Biti asks South Africa for more aid

South Africa had given Zimbabwe R200 million in financial assistance but Finance Minister Tendai Biti had asked for more.

The request came after South Africa’s Department of International Cooperation revealed that it had given Zimbabwe two-thirds of the R300 million that it had pledged to assist the power-sharing government in Zimbabwe.

Biti wanted a further R300 million.

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SUBJECT: SOUTH AFRICA POLITICAL NEWSLETTER AUGUST 9-AUGUST 15

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¶1. (SBU) This was written in partnership with the Open Source

Center’s Pretoria Bureau. The newsletter is open to contributions

from officers in the Embassy or in the Consulates who wish to

highlight political trends. Contact Madeline Seidenstricker or

Jonathan Smallridge for more information, or to make contributions.

The newsletter also is available on the Political Section’s blog, “A

View from South Africa,” found on intelink.gov.

————-

Domestic News

————-

Attempts to Address Ministerial Spending

¶2. (U) Minister of Finance Pravin Gordhan has tabled a draft report

that addresses public concerns over large expenditure by government

ministers. The report was completed by a ministerial task team

mandated to develop concrete proposals and guidelines that would

ensure all spheres of government reduce wasteful expenditure and

divert spending to new areas. The report calls for a reduction in

the amount of press advertising bought by government bodies, and on

spending on ministerial vehicles. The report also suggests that the

travel budgets – especially international travels – by departments

and ministers be cut down, from four officials to one official per

trip. The task team consists of Gordhan, Minister of Monitoring and

Evaluation in the Presidency Collins Chabane, and Minister for

Public Service and Administration Richard Baloyi. (New24.com,

August, 13, 2009)

Manuel Calls for More Transparency in the MPC

¶3. (U) Minister in the National Planning Commission, Trevor Manuel,

has asked for minutes of the Reserve Bank’s Monetary Policy

Committee (MPC) meetings to be published. He made the call as the

MPC prepares to announce its decision on interest rates.   Manuel

first made the appeal a few years ago while he was still Finance

Minister, in the interests of transparency. (SABCNEWS, August, 13,

2009)

Call for Fresh Schabir Shaik Probe

¶4. (U) Questions have surfaced again about the conditions of

Schabir Shaik’s medical parole. This comes after he was allegedly

seen driving around in Durban in his black BMW on Monday. Shaik, the

former financial adviser to President Jacob Zuma, was released on

medical parole after serving only two years and four months of a 15

year prison term for fraud and corruption. Shaik has denied reports

that he was driving around in Durban. Correctional services

officials also denied the allegations and said that they were

confident that Shaik did not break his parole conditions.

(NEWS24.com, August, 12,2009)

SA to Build New Prisons

¶5. (U) South Africa wants to build seven new generation prisons to

help ease chronic overcrowding in its jails. Correctional Services

Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula reported on Thursday that the

department of Correctional Services has designed new generation

prisons. The new prisons are meant to facilitate rehabilitation,

and differ from the old prisons which were primarily used to

warehouse inmates. The minister said the Kimberley Correctional

Centre, would be the country’s first new generation prison and will

be completed in January 2010. The prisons will be built at a cost

estimated of R700-million; similar prisons will be built in

Klerksdorp, Nigel, East London and Paarl by 2012. (The Star, August

13, 2009)

Creating a Blue Print for Municipalities

¶6. (U) Local Government and Traditional Affairs MEC Nomusa Dube

announced that her department will undertake a comparative analysis

of the state of municipalities in the country. This comes after

Qof the state of municipalities in the country. This comes after

reports that over 17 municipalities in Kwazulu- Natal are

inefficient, with no sources of revenue and limited capacity to

deliver services to their communities. The assessment also comes

amid calls for the review of municipal functions. The minister

hopes the study will produce “a blueprint” for an ideal

municipality. (The Star, August 13, 2009)——————

International News

——————

Motlanthe Goes to Zimbabwe

¶7. (U) Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe attended the funeral of

the late Zimbabwean Vice-President Joseph Msika this week.

President Zuma issued a condolence message, stating that the death

of Msika was a painful loss to the people of Zimbabwe and the

Southern African Development Community (SADC). (DFA briefing,

August 10)

SA Regrets Decision by Myanmar Authorities

¶8. (U) South Africa joined the international community in

PRETORIA 00001657 002.2 OF 002

condemning the decision made by the authorities in Myanmar to

convict opposition leader Aung Sen Suu Kyi on charges of subversion.

This statement was issued by Deputy Minister of International

Relations and Cooperation (DICO) Ebrahim Ebrahim. (DFA briefing,

August 11)

DICO Minister Hosts a South African Heads of Mission Conference

¶9. (U) Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane began a three-day conference

for South African Heads of Missions. This is the first such

conference since the election. Zuma, Manuel, Gordhan and Rural

Development and Land Reform Minister Gugile Nkwinti are expected to

address the conference. The current DICO minister will host a

dinner for Former DICO Minister Dlamini-Zuma. (DFA briefing, August

13)

Desmond Tutu Receives Presidential Medal of Freedom from American

President Barack Obama

¶10. (U) Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu received the medal from

President Barack Obama yesterday the 12th at a ceremony held at the

White House. Tutu dedicated his medal to all South Africans who

fought for freedom and justice. The Presidential Medal of Freedom

is the highest civilian award in the US, and is not limited to US

citizens or civilians. (Mail and Guardian, August 13)

Zimbabwe Requests More Financial Aid From SA

¶11. (U) Zimbabwean Finance Minister Tendai Biti confirmed that the

Zimbabwean government had requested more financial assistance from

the South African government. This comes two weeks after DICO

revealed that it had transferred two thirds of the R300 million it

pledged to assist the power-sharing government earlier this year.

Zimbabwe wants a further R300 million from the SA government.

(Zimbabwean Independent, August 12)

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