaddaf.
WORLD
briefs world
Bomb explodes in Delhi, India: 11 killed more than 70 injured. (Reuters)
india
A briefcase bomb killed 11
people and injured at least 76
others in an explosion out-
side the Delhi high court on
Wednesday morning. The
briefcase packed with explo-
sives detonated at a point when
there were about 200 people
queuing for entry to the court.
A Bangladeshi terrorist group
called Harkat-ul-Jehadi Islami
has claimed responsibility,
purportedly to demand the
repeal of the death sentence for
a man who attacked the Indian
parliament in 2001. This is the
second high court attack in
four months.
Us
It appears that US defence sec-
retary Leon Panetta is in no
hurry to bring the boys home.
Obama has pledged that all
troops will be out of Iraq by the
end of the year, but The New
York Times has reported that
Panetta supports a plan to keep
3,000 to 4,000 soldiers there af-
ter the deadline. Panetta would
likely be supported in this pro-
posal by senior commanders,
who are said to be livid about
the withdrawal because they
say Iraq cannot yet ensure in-
ternal security.
Republican presidential candi-
dates are meeting for a debate
in Ronald Reagan's library on
Wednesday. It's expected to be
largely a two-horse race be-
tween Mitt Romney and Rick
Perry. In-fghting has already
developed between the two,
with Romney calling Perry a
"career politician" recently, and
Perry saying Romney "failed
to institute many of the re-
forms he now claims to sup-
port". Fingers crossed it gets
even bitchier.
The US has fallen to ffth place
in the global competitive rank-
ings due to its growing defcits.
The rankings are drawn up by
the World Economic Forum,
and the news is yet another
blow for Obama at a time when
he can ill aford it. Switzerland
came out on top for the third
consecutive year, with Singa-
pore second, Sweden third, and
Finland fourth. The highest-
ranked developing economy
was China at an impressive
briefs world
26th place. And South Africa
gained four places to rank 50th
out of 142.
China
The Chinese government has
released a "White Paper" lay-
ing out its hopes and dreams
for the future. The title says it
all: "China's Peaceful Develop-
ment". In it, the government
waxes lyrical about its desire
to be "rich, strong, democratic,
civilised and harmonious".
Enviable stuf. But, it says, it
has no desire to dominate any
other nations. It's been sug-
gested the paper is a little at
odds with reality, conficting
with Chinas military expan-
sion and neglecting any
mention of the crackdown
on government dissenters.
italy & spain
The Spanish and the Italians
are taking to their respective
streets to protest austerity pro-
posals by their governments.
Italy's largest trade union
started a strike on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Silvio Berlus-
coni is currently seeking gov-
ernment backing for a package
of cuts amounting to $64 bil-
lion. There are similar scenes
in Spain, where protestors
in Madrid are trying to halt
constitutional reforms aimed
at calming nerves about the
country's ability to service
its debt.
UrUgUay
President Jos Mujica has
apologised for the sexual as-
sault carried out by Uruguayan
peacekeepers for the UN on a
young Haitian man. "I share
your sadness, which I feel as
my own," Mujica said in a letter
addressed to the "dear and he-
roic people of Haiti". He vowed
that the "maximum penalty"
would be applied to anyone
found guilty. An additional fall-
out from the incident is that
some Haitians are now asking
for the UN mission to be shut
down, which seems rash.
bahrain
Hunger strikes are all the rage
among activists these days,
it seems. Shortly after Anna
Hazare's successful public
fast in Italy, more than 100
jailed Bahraini activists have
gone on a hunger strike. They
are demanding better rights
for Shi'ites in the Sunni-run
country. An international ex-
pert on hunger strikes is set to
visit the detainees to evaluate
their conditions.
libya
Negotiators say the Gaddaf-
loyal town of Bani Walid is
ready to surrender to the reb-
els. This feeling isn't totally
unanimous - Gaddaf diehards
shot at the tribal elders repre-
senting the town in talks with
the rebels. Gaddaf's top brass
were all hiding out in Bani
Walid, but have now all es-
caped, including Gaddaf's two
sons. Once the rebels get the
go-ahead, their forces, currently
surrounding the town, will en-
ter to take it. There might yet be
one last bloody battle.
rUssia
A Russian passenger jet has
crashed near the city of Yaro-
salvl, northeast of Moscow. Cur-
rent reports are that only two
of the 45 passengers on board
the plane survived. The jet was
taking members of the Lokom-
tiv Yaroslavl ice hockey team to
Minsk for their frst match of
the season. At the moment the
crash is being blamed on the
age of the plane: Soviet-era
planes from the 1980s are still
in service in Russia.
sri lanka
Amnesty International has
called on the UN to set up an in-
quiry into war crimes during the
fnal months of Sri Lanka's civil
war in 2009. Between 10,000
and 20,000 civilians died during
the last months, and AI claims it
has evidence of the army shell-
ing civilian areas. It also says
the Tamil Tigers used human
shields for protection. The Sri
Lankan government is currently
staging a TRC type inquiry, the
Lessons Learnt and Reconcili-
ation Commission, but AI has
already said its fndings will not
be credible.
world phone-hacking scandal
guardian journalist questioned by police
over phone-hacking leaks
The Guardian's Amelia Hill was taken in for
questioning by the police last week, but details
of it only emerged on Wednesday. Police claim
she published several stories for The Guardian
about the polices inquiry into the phone-hack-
ing scandal which were based on leaks from
a police ofcer assigned to the case. Guardian
execs said the development was "a bleak day for
journalism" and noted that "journalists would
no doubt be concerned if the police sought to
criminalise conversations between of-the-re-
cord sources and reporters".
The reason why the Met is getting edgy about
relationships between journalists and police of-
cers is undoubtedly a result of the uncomfortably
close relationships between police and the media
exposed by the phone-hacking scandal. The po-
lice force has launched two internal inquiries to
determine whether police ofcers should be pre-
In the latest bizarre development in the News Corp sideshow, a Guardian journalist has been quizzed
by police investigating information leaks about their investigation of phone hacking. Or something like
that. By REBECCA DAVIS.
vented from speaking freely to the media.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday four former News of
the World executives received a grilling from
the same parliamentary committee that put
the Murdochs under the spotlight in July. For-
mer editor Colin Myler, former heads of legal
afairs Tom Crone and Jon Chapman, and for-
mer head of resources Daniel Cloke were all in
the hotseat. The most damaging revelation to
emerge from the sitting were the testimonies of
Myler and Crone that they had informed James
Murdoch three years ago of an email proving
that phone hacking was more widespread than
merely the actions of one rogue reporter. This is
in direct contradiction to Murdoch's own testi-
mony to the committee, and virtually guaran-
tees his return to sit in front of the group again.
He won't be looking forward to that.
read more:
1. Guardian journalist questioned over alleged phone-hacking
leaks, in The Guardian Photo: REUTERS
lord black world
black is back - in the slammer, that is
This week, the minimum-security Federal
Correctional Institute in Miami welcomes a
new guest. He will look quite diferent from
the largely black, largely under-educated prison
population in Florida, where almost 70% are
men of colour. None of Lord Blacks fellow
inmates is a card-carrying noble, unless you
count drug baronsnarcotics ofenses are far
and away the leading cause of incarceration
in the Sunshine State. And its safe to say that
none of his new bunkmates will have assembled
a 1,200-page tome on Richard Nixon almost
entirely from memory, as the Black-meister has.
No, Conrad Black is sui generis, and his
remarkable biography takes a new twist this
week as he prepares to serve out the second
leg of a three-and-a-half-year sentence. In
Conrad Black, aka Lord Black of Crossharbour, aka Inmate #18330424, is back in federal prison in the
US. Like News Corps Rupert Murdoch, he is a media baron who has fallen mightily from grace. Unlike
Murdoch, he has done time. And hes about to do more. By RICHARD POPLAK.
Photo: REUTERS
July, Judge Amy St Eve, judicially unimpressed
by Lord Blacks Brobdingnagian vocabulary,
ordered Black to return to prison for charges of
fraud and the obstruction of justice. Black had
been free on $2 million bail for the past year,
languishing in a luxury hotel in New York with
his devoted wife, Barbara Amiel, sans passport
and, therefore, unable to travel.
He managed, in his time of, to get into
a spat with the conservative Canadian
government, which is tub-thumping a tough-
on-bad-guys platform despite the tumble in
crime rates. Black, who is partly responsible for
invigorating Canadas conservative movement
by founding the National Post, the countrys
lord black world
right-wing daily, and partly responsible for
Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the man who
makes the Tea Party look like a hippy love-in,
couldnt help but point out the absurdity of
building new prisons in a country that doesnt
need them. Black is a small c conservative in
an age where there is no longer a home for such
a creature, and the government has duly ignored
him, as the centre-left once did.
Indeed, Blacks frst stint in prison seems to
have changed him. We wont bandy about the
term humility because thats absurd given
the man and the context, but it has certainly
complicated his view of how an enlightened
society should be governed, especially
concerning crime and punishment. Black hasnt
exactly been contrite. He has pointed out that all
but four of the 16 or so convictions with which
he was charged have been shot down, which
makes him only about 15% guilty. That he ripped
of Hollingers shareholders is no longer in
doubt and that he acted like a corporate swine
at a trough he did not own is also no longer up
for dispute. He still refuses even the tiniest of
mea culpas and has never ceased to assert his
innocence, according to his bio.
That said, Black, always an astute mind, now
has a perspective on the penal system in the
US (and, by extension, the West), which he has
frequently excoriated as inane, malicious and
stupid. This month, he is publishing a memoir
called A Matter of Principle, which covers his
time at Hollinger International, his fall from
grace, along with the prosecutors who mounted
a campaign to destroy him and the journalists
who presumed he was guilt.
The ber-villain, however, will no doubt be
the US, a country in which Black seems to have
lost all faith. Flitting between the ivory tower
and the gutter, Black may well be the man
to put 21st century America into some kind
of meaningful perspective. He has powerful
friends and he has bunked with hardened cons
in a Florida prison cell. (Twice.) Among his
enemies Black can count the heads of state of at
least three G8 nations, and lesser functionaries
that number in the thousands. If he cant get to
the nut of the issue, then who can?
It is, however, difcult to see how without
reserve A Matter of Principle will be when
Black refuses to be frank about his malfeasance
at Hollinger. (His obstruction of justice was,
famously, caught on camera when he and
several associates moved incriminating paper
out of his ofces in the dead of night.) If he
plans to turn the klieg lights on his enemies,
should he not sit in the hot seat for a few
moments himself?
Thats media barons for you. Their frankness
tends not to extend to their own activities. (See
also: Murdoch, Rupert.) While Black unfurls
his bedroll and toils in the prison factory, his
book will rocket up the bestseller lists and fnd
its way under Christmas trees. His sense of
self will be secure and in seven or so months
hell be free to plan the plundering of another
raft of hapless shareholders. And in the Florida
Correctional Institute, there is one thing with
which he can console himself: He is not the
most famous man ever to bunk there.
That honour belongs to Manuel Noriega.
read more:
1. Conrad Black returns to prison to fnish sentence in CTV
2. Black through the years at CBC
3. "Suckered by America" by Lord Black himself, in the LRC
BUSINESS
business briefs
James Murdoch (Reuters)
business
south AfricA
The JSE had a great comeback
day, gaining 3.4% of recent
losses to close at 30,545. Sasol,
the worlds largest motor fuel
coal producer, gained 5.5%
as brent crude oil had its big-
gest gain in three weeks. SAB
Miller gained 2.7% as analysts
changed the stocks rating to
buy. Anglogold Ashanti led
the Top40 lower, losing 1.1% as
the gold price dropped 3% in
trading.
Media company Avusa ter-
minated the potential deal by
suitors Capitau as the deadline
for a frm ofer by 7 September
failed to materialise. Proposed
tax changes were apparently
the cause of failure to deliver a
bid.
uK
The FTSE 100 posted its big-
gest gain since May, ending up
3.1% to close at 5,319. Barclays
PLC and Lloyds Banking both
climbed 6% while BHP Billiton
climbed 4.8%. Randgold Re-
sources led the laggards, down
2.3% following the gold price
lower.
House prices in the UK fell for
the frst time in four months,
as negative sentiment set in
the housing market. Prices
dropped 1.2% from July, ac-
cording to Lloyds Banking
mortgage stats.
James Murdoch, son of Ru-
pert, faces further scrutiny in
the phone hacking scandal
after two senior executives
challenged his statements to
Parliament. The companys
lawyer and former editor claim
Murdoch was made aware of
phone hacking in 2008, contra-
dicting statements he made to
the parliamentary commission
last month.
us
President Obama is hop-
ing to create opportunities for
job growth by injecting $300
million into the economy. Tax
cuts, infrastructure spending
and direct aid to local govern-
ments would make up the bulk
of the eforts.
Facebook reportedly doubled
its frst half revenue to $1.6
billion as it continues to make
inroads into the online adver-
tising sector. Net income rose
to $500 million for the period,
countering perceptions that
social media companies cant
make profts. The fgures re-
leased by an unnamed com-
pany insider will boost interest
briefs business
Victor Muller, SAAB Chairman (Reuters)
in the companys expected 2012
IPO, estimated to be around
$100 billion.
In the time Steve Jobs presid-
ed over Apple, the share price
grew by a multiple of 91, caus-
ing the share price to fall when
his retirement as CEO was an-
nounced. Since then, the cost
to insure against further losses
in Apple stock value dropped
to one-year lows as the market
comes to accept the company
will continue to prosper in his
absence as CEO.
After ousting CEO Carol
Bartz, the share price of Ya-
hoo! surged up to 8.4% in early
NYSE trading as the market
digested the news that man-
agement shakeup would help
the company out of its slumber.
The board is looking at a num-
ber of alternatives to unpack
further value for shareholders,
including a delisting to private
equity partners.
HP is set to introduce four
touch screen desktop models,
ahead of its planned sell-of of
its PC division. HP is planning
to move more aggressively into
software where margins are
higher.
europe
Stocks in Europe rose the
most in three weeks, as they
rebounded from two year lows.
Greek stocks gained as Germa-
nys high court rejected chal-
lenges on the legality of the
bailouts made by the country
to other euro zone members.
Mercedes-Benz has ramped
up the number of high-end
luxury models and SUVs is it
plans to challenge BMWs re-
cently released record profts.
BMW and VW have grown fve
times faster than Merc, mainly
by increasing number of avail-
able models. Merc now sits
third behind BMW and Audi in
luxury car sales.
SAAB, the Swedish automobile
manufacturer, had its shares
suspended in Amsterdam trad-
ing as it fled for court pro-
tection from creditors under
bankruptcy legislation. The
60-year-old company is seek-
ing to raise 150 million euros to
see of creditors.
The trading outlook for Ireland
was given a kick in the family
jewels as the IMF cut its GDP
forecast for the Emerald Isle
to 0.4% for 2011 and 1.5% for
2012. The countrys trade sur-
plus widened to record levels
in June as exports of dairy and
medical products surged, but
are expected to feel the efect
of a tougher second-half of the
year.
business mining
num, AngloPlAt
reAch wAge deAl.
no Pressure
to other
mining houses
AngloPlatinum, the worlds largest producer
of platinum, announced on Wednesday that
it had reached a two-year wage deal with the
National Union of Mineworkers and two other
unions, and had avoided a strike.
Reuters said that the deal was structured
such that in the second year, the wage hike
would be 8% plus 2% or 9% plus 2%, depend-
ing on the worker category, should the average
consumer price index increase equal 8%.
NUM had previously demanded a 12-15%
wage increase, while AngloPlat ofered 5%.
All eyes are now on Impala Platinum, where
NUM and other unions are still negotiating
a wage deal. The average wage deal reached
AngloPlatinum and the national
union of mineworkers have
reached a wage deal, and other
platinum miners are in earnest
talks with the unions to either
end or avert strikes. by siPho
hlongwAne.
across the mining sector is between 7 and 10%,
which not only places a watermark for ImPlats,
but pressures it into accepting the unions ofer
should it fall within that range.
NUM also reached a one-year wage deal with
Rainbow Minerals Nkomati Mine and the Bo-
koni Platinum Mine, owned by AngloPlat and
Anooraq Resources.
The tone of the negotiations in the mining
sector seems to be a lot better than that of ne-
gotiations between the South African Municipal
Workers Union and the South African Local
Government Assocation, where Samwu exploit-
ed a loophole to strike this year. The union also
demanded an 18% wage hike.
reAd more:
1. AngloPlat, unions sign wage deal in Fin24 Photo: REUTERS
business telecoms
At&t, Deutsche telekom, us government
scrAp over t-mobile
Deutsche Bank has wanted to get out of the
USA due to tumbling sales for some time
now. It seemed like it would fnally be able to
when AT&T ofered to purchase T-Mobile USA
from the bank for a reported $39 billion. Then
things got complicated.
Tied up into these deals is something
known as a breakup fee a sum that the
buyer has to pay the seller if the deal doesnt
work out.
On 5 September, Reuters quoted a person
familiar with the matter who said that AT&T
may not be obliged to pay the $6 billion break-
up fee under certain conditions.
According to the source, the deal is only
valid if the acquisition receives regulatory ap-
AT&T wants to buy T-Mobile. Deutsche Bank wants to sell it. Straightforward, no? No. The buyer
might have to pay the seller if the deal falls through. And it might, because the US government is
suspicious of AT&Ts desire to merge. By SIPHO HLONGWANE
proval within a certain timeframe, and the
agreement could become invalid if regulatory
conditions for the sale push the value of T-Mo-
bile below a certain level.
AT&T could be manoeuvring to get out of the
fee in anticipation of a lawsuit brought by the
US government. The authorities are concerned
that the merger which would create the larg-
est telecommunications company in the US
would result in uncompetitive behaviour in
the industry.
Deutsche Telekom said that Reuters were
mistaken, and it was defnitely entitled to a fee
should the deal fall through.
reAD more:
1. Deutsche Telekom: we are entitled to a break-up fee in
CNet News
2. AT&T could escape fee in T-Mobile deal in Reuters Photo: REUTERS
business parastatals
GiGaba: transnet and eskom are fine as is
There is no anticipated privatisation of any
of the entities or even a breakup of these enti-
ties, said public enterprises minister Malusi
Gigaba to Reuters in an interview. He was re-
sponding to repeated calls by private sector in-
vestors to privatise Transnet and Eskom. These
investors said that they could help bring bal-
ance back to the balance sheet of these state-
owned enterprises, and yes, do a better job of
providing transport infrastructure and utilities
to the country.
Instead, Gigaba said, government would
be cautious about involving private business
in the sector. On the continent private sector
participation has been dismal we have to be
cautious in moving forward, he said. His de-
partment will be developing a framework to al-
low private investors to have their input, but it
probably wont allow them the sort of free rein
they would otherwise desire.
Gigaba said to BusinessDay that the public
Malusi Gigabas response to private investors asking to take over some state-owned
enterprises was a frm no. The state is expanding, not narrowing, its public enterprise project.
By SIPHO HLONGWANE
enterprises ministry, the economic development
ministry and the trade and industry ministry,
as well as the eight main state-owned compa-
nies had held talks to implement a new compet-
itive supplier development programme designed
to boost South Africas industrial growth. The
R624 billion capital expenditure budget set
aside for these departments and SOEs would be
leveraged for this programme. The govern-
ments own under-investment in road, rail, port
and power projects (you can almost hear the
private investors fdgeting in the background)
has been blamed for South Africas failure to
have a thriving industrial sector.
One idea that has emerged is requiring in-
ternational manufacturers of supplies to make a
certain portion of their goods locally. Transnet
is planning to buy 100 locomotives from Gener-
al Electric and, as a part of the deal, 90 of them
have to be manufactured here.
read more:
1. Gigaba: Transnet, Eskom wont be sold in Fin24
2. Gigabas new plan to boost industry in BusinessDay
Photo: REUTERS
banking business
The cool banker, Michael Jordaan
South Africas banking industry sat on the
sidelines of the worst of the 2008 fnancial
meltdown. They were spared the fates of their
American and European counterparts, and if
you ask why, the answer varies. The government
spin is that our strict banking regulations
saved the banks from harming themselves by
imposing strict exchange controls.
First National Bank has emerged as the new face of cool business in South Africa. Its an extraordinary
feat, given that the industry is mostly defned by its conservatism. SIPHO HLONGWANE speaks to CEO
Michael Jordaan about the banks gospel of innovation and other strategies for success.
But thats not true, FNB chief executive ofcer
Michael Jordaan says. A popular conception, and
it is a lie propagated by the banks themselves, is
that exchange controls saved us, he says. And
this was a lie we were happy to go with because
it was something the man in the street could
understand.
So all these foreign banks were investing
banking business
in subprime mortgage funds through the
exchange controls and South African banks
didnt. Its a lie because if you wanted to, you
could. There are mechanisms to get to CDOs
[collateralised debt obligation]. So why didnt
we? And this goes for the whole industry and
not just FNB by the way.
First of all, we are very well regulated. Its
not always nice to be ruled by an iron fst, but
we are. The second reason is South African
bank management is excellent. Thats why in
the World Economic Forum I said we are the
sixth-best in the world. The third one is that
youll fnd that the banks that took the most
risks are those in economies that didnt grow,
Jordaan says.
For banks to maintain the proft margins
demanded by shareholders in those countries
with poor economic growth, they began
taking on more risk than they should have,
Jordaan explains.
The result of all this is it has put South
Africas banks in the enviable position of
holding more capital than their European and
American counterparts . Jordaan is confdent
South African banks will have a higher capital
ratio in 2019 than their Western counterparts
even higher than the requirements of Basel
III , the global regulatory standard on bank
capital adequacy and liquidity agreed by the
members of the Basel Committee on Banking
Standards
The 43-year-old CEO has spent pretty much
all his life in the banking industry, starting of
at Deutsche Bank and then moving around in
diferent leadership positions within the First
Rand group before being appointed to the top
of FNB in 2004. Since then, the organisations
name has cropped up several times as the
best bank in the South African and African
industry.
Jordaan says the key to that success has
been attracting the right type of people to the
organisation. He cites their innovation reward
scheme, where employees receive a prize of R1
million if they successfully come up with and
implement an innovative idea, as an example
of the incentives FNB uses to attract the right
kind of people to the organisation.
As CEO, I actually have very little to do,
he says. Its completely over-estimated what
I do. I create an environment where people
can come up with these ideas and do well.
Were blessed with people who can do that.
The thing about being good with tech is that
we cant be a staid old bank. Very few people
want to work for those. They like cool, hi-tech
kind of companies to work for and so all I can
do is create the environment and trust in the
people to innovate.
as ceo, i actually
have very little to do
its completely over-
estimated what i do. i
create an environment
where people can
come up with these
ideas and do well.
banking business
FNB is also somewhat of a
telecommunications company these days
through FNB Connect. This Internet service
company which operates within the First Rand
cluster, was an internal employee innovation
which FNB implemented and now ofers to
customers as part of its incentive package.
The FNB CEO describes FNB Connect as an
example of wanting to do cool things for our
customers. The bank was also careful not to
position FNB Connect as a competitor to other
telecommunications companies.
How FNB Connect came about is that
there was an opportunity in the market for
us to apply for a licence, Jordaan says. Youll
remember the court case between Altech and
the regulator. It really opened the opportunity
for us to get a licence about the interpretation
of the regulations. We can now negotiate with
other telcos as a peer, not as a customer. Then
the techies said we had a whole network and we
should give that to our customers.
The usage package for us is our customers
use it exactly when we dont use it. Its a nice
value-add for our customers. If you want to
know a vision in a few years time, there must
be no rational reason not to bank with us, he
says.
A lot of FNBs innovation that gets publicity
is aimed at its top-end customers (with South
Africas poor Internet penetration, it is the
higher-ups in the ladder who are online).
Jordaan says they havent abandoned the
lower end of the pyramid, and are specifcally
competing with Capitec for lower-end
customers.
Capitec is a respected competitor. Its come
into the market and innovated. When it frst
came in, we didnt take it seriously enough and
that was a mistake. Now were taking it very
seriously and we are rolling out branches faster
than it is. We think that our EasyPlan branches
are better because they ofer more. Were also
price-competitive with Capitec.
FNBs African growth is based on three
prongs: that of green-feld ventures, accelerated
green-feld ventures and acquisitions. The
thrust that would be used in the particular
country depends on how easy it is to obtain a
banking licence there, among other things. In
countries like Botswana and Namibia (where
FNB is a big employer and taxpayer), the
company grows from the ground up, just like a
start-up would.
This strategy is FNBs favourite, Jordaan
says, as it means the bank can implement
capitec is a respected competitor. its come
into the market and innovated. When it frst
came in, we didnt take it seriously enough
and that was a mistake.
banking business
its systems and breathe its culture into the
organisation right away. When that doesnt
work, they acquire a small bank within the
company and then put it on an aggressive
growth trajectory (the accelerated green-feld
venture), as they have done in Mozambique. In
countries like Nigeria and Ghana, where there
is either privatisation of banks or a narrowing
of the banking industry, the company would
probably opt for an outright acquisition.
Jordaan is something of a big deal on
Twitter , which he says is purely for fun.
What I really like about Twitter is that its
short and sometimes there is time for short
bursts of conversation. Having started to do
it, I can really see the beneft, he says. He is
not the companys public face, however. That
is RB Jacobs, a fake persona based on an old
FNB ad joke.
Executive salary has been in the news of
late, with South Africas trade unions throwing
a huge ft when it was reported that executives
enjoyed a 23,3% pay hike last year. Jordaan
says although South African companies are
among some of the most socially responsible
in the world, he is not opposed to a wealth tax.
And a lot of rich business people are actively
involved in social responsibility projects.
Some people choose to do these things
and not make a big deal about it, he says.
Personally Id like to be in that category. I feel
a deep social responsibility for this country.
I want my kids to grow up here and I want
this to be a successful country. You dont only
do that by working and drawing a salary,
although thats a very important part of it, but
also by running a sustainable business and
ploughing back into the country. It doesnt
necessarily all have to be in the public eye.
A salary cap for executives would have
mixed results, Jordaan says. Youd have a lot
of skill leaving the corporate sector and doing
something else. Some of them elsewhere in the
world, but some would become entrepreneurs.
Youd just have skill being applied elsewhere.
Youd probably have corporations which arent
being run as well, and youd probably have some
entrepreneurs that do very well. In the end I
think you have to pay for skill.
In big businesses that employ thousands of
people mistakes are very costly. If you make a
mistake, its billions of rands in consequences
and other people lose their jobs, the FNB CEO
says. The real debate there is whether you are
delivering value to you stakeholders, not just
shareholders. It is actually about inequality and
is a separate debate to how you reward people
for value that they put into a company.
We can now negotiate
with other telcos
as a peer, not as a
customer. Then the
techies said we had
a whole network and
we should give that to
our customers.
youtube business
How Peter Carvell lost weigHt. got a life.
found a Career. tHanks to tHe internet.
I didnt have a job and was living with my
brother and over a year I had picked up 45kg to
50kg , says Carvell. At school I was incredibly
successful, I was sportsman of the year and 10
years on I was 27, didnt have my own place and
didnt even have a job.
He reached a point where he decided he
needed to turn his life around and thought the
only way hed be able to stay motivated was if he
published his journey online. I started losing
weight on my own, and discovered YouTube,
which at that stage was about a year old.
In 2006 Peter Carvell had just landed back in SA after spending a couple of years in the UK doing the
study, work and experience life kinda thing. When he landed there was no cushy job waiting for him, and
like most young people he had to start fnding work for himself in a tough market. From there it went
downhill all the way. Until he discovered YouTube. By MANDY DE WAAL.
Photo: Peter Carvell. (Reuters)
Carvell had started his own personal journey
about the same time YouTube started changing
the world. Created by Chad Hurley, Steve Chen,
and Jawed Karim, who used to work at PayPal,
YouTubes frst video was a 19-seconder of Karim
standing in front of some elephants at the San
Diego Zoo. A couple of months later YouTube
had its frst viral sensation when Nike saw its
potential and put a video of Ronaldinho doing a
victory samba online.
youtube business
People loved Ronaldinhos dance, YouTube
got funding and launched in December 2005.
Soon afterwards it got more funding and then
some crazy guy called Judson Laipply posted a
video called The Evolution of Dance. Thats
when people really started seeing how massive
YouTube was. In October 2006 Google bought
YouTube for $1.65 billion and today Laipplys
crazy dance video has been seen more than
180 million times.
YouTubes numbers are impressive.
Thirteen-million hours of video were uploaded
in 2010, while 48 hours of video are currently
uploaded every minute. Each day more than
3 billion videos are viewed, but the most
important number to people reading this
article will be the 30,000 partners around the
world who get millions from Google each year.
Everyone knows about the chocolate rain
guy or wondered why millions of people
would watch an annoying orange, and hears
rumours of YouTubes millionaires. But what
are people making, really? The YouTube
Partner Programme enables people to make
money on advertising which is shown through
their content. These adverts are shown inside
or next to the video and the partner has full
control of how the adverts are shown, says
Sara Mormino, the YouTube Partner manager
for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Over
the past year weve had massive growth in
the number of partners who are earning over
$100,000 a year and in the EMEA region we
have more than 100 partners who are earning
six-fgure revenues.
The YouTube Partner Programme has now
been expanded to Africa which means anyone
with a mobile phone, free editing software
that can be downloaded online and a big
idea can start making money. Local channel
owners can make anywhere from R20,000 to
R60,000 a month if theyre appealing enough
to draw in good numbers. Most of the online
creators in our programme started with a
small budget and freeware and used their
imagination to produce excellent content,
says Mormino.
But lets get back to Carvell, the year 2006
and his drive to lose weight, get a life and
develop rock-hard abs. My frst video was
day one of my transformation, which was
overwhelming because I didnt know much
about video and putting yourself out there
well you dont know if you will embarrass
yourself. Carvell says the interface was easy
enough, so he shot the footage, put it online,
and went through his body transformation,
learned a lot about himself and started
attracting viewers.
the youtube Partner
Programme has now
been expanded to africa
which means anyone
with a mobile phone, free
editing software that can
be downloaded online
and a big idea can start
making money.
youtube business
The thought of embarrassing myself
in front of the whole world put me under
pressure, and putting the videos up gave me
something to do with my life because I didnt
have a job. It was the perfect solution to make
sure I pushed through and got that perfect six-
pack, says Carvell.
Thanks to the experience Carvell was
getting on YouTube he was able to start a
production company, and this took of. Now
a ft and lean man can focus on growing his
business. My YouTube channel went dormant
for a couple of years because Id achieved my
goal and was busy with my company, but when
a large contract came to an end, I thought Id
have another go at it.
This was the time of the World Cup,
YouTube had just announced its partner
programme, and Carvell achieved more
than 2,6 million views with a simple video
of himself doing ab exercises. I started
uploading videos, but now YouTube was
very popular and thousands of people were
uploading videos and I was only getting 500 to
1,000 views on each upload.
But because Carvell was trying to create
a web site and an online business, he was
undeterred. I continued to upload, and the
more I did the more the interest picked up
to a point where the videos were getting
thousands of views and more. I did one video
eight months ago on a 12-minute ab work out
which got more than 2 million views, says
Carvell, who didnt spend a cent on marketing
or advertising. Today the channel has almost
40,000 subscribers and I am making a viable
living. Well, I think it is good money.
Carvell says the amount of money he
earns depends on how much efort he puts
in. He makes a share of advertising on his
channel, together with sales of products like
a Six-Pack Diet that hes developed for his
site. I get between $5,000 to $6,000 a month
from YouTube during an average month,
and product can bring in another $3,000 to
$4,000 or more monthly. It is early days still
for Carvell who, although doing well, with
some smarts could continue to grow what
is essentially a start-up into a really good
business.
The big problem for Carvell is focus; he has
so many ideas that choosing the right things
that build the momentum he already has is
crucial. I get hundreds of comments a month
and cant answer them all, but it gives me a
great idea about what people want from me,
i get between $5,000 to $6,000 a month from
youtube during an average month, and product can
bring in another $3,000 to $4,000 or more monthly.
youtube business
and this is what drives me forward. I have also
started doing DVDs and have sold a few of
these, but at this stage my focus is on building
the base and the footprint, and taking things
from there.
But whats the silver bullet for perfect
ads or weight loss? Sad news from Carvell is
that there is none, and it is all about balance
and doing things in moderation. People are
looking for that quick pill, the best work out,
the best diet plan. Truth is that everything
in moderation doesnt make us fat. We get fat
because we drink two litres of coke, eat at the
wrong time of day or eat McDonalds every
day. One burger wont make you fat, but if you
eat junk for six meals or so you will put on
weight, says Carvell. Good to hear common
sense coming from a new player in an
industry that too often exploits vulnerabilities
for profts.
And whats the secret to making money
online? It doesnt matter where you are, the
minute you go online youre on par with the
rest of the world. Get started because its not
that difcult. And dont fall for tricks and
people who want to sell you products, just
get going. Shoot a video, stick it on YouTube
and you never know you might just make
money. Like ftness, it is all about getting
going, getting information and striving for the
results you are looking for.
Carvell advises people wanting to make
money on YouTube to be unique, brand
their channel, have a clear idea about what
they want from a video before they even
pick up the camera and to have fun. For his
videos Carvell uses a normal HD camcorder,
a few cheap lights and he started out using
Moviemaker which is free, but now edits with
Sony Vegas Pro. He reduces the size of the
videos because SA isnt bandwidth rich. I use a
normal Cell C 5Gb connection to upload. Not so
Woosh most of the time, but it works. He also
takes around half an hour a day to answer as
many questions as he can.
So you can lose weight, get a life and make
money on the Internet. The biggest trick, it
would seem, is getting started.
read more:
1. Infographic: The History of Video Advertising on YouTube on
The Atlantic
2. Natalie Tran: Down Under's Top YouTuber Considers Her Next
Move on Forbes
3. Nollywood and the net: A love story in Mail & Guardian
4. Peter Carvells YouTube Channel
5. YouTubes partner programme.
but whats the silver
bullet for perfect ads
or weight loss? sad
news from Carvell is
that there is none, and
it is all about balance
and doing things in
moderation
Makes light of any load.
Makes for 7,9 litres per 100km.
Makes the toughest jobs seem easy.
Introducing the Amarok Single Cab.
* Fuel consumption figures of 7.9l/100km drawn from combined urban and extra urban cycles. Amarok Single Cab available in: 2.0 BiTDI
120kW Trendline; 2.0 BiTDI
120kW 4Motion
Trendline. 2.0 TDI 90kW 4Motion

Trendline; 2.0 TDI 90kW Basic 4Motion
, 2.0 TDI 90kW Trendline and 2.0 TDI 90kW Basic. The fuel consumption values are determined using the prescribed methods of measurement (EC Regulation 80/1268/EEC).
Work hard. Work smart. Amarok Single Cab.
The Amarok Single Cab is here. Its tremendous off-road capabilities ensure that even the toughest
tasks in the hardest to reach places are childs play. With 400Nm of torque, a fuel consumption
of 7.9l/100km*, a loading bay that allows for 2 Euro-sized pallets crossways and the ability to climb
a 45 incline with a full load, it really is the superior choice if you want a hard-working single cab.
Now there are more than enough reasons to put the old workhorse to rest.
Commercial
Vehicles
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LIFE, ETC
life, etc briefs
Elizabeth Taylor (Reuters)
cHiNA
What do you get a Chinese
businessman who has every-
thing? A foreign passport, ap-
parently. A report by the As-
sociated Press suggests that
China's wealthiest citizens are
desperate to get out of China.
They are increasingly investing
abroad in order to get a foreign
passport partly to expedite
international business, but
also to pave their way out. They
want out because they want
to protect their assets, they
want to be able to Google stuf
(well, they want to be able to
speak freely), and many of
them want a second child
verboten in China.
UsA
Who doesn't love a lekker
moon photo? Nasa has just re-
leased new images of the Apol-
lo landing sites on the moon,
and they are pretty cool. The
pictures show the hardware left
on the moon's surface by US
astronauts in the 60s and 70s,
including the Apollo 17 "moon
buggy". (Haven't these astro-
nauts ever heard of the hippie
principle of take nothing but
pictures, leave nothing but
footprints?) The snaps were
taken by the Lunar Reconnais-
sance Orbiter, which has been
orbiting its away around earth
since 2009.
UsA
Fans of Elizabeth Taylor and
extravagant jewellery will want
to start saving up. Liz Taylor's
jewellery collection goes on
auction at Christie's in Decem-
ber. The pieces on ofer include
a 33-carat diamond ring and a
16th century pear-shaped pearl
given to her by Richard Bur-
ton. You don't get to have seven
husbands without amassing
quite the jewellery box, and
Taylor's is valued at $30 mil-
lion. And boy did she love the
stuf, writing in 2002 that: "I'm
here to take care of them and
to love them". Let's hope their
next owner feels similarly.
UsA
Do you know the name Tavi
Gevinson? Tavi is that slightly
creepy teenage fashion blogger
who launched when she was
13, and since then fnds her-
self front row at all the Vogue
shows, with Anna Wintour on
speed-dial. Tavi is now 15, and
while she's still a fashion celeb,
she's decided to branch out,
launching a much-anticipated
(apparently) website called
Rookie, a webzine for teen-
age girls. No doubt it will do
splendidly after all, no less an
authority than Lady Gaga de-
scribed Tavi as "the future
of journalism".
UK
The UK Poet Laureate, Carol
Ann Dufy, says that "txt speak"
is going to spawn a new genera-
briefs life, etc
Charlize Theron (Reuters)
tion of poets. In one of those
cringey attempts to make liter-
ature "relevant" and "personal"
to sulky teenagers who don't
give a toss, Dufy told high
school pupils at the launch of a
literary competition that: "The
poem is a form of texting. It's
the original text". As Shake-
speare wrote, "Rose by eni otha
name wd smel as swit LOL.
PHiliPPiNes
Oy vey. You must have seen
the footage of this by now:
fshermen in the Philippines
have caught the world's largest
crocodile ever captured. The
croc weighed a ton (literally)
and measured about 6.5m from
snout to tail. It took 100 men
to haul it to shore after it was
caught in a steel trap. Although
the villagers celebrated with a
big feast, wildlife ofcials have
warned them that there could
be other giant crocs lurking.
Nightmare stuf.
sA
Onse Charlize is doing so
nicely, hey? Benoni's favourite
daughter has just released her
second ad campaign for Dior's
J'Adore scent. The video shows
Charlize wearing black shades
as she races past a crowd of
paparazzi into the distance.
Not Oscar-winning stuf, by
the sounds of things, but she
manages to look pretty good.
And she already has an Oscar,
so who cares.
UsA
Spare a thought for shark fn-
loving Californians, who are
likely to be deprived of their
favourite delicacy if a current
bill gets passed. The proposed
legislation which looks likely
to go through will ban the
sale, purchase or possession of
the fns of what the Times in
SA calls "ocean-going preda-
tors" one of the more grasp-
ing synonyms for shark we've
ever heard. But wait, there's
more Asian Americans are
saying the bill is discriminatory
because shark fn soup is such
a delicacy in Chinese cuisine.
They say that if you can buy
shark steaks, you should be
able to buy shark fns. Seems
fair to us.
UsA
It's ofcial: the longest ears
of any living dog in the world
belong to Harbor, a black and
tan Coonhound (shouldn't we
be changing that name?) from
Boulder, Colorado. Harbor's
left ear measures 31cm and his
right 34cm. Apparently Harbor
often trips over his ears, which
is a YouTube channel waiting to
happen. You read it here frst.
UK
Little Britain comedian Da-
vid Walliams is swimming the
Thames to raise money for
Sports Relief. He is currently
38 miles through a 140-mile
journey, during which he has
to swim for eight hours a day.
Walliams is no stranger to en-
durance swimming, having
swum the Channel last year. A
setback yesterday was his suc-
cumbing to Thames Tummy,
which is what happens when
you drink the river's water, a
heady cocktail of sewerage
and E.coli.
life, etc netherlands
reality tV's new low: Big Brother is
deporting you
The pun in the show's title, which can be trans-
lated as either Away from the Netherlands or
Crazy about the Netherlands, cruelly plays
on the contestants' predicament. They all face
deportation, but have chosen to spend some of
their remaining time in the Netherlands partic-
ipating in a quiz show that tests them on such
national trivia as how many bicycles were stolen
in the country last year (524,000, if you care)
and their ability to carve a map of the Nether-
lands from a block of cheese.
Of course, it's terrible, but it is also very
smart, Janneke Bruil, of the Foundation for
Refugee Students, told Global Post. When you
watch this show it hits you right in your heart.
You can't help but think that something is
As reality TV scrapes the barrel, the Netherlands broadcast a quiz show last week called Weg van
Nederlands. Its unique selling point? The fve contestants were all student refugees whose asylum
applications have already been refused. By THERESA MALLINSON.
wrong. It's a game, but at the same time these
people are going to be sent of on a plane and it's
their life. You have to ask 'what is going on here?'
Yes, we do have to ask that question not
only of the Dutch government, which has re-
cently tightened asylum policies, but of the
show's producers. The winner of Weg van Ned-
erlands received $5,680 in a plastic suitcase.
And the losers? They got bullet-proof vests,
decorated in the style of traditional Delft blue
tiles. As the contestants are returned to Arme-
nia, Cameroon, Chechnya, Sri Lanka, and Syria
over the next while, we're sure that touching
reminder of their stay in the Netherlands will
make all the diference to their situation.
read more:
1. Reality TV: Who wants to be a refugee, in Global Post Photo: REUTERS
motoring life, etc
mercedes-Benz cls 63 Amg:
A cAr of contrAdictions
Interestingly, the AMG version of the all-new
Mercedes-Benz CLS arrived in South Africa
almost two months before the standard model,
underscoring just how independently AMG
operates these days. It means I havent seen the
standard rendition of the new CLS yet at least
not in the metal. But despite its bodybuilder
bulges, the AMG model shows of some
promising styling improvements.
The Mercedes-Benz CLS has always been a car of contradictions. Heres a big four-door sedan that likes
to pretend its a sleek coup. It oozes fat-cat luxury, yet wants to be an athlete too. Mercedes says its
new-generation CLS is much better than the frst in every respect and that should be true of the AMG
muscle car version. DEON SCHOEMAN slips behind the wheel to fnd out.
Photo: REUTERS
Most apparent is the more powerful, more
aggressive front end. It echoes some of the SLS
Gullwings boldly retro design cues, complete
with a dish plate-sized three-pointed star. The
car also gets a more muscular stance, thanks to
sculpted wheel arches and scalloped sides.
But the rear remains instantly recognisable
motoring life, etc
for all the wrong reasons it still droops
and sags like the behind of an octogenarian,
emphasising the extended rear overhang and
handicapping what has developed into a very
handsome car in every other respect.
As one would expect, the CLS63 AMG is
much more aggressive than the standard
version. It gets all the exterior embellishments
youd expect of a muscle car.
Theres a deeper front spoiler with larger
air intakes, while more pronounced fenders
accommodate the huge 19-inch wheels. That
controversial rear-end still looks awkward, and
the slapped-on boot spoiler looks like an ill-
advised afterthought.
Thankfully, a fearsome foursome of squared-
of exhaust tailpipes, and a rear difuser, add
a level of street cred and serve to remind
innocent bystanders that this is a serious
performance machine.
But the real eye candy is at the front. The
CLS63 AMG gets full-blown LED lights as
standard. That includes the main and dipped
beams, as well as the daytime running lights.
There are a total of 71 LED lamps and they
create a swathe of light thats daylight bright.
The interior is pure AMG and almost
exclusively black. The form-hugging AMG
sports seats are trimmed in black hide, and can
be electrically adjusted in every plane until the
seat cushions are moulded around your every
bulge and contour.
The squared-bottomed, racing-style
steering wheel has a thick, grippy rim with
multifunction controls on the spokes and
aluminium gear shift paddles behind. Theres
enough switchgear to keep a fghter pilot happy,
although the mix of conventional analogue dials
and digital displays remains fairly intuitive.
Given the sheer size of the CLS, the lavish
interior space comes as no surprise. And
from behind the helm, it feels like a big, regal
machine, with the vastness of the bonnet
stretching out ahead of you.
At the rear, the individually sculpted seating
positions add a touch of lavish indulgence. If
it wasnt for the dynamic promise of the AMG
badge, Id be tempted to opt for the comfort
and space of the rear while being chaufeured to
my destination. And unlike the frst-generation
CLS, theres enough headroom, despite the
sloping roofine.
While the cabin oozes luxury and
craftsmanship as only a large Mercedes-Benz
can, its augmented here by a certain high-tech
ambience. Nor is it just a cosmetic promise:
this latest CLS 63 AMG literally bristles with
advanced driver assistance systems.
Among these are two new active systems
active blind-spot assist and active lane-keeping
assist. The former will prevent drivers from
theres enough
switchgear to keep
a fghter pilot happy,
although the mix of
conventional analogue
dials and digital
displays remains fairly
intuitive.
motoring life, etc
motoring life, etc
turning into the path of a car in the drivers
blind spot. The other stops drivers from
straying into another lane across a solid line.
But for real petrol heads, the biggest
attraction can be found under the bonnet.
Confusingly, the plastic-shrouded mill is not a
6.3-litre unit as the cars nomenclature might
suggest. Instead, AMGs engineers have opted
for a 5.5-litre V8 ftted with twin turbochargers.
Despite the smaller capacity, the forced
induction extracts a massive 386kW of max
power from the eight-potter, accompanied by
a full 700Nm of torque. Thats 8kW and 70Nm
more than the previous, normally aspirated
6.3-litre V8.
Best of all, fuel consumption drops by an
incredible 32%, to just 9.9 litres/100km in
the combined cycle. At least, thats what
Mercedes claims.
Frankly, I didnt get even close to that. But
then, I have a heavy right foot when it comes to
performance cars which, by their very nature,
demand to be driven with fair amount of gusto.
I thought the 13.9 litres/100km I managed was
pretty good, under the circumstances
The gearbox is AMGs familiar Speedshift
MCT unit, which is efectively an auto box
without a torque converter. It uses a wet clutch
for starts, and shifts gears as rapidly as a dual-
clutch design, while also ofering a launch
control function. Drive is to the rear wheels.
Remember to open the windows before
pushing the start button even if its freezing
outside. That V8 sounds just glorious, with
enough of an edge to startle the neighbours
and a deep growl that can rattle windows, even
at idle.
While you can drive the CLS 63 AMG in full
auto mode, those paddle shifts cry out to be
used for the cog swaps and deliver a much
more immediate, involving driving experience
in the process. There are four driving modes
to choose from: Comfort, Sport, Sport Plus and
Manual. The adaptive damping can also be
frmed up manually, or left to its own devices.
Weve come to expect edgy, unruly and
even downright scary performance from cars
wearing the AMG badge. And on some levels,
the new CLS 63 AMG is no diferent. Even with
stability control switched on, giving it welly will
threaten to light up the tyres, and swagger the
tail in a straight line.
But theres more to this car than brute force.
It does a better job of harnessing that urge than,
for instance, the old-school, downright brutal
CL 65 AMG I drove not that long ago.
Even compared to the previous CLS, theres
less bulk to absorb all that momentum and
Best of all, fuel consumption drops by an incredible
32%, to just 9.9 litres/100km in the combined
cycle. At least, thats what mercedes claims.
motoring life, etc
throw it back at you as unwanted inertia. Lavish
use of aluminium has done much to keep
weight down and reduce unsprung mass.
Given its size, a kerb mass of 1,870kg is
impressive, if hardly trim. Still, it allows a power
to weight ratio of 206kW/ton a fgure which
pretty much explains why a car measuring just
4mm short of 5m long and 1,88m wide feels like
a quicksilver two-seater of the mark.
The factory fgures credit the CLS 63 AMG
with a 4.4 second zero-to-100 time. And
predictably, 250km/h is the maximum speed
allowed before an electronic nanny digs in her
heels. But for me, its the sheer tractability of
the Merc thats most impressive: foor the loud
pedal in any gear and the kick in the small of
your back is more missile than muscle car.
The big Mercs overtaking prowess is simply
devastating, and when the engines growl
crescendos into that almost tactile metallic
whine, you know its time to hold on! Nor does
it take much to unsettle the beast: hit a bump,
a dip or a wet patch under full acceleration, and
youll feel the steering come alive as those big
tyres start scrabbling for grip.
However, with its rear air suspension and
adaptive damping, the CLS 63 AMG can also
play the role of comfortable boulevard cruiser
quite convincingly, as long as you remember to
be easy on the gas.
Theres even an eco-mode, which includes
start/stop operation whenever the big Merc
comes to a halt. An AMG muscle machine with
a conscience? Bunny hugging will never be the
same again!
I started of this test describing the CLS as a
car of contradictions and perhaps thats even
more true of this AMG version. Its a monster
in disguise, a balled fst in a thin velvet glove, a
racing car fnished in road car veneer.
But unlike its predecessor, the new CLS
63 AMG isnt nearly as compromised. It plays
its multiple roles with great conviction, and
becomes a desirable, exclusive - and above all
a high-performance all-rounder.
I still think the rear end looks droopy. But
thats just my opinion!
VitAl stAtistics
Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG
Engine 5,461 cc V8, 32 valves, twin-
turbocharged
Gearbox Seven-speed Speedshift MCT
Auto
Power 368kW @ 5,250rpm
Torque 700Nm @ 1,750rpm
0-100 km/h 4.4 sec
Top speed 250km/h (governed)
Fuel consumption 13.9 l/100km (tested)
CO2 emissions 231g/km
Retail price R1,3 million (estimated)
the big mercs
overtaking prowess is
simply devastating, and
when the engines growl
crescendos into that
almost tactile metallic
whine, you know its
time to hold on!
SPORT
briefs sport
Matthew Booth (Reuters)
sports
south africa
Western Province coach Al-
lister Coetzee has made four
changes to his team for Satur-
day's Currie Cup clash against
the Leopards at Newlands.
The only injury-forced change
comes at fy-half, where Isma-
eel Dollie replaces Demetri
Catrakilis who has been ruled
out after sustaining a tear to his
bicep in the 41-35 win over Gri-
quas in Kimberley last week.
Fans traveling to the FNB Sta-
dium for Saturday's MTN8
fnal will be in for a treat af-
ter the Passenger Rail Agency
of South Africa and Stadium
Management South Africa
agreed to ofer free rides to
all those attending. Prasa has
agreed to provide free trans-
portation to all valid ticket
holders for the R8million Wafa
Wafa fnal between Orlando
Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs, as
well as the third Soweto derby
of the season on 17 September.
Both Jaco van Zyl and George
Coetzee make their return to
the Sunshine Tour this week
following some outstanding
performances on the European
Tour.
Both golfers have come home
to compete in the 54-hole Tel-
kom PGA Pro-Am at Centurion
Country Club, which tees of
on Wednesday.
Matthew Booth's future re-
mains up in the air after Ajax
Cape Town CEO George Co-
mitis confrmed the board
could not reach agreement
over signing the former Bafana
Bafana defender. Booth had
been strongly tipped to join the
Urban Warriors and even un-
derwent a medical at the Cape
Town Stadium last Friday
New ZealaNd
Springbok centre Jaque Fourie
believes Wales will be a hard
nut to crack in the defending
champions' opening Rugby
World Cup match. The two
rugby proud nations kick-of
their 2011 campaign at Wel-
lington's Westpac Stadium on
Sunday, in a game that will go a
long way in deciding who pro-
gresses to the quarter-fnals.
The Springboks have been
defeated by the Dragons only
once back in 1999 in Cardif
yet Wales have pushed South
Africa close many times
since that historic victory 12
years ago.
New Zealand coach Graham
Henry has given centre Sonny
Bill Williams orders to stick to
the game plan when he returns
to the All Blacks fold.
Williams has been sliding of
the selectors' radar this year,
so much so that he could not
make the bench against Aus-
tralia two weeks ago. He has
been brought back for Friday's
World Cup opener against
briefs sport
Felipe Massa (Reuters)
Tonga in a surprising mid-
field reshufe.
Former Wallaby front-rower
Michael Foley will join Fiji next
week to assist the World Cup
outsiders with their scrum-
maging problems. Foley, who is
the Waratahs' new head coach,
was appointed as Fiji's scrum
consultant for the RWC in Au-
gust. Fiji assistant coach Greg
Mumm, another Australian,
said Foley and Fiji captain Dea-
con Manu provide a wealth of
knowledge and experience for
the young forwards.
uK
Jade Dernbach and Craig
Kieswetter have picked up Eng-
land increment contracts after
playing the necessary number
of international matches this
season. Both the Surrey fast
bowler and Somerset wicket-
keeper-batsman have played
in two Twenty20 internation-
als and seven one-day matches
for England, earning them
an increment contract via a
points system
europe
Golf
Lee Westwood will face some
stif competition as he goes in
search of his second victory at
the KLM Open this week. The
Englishman headlines the feld
for the European Tour event
alongside Rory McIlroy and
Martin Kaymer, both of whom
lie just below him in the world
rankings and will be eager to
upstage him at Hilversum-
sche Golf Club. Westwood has
racked-up seven top ten fnish-
es in his last nine events, and is
hopeful of a repeat of the vic-
tory he achieved here way back
in 1999.
f1
Felipe Massa believes there
will be plenty of overtaking at
this year's Italian GP due to the
track's high-speed nature and
the double DRS. Monza is his-
torically a good circuit for pass-
ing and the decision to have
two separate drag reduction
system zones is likely to boost
overtaking further. The move-
able rear wing technology can
be deployed on the start/fn-
ish straight, with the detection
point on the exit of the Para-
bolica. The second zone will
be between the second Lesmo
and the Ascari chicane, with
the detection point between
the Lesmos.
test cricket sport
AustrAliA v sri lAnkA,
second test preview
They did a similar thing the day before the frst
Test when Cricket Australia tweeted their XI
after the selection meeting.
Naming a team days in advance is something
more commonly associated with rugby unions,
but whatever CA's reason for breaking away
from the tradition of waiting until the toss, it
is undoubtedly a bold statement. This is our
team, it says. Beat us if you can.
The challenge has certainly been thrown
down for Sri Lanka, who have a proud home
record but were beaten in conditions which
were meant to give them a healthy advantage.
Suddenly it is they who need to rebuild after
a disappointing tour of England and a home
defeat, followed on from the news that Sri
Lanka Cricket is in huge debt and have sacked
their board.
A loss in the Hill Country could spell a full-
blown crisis, particularly as it would leave them
without a Test series win in fve attempts.
If a breath of fresh air is what they need,
if there was one act which fully declared Australia's new-found confdence, it was Michael
clarke confrming their Xi two days prior to the start of the second test in pallekele. tristan
Holme previews the match.
Photo: REUTERS
then it could be supplied by Shaminda
Eranga, who looks likely to make his debut, as
Chanaka Welegedera battles a knee problem.
Welegedera will undergo a ftness test on
Thursday morning, but while his experience
is handy in an otherwise fedgling bowling
attack, the Australians apparently rate Eranga
after he impressed in his frst three one-day
internationals last month.
Another likely change is the inclusion of
Ajantha Mendis in the place of Suraj Randiv,
who had an unusually inefective Test in
extremely helpful conditions in Galle. Australia
were surprised not to see Mendis in the Galle
line-up. Although they appeared increasingly
at ease against him during the one-day series,
the task of picking him over after over is a
challenge they are yet to endure.
Either way, the changes to Sri Lanka's
bowling attack refect their continuing struggle
to fnd reliable replacements for Muttiah
test cricket sport
Muralitharan and Lasith Malinga. Rangana
Herath has stepped up, and has taken 56
wickets in 14 Tests since the start of the 2009
home season, but he often lacks the support of a
threatening second spinner.
Of course Australia's only team news is a
debut for Shaun Marsh with Ricky Ponting
having fown home for the birth of his second
child. Needless to say, Sri Lanka will be keen
to exploit that, with Marsh occupying the
key position of number three in the
Australian order.
Otherwise it's same again for Clarke's
side, who will fancy their chances on a more
conventional surface.
Key Men:
Sri Lanka: It was runs that Sri Lanka lacked
in Galle, with their seemingly rock-solid middle
order failing to stop the rot in the frst innings.
No one is as important to the batting line-
up as Kumar Sangakkara, particularly with
Tillakaratne Dilshan's maverick approach to
opening, so the hosts desperately need him to
return to his reliable self.
Australia: With two rookies in the top three
now, Shane Watson can almost claim veteran
status. As someone who likes the ball coming
onto the bat the harder Pallekele pitch should
be to his liking, and Australia will need stability
from him to aid Phil Hughes and Shaun Marsh
at the top of the order.
Last Five Head-To-Head Results:
September 2011, First Test: Australia won by
125 runs in Galle
November 2007, Second Test: Australia won
by 96 runs in Hobart
November 2007, First Test: Australia won by
an innings and 40 runs in Brisbane
July 2004, Second Test: Match drawn in Cairns
July 2004, First Test: Australia won by 149
runs in Darwin
Prediction:
This is a tricky one to call. It will surely go
into the ffth day, but with both batting units
looking far from bullet-proof, a draw seems
unlikely. It is to the bowlers that we must
therefore look, in which case you have to fancy
Australia to pip it.
Probable Teams:
Sri Lanka: Tillakaratne Dilshan (capt),
Tharanga Paranavitana, Kumar Sangakkara,
Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera,
Prasanna Jayawardene (wk), Angelo Mathews,
Suranga Lakmal, Rangana Herath, Ajantha
Mendis, Shaminda Eranga.
Australia: Shane Watson, Phillip Hughes,
Shaun Marsh, Michael Clarke (capt), Michael
Hussey, Usman Khawaja, Brad Haddin (wk),
Mitchell Johnson, Ryan Harris, Trent Copeland,
Nathan Lyon.
Dates: 8 - 12 September
Morning session: 10:00 - 12:00
(04:30 - 06:30 GMT)
Afternoon session: 12:40- 14:40
(07:10- 09:10 GMT)
Evening session: 15:00 - 17:00
(09:30 - 11:30 GMT)
On-feld umpires: Tony Hill and Richard
Kettleborough
Third umpire: Aleem Dar
Match referee: Chris Broad.
Support the team that saves lives.
O
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thursday 8 september 2011

; 2.0 TDI Comfortline and DSG

120kW Trendline; 2.0 BiTDI

Trendline. 2.0 TDI 90kW 4Motion

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