Archive for March, 2010
New Zimbabwe report from UK Parliamentary Committee
Monday, March 29th, 2010Following a four day visit to Zimbabwe, the House of Commons Parliamentary Committee on International Development has published its annual report on the country. The report says that limited political progress has been made since the creation of the Government of National Unity (GNU) and that Zimbabwe is in a period of fragile transition.
No Swazi was paid to toyi toyi
Monday, March 29th, 2010ACTSA reply to article in the Time of Swaziland – Non Swazis paid to toyi toyi in London (March 19) Sir, I am replying to the article ‘Non Swazis paid to toyi toyi in London’ (March 19). The Swazi Vigil, which has taken place every Saturday since January 2010 is led by Swazis but attracts [...]
50 years on, the new South Africa commemorates the Sharpeville Massacre
Monday, March 22nd, 2010On Sunday, 21 March, the 50th anniversary of the Sharpeville Massacre was marked by several thousand people in the township close to Johannesburg with a commemoration ceremony. The dead were honoured in a speech by Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe in the Garden of Remembrance and wreaths were laid down on their graves. Addressing a crowd [...]
Mozambique: 42 dead in worsening cholera outbreak
Monday, March 15th, 2010Mozambique’s Ministry of Health spokesperson Leonardo Chavane said on 13th March that the country’s current cholera outbreak has so far killed 42 people in the northern and central provinces. Since the beginning of the year, the highly contagious yet easily preventable disease has been spreading steadily with more than 2,600 cases reported. The worst hit [...]
In Africa, a step backward on human rights
Monday, March 15th, 2010From the Washington Post, Friday, March 12, 2010 By Desmond Tutu Hate has no place in the house of God. No one should be excluded from our love, our compassion or our concern because of race or gender, faith or ethnicity — or because of their sexual orientation. Nor should anyone be excluded from health [...]
Launch of Football and Freedom teaching pack
Wednesday, March 10th, 2010On 3 March, 100 days before the 2010 World Cup, the NUT and Action for Southern Africa launched the ‘Football and Freedom’ teaching pack at Alexandra Park School in London with guest speaker Dr Blade Nzimande, the Minister of Higher Education and Training for South Africa.
TUC: Wrong to advocate end to Zimbabwe sanctions
Tuesday, March 9th, 2010From the Guardian, 9.03.2010 Blessing-Miles Tendi is wrong to advocate an end to EU sanctions on the thugs in Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF (Zuma’s right on Zimbabwe, 4 March). The last thing Zimbabwe needs now is to let these people off the hook.
Mozambique: Donor strike
Monday, March 8th, 2010By Joseph Hanlon Budget support donors in Mozambique are on strike. No budget support money has been released to government since mid-December. Donors are demanding promises from government for action this year on electoral reform, corruption and conflict of interest, and on the growing role of the Frelimo party inside the state apparatus.
South Africa State Visit
Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010The state visit of President Jacob Zuma of South Africa to Britain (3 -5 March) is an affirmation of the solidarity between people in Britain and South Africa. The democratic government of South Africa has consistently thanked those who took action against apartheid and supported the struggle for freedom and democracy for South Africa. It [...]