politics

The South African National Editors' Forum (SANEF) has applauded the release of Swaziland’s Nation magazine editor, Bheki Makhubu, and human rights lawyer and columnist, Thulani Maseko, from prison.

The pair spent more than a year behind bars for articles they had written highlighting corruption by judicial officers.

They were convicted on trumped up charges of contempt of court after they exposed that a traffic inspector was disciplined for impounding the official vehicle of a judge after it was used for unauthorised trips.

Expelled former Zimbabwe’s Vice President, Dr Joice Mujuru's putschist cabal is suspected to be canvassing for grassroots support through non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that are funding projects under the banner of the People First project.

One of the local NGOs which was registered under the name Vukuzenzele has raised suspicions on its moves to help people in different districts of the country while claiming that the help was coming from People First.

Over 400 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have registered with Zambia’s Ministry of Community Development, Mother and Child Health under the new and contentious NGO Act of 2009.

Some NGOs have resolved not to register until all the necessary amendments on what it calls the proposed ‘unconstitutional Act’ of 2009 have been resolved.

While the organisations claim that the Act is retrogressive and is not in their best interest, the government is of the view that the registration process is ongoing and dialogue with NGOs over contentious issues has continued.

The Southern African Litigation Centre (SALC) says it has written an open letter to the South African ministers of Justice and of International Relations and Co-operation, asking that South Africa abide by the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court 27 of 2002 (the ICC Act).
 
SALC executive director, Kaajal Ramjathan-Keogh, states that South Africa's own law and its membership of the ICC obliges it to apprehend Sudan’s president, Omar Hassan Al Bashir, if he attends the African Union summit next month.
 

International Relations Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane will meet ambassadors and diplomats from other African countries to discuss the latest wave of xenophobic attacks in the country.

Five people have died during violent confrontations in KwaZulu-Natal since this month, and thousands have been displaced.

A peace march was held in Durban on Thursday, 16 April 2015, attended by thousands of people, including Premier Senzo Mchunu, religious leaders and celebrities.

According to Nthakoana Ngatane, masses are expected to protest in the Lesotho capital Maseru when the Constitutional Court hears an application in which the Attorney-General is suing King Letsie the third and Prime Minister, Tom Thabane.

Ngatane says that Thabane advised the King to appoint the President of the Court of Appeal, a move the Attorney-General describes as unconstitutional, because coalition partners in cabinet were not consulted.

Women Parliamentarians in Zimbabwe have urged the country to promote females in politics in order to bridge the gap between them and their male counterparts who hold the bulk of positions of authority in political parties and government.

The women decried lack of media attention and accused some sections of the media of always pulling them down through stereotyped coverage which portrayed them as less influential in the administration of the country.

The Constitutional Court will hear an application by a non-governmental organisation seeking to determine whether Parliament has failed in its constitutional obligation to get political parties to disclose the source of their private funding.

Currently, political parties are not obliged to disclose their funders and the applicant in the matter, My Vote Counts NPC, is calling for a more inclusive, transparent and accountable political system.

Forming the basis of its case is the constitutional right to access information and the right to vote.

Amnesty International says that there is an urgent need for the African Union (AU) to take more concrete steps to effectively address the massive human rights violations resulting from the many conflicts taking place in several parts of the continent.
 
The organisation states that President Robert Mugabe should use his time as chairperson of the AU to restore stability in parts of the region that have been ravaged by conflicts.
 

President of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) monitoring Zambia’s election, Lewis Mwape, says his organisation has noted with concern increasing levels of hate speech among several political leaders.

Mwape states that tribal talk and branding of political competitors is retrogressive and does not only deter democracy but also threatens national security.

He says the council has also observed that ambitious promises have heightened in the campaigns.