Andrew Stegmann

Home Affairs officials being schooled on LGBTI issues

Cape Town – Home affairs officials are being trained to respectfully manage LGBTI matters that cross their desks, such as same-sex marriages and sex changes, the department said on Monday.

The department had made inroads into attending to concerns about how officials were handling members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersexed community, following a meeting held in Pretoria in June.

Home affairs spokesperson Mayihlome Tshwete said steps decided on included:

– Sending more official on a skills programme that includes a section on sensitivity on LGBTI rights. In 2015/16, 407 officials went through the course, compared to 355 in 2014/15;

 – A practice note was distributed to all staff and front offices for use as a guideline on the Alteration of Sex Description and Sex Status Act, 2003 and other related civil matters and;

– A list of offices with marriage officers willing to conduct same-sex marriages was finalised so people would know where to go for these services.

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Andrew Stegmann

Minor sees potential for growth in Africa

Minor Hotels has noted further potential for the growth of its property and brand portfolio across Africa.

“The continent has long been regarded as the ultimate destination – a cradle of humanity – that offers some of the most rewarding experiences that any discerning traveller could wish for,” Minor Hotels said in a statement.

It said the earlier acquisition of Tivoli Hotels & Resorts, a well-known Portuguese-based brand with 14 properties across Portugal and Brazil, paved the way for the growth of the brand in Africa. “We see strong potential for the growth of our brands in Africa, including the opportunity to launch Tivoli in the region,” said Dillip Rajakarier, CEO of Minor Hotels and COO of Minor International. “There is potential both in Portuguese-speaking countries such as Mozambique and Angola, but also in the Maghreb, where economic and cultural ties to Portugal and Europe in general, are strong.”

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Andrew Stegmann

10 Things To Know Before You Go To Ethiopia

Ethiopia is a country rich in tradition and has a laundry list of incredible things to do in a relatively small area. It’s also growing more and more popular with travelers, as it’s a safe and affordable destination. But Ethiopia is quite different from other countries in eastern Africa. Here are 10 things to know about the culture, customs — and coffee — before you go to Ethiopia.

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Andrew Stegmann

South Africa’s Political Infighting Scares Off Lenders From State-Owned Companies

Political infighting in South Africa is scaring off lenders from state-owned companies and potentially weakening everything in the economy from electricity to agriculture.

Citing factional fighting among political leaders, South Africa’s largest debt manager, Futuregrowth, halted loans to state companies on Aug. 31. On Sept. 1, the Danish Jyske Bank announced that it too would no longer lend money to the national power utility over concerns about governance.

The country’s credit ratings could be at risk. Political analysts say the ongoing tension between president Jacob Zuma and finance minister Pravin Gordhan, head of the National Treasury, could lead to the arrest of Gordhan as well as threaten the independence of the Reserve Bank. That, as well as the government’s power over state companies, has rattled lenders.

“We have observed recent reports which strongly hint of conflict between branches of South Africa’s government, the possible machinations of patronage networks, and a seeming challenge to the independence of the National Treasury,” Futuregrowth said in a statement.

The asset manager said it was particularly concerned by reports that president Zuma would head a committee to directly oversee state-owned companies.

The rand weakened 1.5% after the Aug. 31 Futuregrowth announcement and bond yields soared of two of the state’s largest companies, Eskom, the national power utility, and Transnet, the national rail and ports operator, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

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