South Africa says it is committed to supporting its nomination of Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to lead the African Union (AU) Commission, with the backing of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

"Our government and the SADC region is united behind its candidate," International Relations Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane told journalists in Pretoria on Tuesday.

In January, African leaders shelved the election of the new chairperson of the AU's executive arm until July, after both Dlamini-Zuma and the incumbent, Jean Ping, failed to secure the two-thirds majority needed to lead the organ.

The next round of votes will take place at the 19th AU Summit in Malawi in July.

Analysts believe that for South Africa to win the election, it would need considerable support from Francophone African countries.

But Nkoana-Mashabane remained confident that they still had time to rope in support for the SADC nomination. "The region continues to consult widely across all regions on the continent regarding the candidature of Dlamini-Zuma."

She noted that the continent's southern and the northern regions had never had an opportunity to lead the AU, or its predecessor the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), at the level of a chairperson.

Asked what South Africa would do if there was still a deadlock at the July AU summit, Nkoana-Mashabane said they would follow the rule book of the AU.

Dlamini-Zuma was not being fielded as a candidate to pursue the interests of any particular country or region, Nkoana-Mashabane said, adding that her work would be guided by the statutes of the AU as well as decisions of the AU's policy organs, especially the assembly and executive council.

Nkoana-Mashabane was speaking after a meeting in Benin on Monday of an eight-member African Union (AU) ad-hoc committee set up to look into ways of breaking the impasse on the election.

The committee is chaired by Benin and includes South Africa, Algeria, Angola, Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gabon and Chad.

According to the minister, certain convergences emerged on the principle of rotation. "The principle of rotation and regional representation is entrenched in the international democratic process of the AU."

The committee will present a report on its deliberations to the AU Assembly at the Malawi summit.

The AU Commission is the secretariat of the AU, entrusted with executive functions. It is composed of 10 officials. The commission has never been headed by a woman.

Source: BuaNews

South Africans will move one step closer to having smart card IDs when the Department of Home Affairs launches the pilot of its smart ID project, which promises to speed up government services while cutting down on crime and corruption involving identity documents.

Briefing journalists in Pretoria last week, Home Affairs Director-General Mkuseli Apleni said the pilot - to be launched within the next six months - would involve the issue of 2 000 smart IDs to allow for the testing of the smart cards' systems, hardware and software.

"It will also enable the government to procure the required machinery to produce the volume of cards that will be required, so that we eventually completely phase out the current green bar-coded ID."

Old IDs to be phased out over four years

Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said last month that the roll-out of the smart IDs - their issue to new ID applicants - would begin in 2013.

Apleni said that, once all the systems were tested and in place to produce the smart cards, all new ID applications would be treated as applications for smart IDs - at which point the minister would promulgate the costs of the smart IDs for citizens.

These are expected to be similar to the current costs for documents.

It was possible that the green bar-coded ID could eventually be phased out over about four years, Apleni said.

One card fits all?

Apleni said the government was looking at having South Africans use just one card for all their official documentation requirements - identities, licences, National Health Insurance, social grants.

He said the departments of transport, health and social development were wanting to be involved in the project, adding that Home Affairs would look into how it could upscale the chip on the cards in order to accommodate these departments.

BuaNews and SAinfo reporter

South African President Jacob Zuma has joined international leaders in congratulating Francois Hollande following the socialist party leader's victory in France's presidential runoff elections on Sunday.

Hollande won an estimated 51.05 percent of the votes, beating Sarkozy's 48.95 percent, according to initial results.

"We would like to take this opportunity to extend our congratulations to Mr Hollande and the people of France for a successful election," Zuma said in a statement on Sunday evening.

He said South Africa and France enjoyed strong bilateral political and trade relations, and hoped that the two countries would continue to build on them under the new leadership.

Swing to the left

The win ends 17 years of conservative leadership in France and marks a swing to the left that will mean key policy changes at the heart of Europe.

Sarkozy, swamped by voters' anger at his failure to rein in rife unemployment, became Europe's 11th leader to be swept out by the eurozone debt crisis.

He conceded defeat minutes after the polls closed, and addressed his supporters at the headquarters of his party.

"France has a new president; it's a democratic, republican choice," Sarkozy said. "Francois Hollande is the president of France and must be respected. I just spoke to him on the telephone, and I want to wish him good luck amid the ordeals.

"It will be difficult, but I wish with all my heart that France, our country which brings us together, manages to get through these ordeals, because there is something much bigger than us; it's our country, it's our homeland," Sarkozy said.

'Heavy challenges await us'

Hollande, who will be France's first socialist president since Francois Mitterrand left office in 1995, spoke of bringing hope and change to France.

"The first duty of the President of the Republic is to bring together and link all citizens to communal action so as to face up to the challenges awaiting us, and there are many and they are heavy," Hollande said.

"First of all, to increase production in order to get the country out of the crisis, reducing our deficit in order to control debt, the preservation of our social model to ensure to all the same equal access to public services."

Hollande vowed to rework a deal that called on European governments to cut their debt.

He also promised to raise taxes on big corporations and people earning more than a million euros a year.

France plays an important role in various multilateral forums, including the European Union, United Nations Security Council, G20, and the International Monetary Fund.

Source: BuaNews-Xinhua

South Africa and India are set to reach $15-billion in trade ahead of their targeted 2014 deadline, President Jacob Zuma told the South Africa-India Business Forum in Pretoria on Thursday.

The target was set by the two governments during Zuma's state visit to India in 2010. Zuma said that, going by the latest trade figures - close to $7-billion by the end of 2011 - this could be reached earlier than anticipated.

"We are on the right path indeed," Zuma said.

The business forum forms part of Indian President Pratibha Devisingh Patil's state visit to South Africa. Patil, who arrived in South Africa on Wednesday, has brought a business delegation and several government officials along on her visit to the country.

Expanding economic cooperation

Zuma said South Africa and India were exploring ways of expanding economic cooperation, adding that opportunities existed in areas including manufacturing and energy.

India is one of South Africa's top 10 export countries, and is among the top five import countries for South Africa. South African exports to India increased by 21% between 2002 to 2011, while imports from India grew by 28%.

Indian companies already investing in South Africa include Mahindra and Tata, while several South African companies operate in India, including Airports Company South Africa (Acsa), which is assisting with India's Mumbai Airport. Petrochemicals giant Sasol is also considering investing in the Asian country.

Also addressing the forum, Business Unity South Africa (Busa) president Futhi Mothapa said strong people-to-people links existed between the two countries, and that private sector discussions at the forum had been "forward-thinking".

Several platforms for South African-Indian business interaction already exist, including the SA-India CEOs Forum and, multi-laterally, the India, Brazil, South Africa (IBSA) Business Forum and the BRIC Business Forum.

Making it easier to do business

Mothapa noted that there were some hindrances to growing trade and investment between the two countries. South African companies would like to see greater transparency in India's tariff scheduling, she said, as well as more clarity on Indian regulations around licensing and packaging.

Black Business Council president Ndaba Ntsele said Patil's visit came at an opportune time, with South Africa having just announced the start of a massive state-led infrastructure programme.

Patil told the forum that India viewed South Africa as "as a gateway to the southern African region", adding: "Our confidence in the South African economy is reflected in that several Indian banks operate in South Africa."

At the same time, she called on South African business to seize the opportunities on offer in India.

The chairman of the Overseas Infrastructure Alliance India, VB Soni, said Indian business was ready to cooperate with South Africa for mutual benefit, adding that there were opportunities for increased cooperation in healthcare and pharmaceuticals.

He added that India was looking for the establishment of a friendlier visa regime for Indian businesses.

Zuma said South Africa was ready to provide whatever support was needed for making it easier for Indian companies to do business in the country.

Source: BuaNews

First-world infrastructure plus a vibrant emerging market equals huge investment potential!

President Jacob Zuma, in talks with visiting Indian President Pratibha Devisingh Patil on Wednesday, extended an invitation to the Asian nation to invest in South Africa's massive, state-led infrastructure drive.

"We have once again extended an invitation to Indian business to invest in our infrastructure development programme, in which we are to invest more than R800-billion until 2014," Zuma said following his meeting in Pretoria with Patil, who began his state visit to the country on Wednesday.

Zuma noted the fact that relations between the two countries dated back many years, that South Africa and India also shared a history of struggle against colonial oppression and racism, as well as "deep social, economic and cultural ties".

R111-billion trade target for 2014

While trade was increasing steadily, "we should all work to reach even higher figures", Zuma told journalists.

According to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, trade between the two countries stood at R48.2-billion as of November 2011, with South African exports at R21.9-billion and imports from India at R26.3-billion.

The two countries have set a bilateral trade target of R111-billion to be reached by 2014.

Patil said relations between South African and India had taken on a robust and dynamic character, adding that strong institutional frameworks for co-operation in the economic, political and technological fields were in place.

"Our bilateral relations today are wide-ranging, multi-dimensional and mutually beneficial," Patil told journalists. "Our shared and abiding commitment to the ideals of democracy has only reinforced our close and friendly ties."

'Opportunities need to be explored'

Since the establishment of full diplomatic relations between South Africa and India in 1993, numerous high-level visits have taken place between the two countries, with cooperation agreements signed in trade, investment, education, defence, and information and communication technology (ICT).

"We have agreed to monitor the implementation of various agreements that exist," Patil said, adding that they were looking into expanding these into areas including health, science and technology and infrastructure.

"We felt that considerable opportunities need to be explored," said Patil, adding that India was also interested in working with South Africa to develop a Ghandi heritage site in the country.

Zuma said the two presidents had looked at ways in which "we can further translate our historical ties into meaningful socio-economic development cooperation."

Source: BuaNews

First-world infrastructure plus a vibrant emerging market equals huge investment potential!

President Jacob Zuma, speaking during the hand-over of tractors and cattle to local community projects in Butterworth in the Eastern Cape on Sunday, encouraged South Africans to use land more effectively to fight hunger and poverty.

Zuma was in the province to roll out projects forming part of the Masibambisane Rural Development Initiative (MRDI), which aims to equip communities in rural areas to develop themselves, especially in the area of agriculture.

The MRDI is chaired by Zuma in his capacity as a community member of in Nkandla in KwaZulu-Natal, where the initiative was born before being launched in Qumbu in the Eastern Cape in November.

The government has since become a partner of the initiative, with ministers pledging their support to the programme.

"It is very important, because it is when we work the land that we can quickly change the quality of life for our people," Zuma said.

"If we are sitting doing nothing, the change will take longer, and one of the important things we have to do is to work on the land. It's one of the fundamental things we have to achieve."

Zuma said the government had been assisting communities with agricultural implements to grow food for local markets.

In Peddie earlier in the day, tractors were donated to local agricultural projects.

In Butterworth, Zuma handed over 10 tractors to the Mtshanyaneni Agricultural and Farming Cooperative. More than 100 locals are involved with the project, which focuses on crop and cattle farming.

One of the cooperative's members, Phila Gcasamba, said land was still a crucial tool to address poverty in rural areas.

"For us it's not about waiting for handouts, but we do appreciate when we get assistance here and there, because through these projects people are able to sell what they yield, which in turn ensures some form of income," Gcasamba said.

Source: BuaNews

South Africans celebrate Freedom Day in order to ensure that the present does not erase the past, and in order to protect the future, President Jacob Zuma said as the country marked its 18th year of freedom on Friday, calling on all citizens to work together to make the country a success.

"We must put the country first in everything we do, and work together to make a success of the second phase of struggle, that of working towards a prosperous South Africa."

The President was addressing the national Freedom Day celebrations held at the Union Buildings. The day commemorates the first democratic elections held in the country on 27 April 1994.

"Together we have built from the ashes of apartheid a country that is dedicated to patriotism, nation-building and reconciliation," Zuma said, adding that South Africa had been able to tackle its socio-economic development challenges through the creation of a stable democratic system.

"It has been a short but very meaningful road from a pariah state to a peaceful, stable, vibrant non-racial, non-sexist, democratic country that is working hard to achieve prosperity for all," Zuma said.

"On Freedom Day we celebrate our victory over racial bigotry."

He the government was working towards eradicating unemployment, inequity and poverty.

"The challenge has been to ensure that more of our people benefit from economic growth whilst maintaining and indeed building on the strength of our economy."

South Africa was recovering from the effects of the global financial crisis of 2008-09, with the past 18 months having seen a substantial economic recovery, Zuma said.

"The challenge now is to accelerate our gains, to ensure above all that growth supports increased inclusion, employment and equity."

The proportion of the population living below the R422 a month poverty line had decreased from 50% in 1994 to 34.5% in 2009, Zuma said, while in 2011, 75.8% of the country's households had access to electricity compared to 51% in 1994.

"Most importantly, primary health care is now accessible to all South Africans regardless of race, background and nationality," said Zuma.

Efforts to improve social conditions in the country include an R8.2-billion allocation for school infrastructure, while 43 regional bulk projects for water infrastructure will be completed by 2014, benefiting 3.2-million people.

South Africa was also working to support unemployed young people through the expansion of public employment programmes, Zuma said.

Source: BuaNews

South Africa is a culturally diverse country, one nation made up of many peoples.

There is great potential for increased trade and investment between South Africa and Saudi Arabia, International Relations Deputy Minister Ebrahim Ebrahim said during a meeting with his counterpart, Deputy Foreign Minister Prince Abdul-Aziz bin Abdullah, in Riyadh on the weekend.

Ebrahim, who is on a two-nation tour of the Middle East and Asia, said South Africa had significant investment interests in Saudi Arabia, through various companies in the engineering, hospitality, retail and health care industries.

Oil accounts for more than 90 percent of Saudi Arabia's exports, and the kingdom is presently the largest supplier of crude oil to South Africa.

According to Ebrahim, bilateral trade between South Africa and Saudi Arabia amounted to more than R37-billion in 2011 - despite the fact that relations between the two countries were "not at the level that they should or could be".

"We appreciate the importance of Saudi Arabia in an international and regional context, and have taken some steps to address the unsatisfactory state of affairs."

The deputy minister said President Jacob Zuma had extended invitations to King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al Saud and his foreign minister to visit South Africa.

"We hope that these visits can take place soon, as the memorandum of understanding for the establishment of regular bilateral political consultations is ready for signature,"

"Furthermore, allow me to take this opportunity to extend an invitation to you to undertake a visit to South Africa to further strengthen our bilateral standing," Ebrahim said.

South Africa and Saudi Arabia have so far signed eight bilateral agreements together providing a framework for co-operation, and the South Africa and Saudi Arabia Business Council was established in 2009.

The two countries have also established a joint defence committee and a joint committee on science and technology.

Source: BuaNews

President Jacob Zuma, as part of this year's Freedom Day celebrations, will bestow national orders, the country's highest civilian honour, on 28 South Africans and three foreigners for outstanding achievements and contributions to the country's freedom and development.

Included in the awards are posthumous honours for Albert Luthuli and Oliver Tambo, whose family names have been institutionalised in South Africa's national orders because of the unique contributions they made during the country's struggle for liberation.

Addressing the media at in Pretoria on Monday, Chancellor of the National Orders Cassius Lubisi said this year's recipients were all "men and women who have attuned their skills and knowledge so as to ameliorate human suffering and benefit humankind, often at the expense of deserved emoluments for their efforts.

"We are eternally grateful for their lives and sacrifices they made to ensure that the people of South Africa are free."

The recipients for the Mendi Decoration for Bravery will be Neil Johnson Sharrocks, for putting his life at risk to rescure 44 children when the bus they were travelling fell into a river, and (posthumously) Michael Janse van Rensburg for putting his life in danger in order to save a person from drowning.

The recipients of the Order of Ikhamanga (for excellence in arts, culture, literature, music, journalism and sport) will be Gladys Faith Agulhas, Jonathan Johnny Clegg, Muthal Naidoo, Joseph Nong "Joe" Thloloe, Daniel "Cheeky" Watson, and Julian Sebothane Bahula.

The recipients of the Order of Mapungubwe (for excellence and exceptional achievement) will be Dr Patience Mthunzi, Professor Barry David Schoub, Albert Mvumbi Luthuli (posthumous) and Oliver Reginald "OR" Tambo (posthumous).

The recipients of the Order of Companions of OR Tambo (for eminent foreign persons for friendship to South Africa) will be Professor Apollon B Davidson, Randall Robinson and Edward M Kennedy (posthumous).

The recipients of the Order of Baobab (for distinguished service beyond the call of duty) will be: Selwyn "Scully" Levin, Gladys Ramahuta, Zane Maureen Wilson, Professor Daniel Gerhardus Krige, Reverend Fenner Christian Kadalie (posthumous), Professor Christopher John Robert Dugard, Frank Kennan Dutton, Lwandle Wilson Magadla (posthumous), John Stephen Gomas (posthumous), Elizabeth Sophia Honman (Bettie du Toit) (posthumous), Peter Ramoshoane Mokaba (posthumous), Josiah Tshangana Gumede (posthumous), Zaccheus Richard Mahabane (posthumous), Sefako Mapogo Makgatho (posthumous), James Sebebubijwasekgogobontharile Moroka (posthumous) and Alfred Bitini Xuma (posthumous).

Source: BuaNews

South Africa is a culturally diverse country, one nation made up of many peoples.

Construction of the 140-metre Nelson Mandela Legacy Bridge over the Mbhashe river in the Eastern Cape is progressing well, with the Mvezo and Dondolo villages in particular set to reap major benefits from the R123-million infrastructure project.

The Department of Rural Development and Land Reform said this week that the project was part of the government's Comprehensive Rural Development Programme, as well as the countrywide infrastructure drive announced by President Jacob Zuma in his State of the Nation address earlier this year.

Fast-tracking rural development

According to the department, the Mveso bridge project includes the building of a new 10-kilometre tar road linking Mvezo - the birthplace of former president Nelson Mandela - with the N2 national road, reducing the distance to East London, Mthatha and Idutywa by at least 50 kilometres.

Currently, when travelling to Idutywa, the people of Mvezo have to go via Qunu Village - a 86-kilometre journey. This trip, on completion of the bridge, will be considerably shortened.

The project will fast-track economic development by making travelling and transporting goods easier for about 20 000 people living in 21 villages in the surrounding area.

"The bridge will improve the lives of people living in and around Madiba's village and is one of the key contributions to keeping alive the Mandela legacy of a better life for all," President Jacob Zuma said on 18 July last year, when he presented Mandela with an architect's model of the bridge as a gift for his 93rd birthday.

Heritage potential re-assessed

Environmental impact assessments were conducted in the area, the department said, with ecological specialists making sure that any endangered animal and plant species were not affected by the development.

Aquatic specialists have been monitoring the quality of the water in the Mbhashe river, while heritage experts have assessed the potential impact of the bridge on the heritage value of the area.

According to the department, Mvezo has been earmarked as a future tourist attraction.

SAinfo reporter