Africa Archives - Page 193 of 197

Zuma clips Gigaba’s wings : February 13th, 2015 by Andrew Moth

On a night when there were no winners, the biggest loser during President Jacob Zuma’s State of the Nation Address in Parliament last night was Malusi Gigaba, the Minister of Home Affairs.

Under fire for months because of the department’s visa regulations that discourage foreign leisure and business travel to South Africa, Gigaba sat stony-faced as Zuma announced a review of visa regulations.

Zuma said: “To attract foreign skills for our growing economy we will dialogue with various stakeholders on the migration policy. We will also prioritize the review of visa regulations to strike a balance between national security and growth in tourism.”

Zuma struck a second blow at the Department of Home Affairs later in his address when he announced that banks will become involved in the ambitious programme to issue new smart ID cards to all residents of South Africa.

It is widely accepted that the Department of Home Affairs is one of the most dysfunctional government departments. Staff in its offices work in appalling conditions and are overwhelmed by mountains of paperwork and by the fact that many people who need assistance cannot speak, read or write any of South Africa’s official languages.

Showing that he has no faith that the department will be able to manage the task of issuing new ID documents to tens of millions of people, Zuma said: “To further improve access to identity documents, citizens will from this year be able to apply for the new smart ID card at their local bank due to partnership between the Department of Home Affairs and some banks in the country.”

Once seen as a highflier destined for great things, Gigaba has been Minister of Home Affairs since May 2014 but it appears that Zuma has lost confidence and patience in him and the Department of Home Affairs’ most senior officials.

Another controversial part of Zuma’s address concerned his hopes for foreign investment, it is difficult to reconcile these expectations with the fact that foreigners will no longer be able to invest in property in South Africa as he announced last night. It is not clear how that will affect foreign businesses and individuals who currently own land in South Africa.

Guinea

GUINEA – Unrest, Foreign nationals advised to keep low profile.

Arrest of Muslim cleric incites unrest in Conakry The arrest of a Muslim cleric involved in the burial of a suspected Ebola victim sparked widespread unrest in Guinea’s capital, Conakry, on 9 February. Protesters took to the streets of an undisclosed area of the capital and blockaded roads with burning tyres and other debris. Several vehicles, including a bus owned by a local hotel, was attacked and vandalised in the unrest. At least 12 people were wounded in clashes which ensued between protesters and riot police deployed to disperse the unrest. The aforementioned incident highlights how small-scale protests can violently escalate with little to no warning in Guinea. Indeed, issues linked to the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the country, which has placed restrictions on burial practices, is particularly emotive and has often prompted outbreaks of violent unrest. Foreign nationals have often been targeted in such unrest amid local beliefs that the Ebola virus is a foreign disease which was brought to the country by Western nationals. Consequently, foreign nationals in Guinea are advised to maintain a low profile and should defer travel to areas affected by civil unrest, particularly if such agitation is linked to the Ebola outbreak.

Sudan

SUDAN (Country risk rating: High); 28 January; Foreign nationals detained in South Kordufan

According to reports released on 28 January, six Bulgarian nationals were detained in Sudan‘s South Kordufan state by rebels from the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Sudan (SPLM-North) on 26 January. The incident occurred near the state capital of Kadugli. The Bulgarian nationals, who were operating flight services for the United Nations (UN)’s World Food Programme (WFP), were reportedly taken by SPLM-North rebels after their helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing. The victims are unharmed. Spokespersons from the SPLM-North have stated that the victims have not been kidnapped; rather, they will be released once it has been established that they indeed work for the UN and are not affiliated with or working for the Sudanese government. Discussions to secure their release are currently underway. The incident underscores the high-risk operating environment facing both local and foreign nationals operating in Sudan. The threat of kidnapping is elevated in South Kordufan, where the country’s armed forces are engaged in an ongoing conflict with rebels aligned with the SPLM-North, which maintains a strong operational presence in the state. Although this incident has not been identified as a kidnapping, the SPLM-North demonstrated its willingness to use kidnapping as a tactic when the group took 29 Chinese nationals hostage in January 2012; the victims were working on road construction in the state. Due to the ongoing conflict in the state, further such incidents are expected to persist. Due to the heightened threats of conflict, kidnapping and banditry, clients are advised against all travel to a number of regions in Sudan, including South Kordufan. Persons currently in or intending to travel to these regions are advised to ensure that all movements are coordinated in the presence of a security escort.

Africa

SOUTHERN AFRICA; 27 January; (Update) Flooding affects thousands in various countries

According to reports released on 27 January, as many as 200 people have been killed, and tens of thousands displaced, as a result of ongoing flooding in the Southern African countries of Malawi, Zimbabwe, Madagascar and Mozambique. In Malawi, flooding has affected an estimated 638,000 people; the country’s southern Nsanje, Chikwawa, Phalombe and Zomba districts are among the worst affected. In Mozambique, adverse weather conditions have left as many as 117 people dead and affected 144,330 others in the Zambezia, Nampula, Niassa and Cabo Delgado provinces. In Zimbabwe, the Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West and Midlands provinces have reported widespread flooding. A combination of seasonal rains and tropical storm systems has brought heavy flooding to Madagascar, where 68 people have been killed and nearly 120,000 displaced across the island-nation. The Southern African rainy season typically extends from October to April, with most countries in the region experiencing up to 75 percent of their annual rainfall during this period. Poor infrastructure and limited prevention mechanisms routinely result in affected areas experiencing significant and widespread flood damage. Consequently, further heavy rainfall conducive to flooding should be expected in the coming weeks. Persons currently in the affected region are advised to avoid low-lying, flood-prone areas, such as rivers and canals, and should monitor local media for possible flood warnings and emergency broadcasts. Clients should anticipate disruptions to road travel and the provision of public utilities in flood-affected areas.