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January 14, 2009

ANC endorses Zuma

Posted by Elaisha Stokes at 03:04 PM ET | Comments (0)

On January 10th, the African National Congress (ANC) officially endorsed Jacob Zuma as their candidate for the forthcoming South African elections. While Zuma is considered the front runner for the presidency, his nomination is mired by corruption charges. On January 12th, the Supreme Court of Appeal ruled in favor of the National Prosecuting Authority, allowing them to re-instate the 783 counts of alleged corruption against Zuma. Earlier today Zuma declared he would launch an appeal to have these changes dropped.

I'm all for innocent until proven guilty, but Zuma is just bad news, plain and simple. The majority of his charges stem from a $5 billion dollar arms deal made back in 1999, and include money laundering, racketeering and corruption. Not to mention previous charges of rape and HIV denial.

South Africa is the economic engine of the region. It can not afford to fail. In late 2008, the ANC fractured, creating a new Congress of the People (COPE). While local analysts believe the ANC will likely win the forthcoming election, COPE may be just the official opposition the region is in desperate need for. At any rate, something has got to give, before it's too late.

More entries on: Africa

August 21, 2007

Unfriendly Skies

Posted by shawnsyms at 11:51 AM ET | Comments (4)

According to The Southern African (a Toronto-based diasporic news source), aviation workers in Botswana are in an uproar about new regulations requiring regular screening for HIV—and the potential for dismissal of people who test positive.

The director of the nation's civil aviation authority, Olefile Moakofi, claimed "there are certain medical conditions that if people are diagnosed to have, then it may impair their judgement in the respective professions that they are rendering." No details were offered as how the presence of HIV would prevent a pilot or air-traffic controller from conducting his or her job. Young pilots are to be tested annually and older pilots more frequently. Authorities will also test blood pressure and for the presence of diabetes.

The international AIDS organization AVERT says that Botswana has the second highest rate of HIV prevalence in the world—but the country has also been a leader among African nations in terms of the fight to get antiretroviral treatment into the hands of those who need it.

The International Labour Office, a UN agency, says that airlines once provided leadership on issues of HIV in the workplace, but that policies such as the one announced in Botswana are wrong: "Testing for HIV at the workplace [...] should be voluntary and confidential, and never used to screen job applicants or employees. Moetapele Motale of the Botswana Air Traffic Controllers Association said "There's suddenly a growing feeling of uneasiness amongst controllers and pilots." Indeed.

More entries on: Africa | HIV/AIDS

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