What are the main issues in South Africa?

President Thabo Mbeki said on Friday South Africa could overcome in a "relatively short "period" a power supply crisis that has hurt the mining industry and raised concerns among foreign investors.

In a state of the nation address to parliament, Mbeki said his government would maintain its fiscal policies to support economic growth.

Source:

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=nw20080208120014433C255304

British visa plan to restrict relations - DA

Any move by Britain to impose visa requirements on South Africans wishing to visit that country will have a serious effect on relations between the two countries, according to the DA.

According to reports, British MPs were examining evidence that might lead to such a visa requirement soon, DA foreign affairs spokesperson Tony Leon said.


Source:
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=3045&art_id=vn20080207062257224C334331

Energy, water crisis early warning sign - WWF

The power supply crisis and looming fresh water shortage are early warning signs that South Africa needs to curb use of natural resources, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) said on Wednesday.

"South Africa has a narrowing time window in which to act decisively to prevent critical resource shortages that could dash our hopes of sustained economic growth," said South African WWF for nature chief executive Dr Morne du Plessis.

Source:

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=124&art_id=nw20080206111551845C505941

SA-led consortium will manage Ugandan railway

By Katy Pownall

Kampala - Uganda has signed a contract with a South African-led consortium to manage its railway, four months behind schedule because of a court case, an official said on Monday.
In a bid to encourage economic integration in the East African region, Uganda and Kenya invited bids for the joint management over 25 years of Kenya Railways Corporation and Uganda Railways.

Source:
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=68&art_id=qw1144703344353R131

Zanu-PF expels Mugabe challenger

By Cris Chinaka
Harare - Zimbabwe's ruling party on Wednesday formally expelled a former ally of President Robert Mugabe for launching a challenge to the veteran leader in next month's elections, a Zanu-PF official said.
Veterans of the country's liberation war have branded former Finance Minister Simba Makoni, a senior member of Zanu-PF, a traitor after he entered the race on Tuesday, in the first major challenge to Mugabe from within the ruling party in 20 years.

Source:
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=68&art_id=nw20080206153409598C830733

Angola Attends Conference On Minerals Investment In Africa

Cape Town, 02/06 - Angola is attending the 13th Conference on Minerals Investment in Africa, also called Mining Indaba, taking place in Cape Town, South Africa.

At the event, which was opened last Tuesday, Angola is being represented by the public diamonds company Endiama.

The Angolan delegation, led by Endiama`s administrator for planning and investment, Domingos Tiago Dias, is showing at the event the main activities being carried out in the country`s diamonds sector, through the presentation of photographs, DVDs and other publicity materials.

Source:
http://www.angolapress-angop.ao/noticia-e.asp?ID=593845

SOMALIA: Explosions in Bosasso leave 21 dead, dozens injured

NAIROBI, 6 February 2008 (IRIN) - Explosions in the port town of Bosasso, the commercial capital of the self-declared autonomous region of Puntland, northeastern Somalia, killed 21 people and injured 69 others on 5 February, a senior official said.
"At around 8pm last night, two consecutive explosions killed 21 Ethiopian migrants and injured 69 others near the port area," Abdirizaq Hareed, the mayor of Bosasso, told IRIN on 6 February.
Puntland has been relatively peaceful compared with the rest of the country.

Source:
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=76601