Former Zambian president Rupiah Banda believes trial is a “sham”

The fourth Zambian president, Rupiah Banda, believes his whole trial in the Lusaka magistrates court is nothing but a sham. The former president said he does not believe that he will have a free trial as there is interest other than the courts themselves. Banda, who said he was looking forward to witnessing the event, described the development to block him as unfortunate as it appeared whoever was behind it had more power than the courts.

Original article: http://allafrica.com/stories/201304101505.html

Mandela’s daughters attempt to oust aides from family businesses

Nelson Mandela’s daughters Makaziwe Mandela and Zenani Dlamini have made a legal attempt to o push advocate George Bizos SC, Cabinet Minister Tokyo Sexwale and attorney Bally Chuene out of companies connected to the former president. The daughters want the three removed from Harmonieux Investment and Holdings and Magnifique Investment and Holdings after alleging in an affidavit that they were not formally appointed by way of a resolution.

The companies were set up to channel proceeds of Mandela's handprints into the companies' accounts for Mandela and his children's benefit, with proceeds worth around R15 million. The three accused have publicly stated that they have completely rejected the “scurrilous allegations” and that they will fight them in court.

Original article: http://allafrica.com/stories/201304110290.html

South African death toll in CAR unclear

Despite the government quoting there were 13 South African casualties from the recent military clash with Central African Republic rebels, an anonymous witness has claimed there were more than 50 South African casualties, adding to suspicions that the government is not giving the true death toll. The issue of whether the South African military should be involved in the country has put pressure on the South African government, with some suggesting that they are downplaying the death toll so as not to provoke more anger among the population. The anonymous witness says he was present at the French military base near Bangui where he claims he saw more than 50 body bags being loaded onto an aircraft sent by Pretoria, with other bodies still arriving as the 50 were loaded onto the plane. The rebel leader of the Seleka coalition, General Arda Hakouma, claims he saw "36 South African dead and 22 wounded", as well as the prisoners they handed over to Fomac.

Original article: http://allafrica.com/stories/201304040594.html 

Prominent human rights lawyer refused bail in Zimbabwe

Beatrice Mtetwa, a prominent human rights lawyer, has been refused bail by a Zimbabwean court that claimed she was a flight risk. Four aides to Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, who were arrested with Ms Mtetwa, were also denied bail. The group were arrested last week, following the referendum on a new constitution that strengthens civil liberties. Ms Mtetwa was charged with obstructing justice after she intervened during Sunday’s police raid on the offices of Mr Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change Party. Ms Mtetwa, appearing in the dock in leg irons, raised her fist in defiance as the court ruled that she should remain in jail until after the Easter break. The four aides have been charged with impersonating police officers; they all deny the charges. The arrests were condemned by legal groups, including the International Commission of Jurists and the Pan African Lawyers Union: “without a clear and unambiguous departure from a past characterised by harassment and intimidation of human rights defenders and of impunity for Zimbabwe’s police and security sector, the promise of the new constitution will be laid to waste,” the groups said in a statement.

Original article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21864596

Mining giants in Mozambique accused of mismanaging the resettlement of residents

Mining giants in Mozambique’s north-western province of Tete are being accused of mismanaging the resettlement of residents who are being forced to relocate to make way for new mining areas. The Brazilian mining conglomerate Vale has been accused of resettling communities in inadequate areas with poorly constructed homes, while Indian steel company Jindal is still in the process of moving communities from its mining area. In their current location, residents in the village of Kassoka in Changara District, a few miles from Jindal’s new mining area, are able to pan for gold to supplement their farming income. However, since Jindal’s move into the area in 2008, the people of Kassoka have not been able to open up new fields for farming or build new houses. Some families have already lost fields to the mine, and although they were compensated according to the size of their fields, the compensation amount did not take into account the presence of gold in the area. Similarly, Vale resettled around 5,000 people between 2006 and 2011, although the process was marred by conflict. Members of the resettled community complained that their new village lacked transportation and jobs, that the soil was poor and that their houses were badly constructed.

Original Article: http://allafrica.com/stories/201303210987.html

Mtetwa Update

Global human rights group Amnesty International has demanded that Ms Mtetwa be immediately and unconditionally released, after she was denied bail. “Beatrice Mtetwa is the unfortunate victim of arbitrary arrest and unlawful detention and must be released immediately,” said Noel Kutuwa, Amnesty International’s southern Africa director. “It’s staggering that while Zimbabwe is in the process of adopting a new constitution which provides a stronger bill of human rights, lawyers in the course of their lawful duty are being so blatantly harassed and intimidated,” he added. Ms Mtetwa responded to a call from a client, Thabani Mpofu, who is a staff member in Prime Minister Tsvangirai’s office, whose home was being searched by the police. When she arrived, she asked to be shown an arrest warrant and when the police failed to produce one, she told the police that they were acting unlawfully and undemocratically. She was subsequently arrested. This week she applied for bail, where Ms Mtetwa’s lawyers reported that she was ill-treated while in police custody, denied access to her family and denied a bath. She was refused bail and has been remanded in custody until 3^rd April.

Original article: http://allafrica.com/stories/201303210798.html

ANCYL to disband

The ANC’s National Executive Committee came to the decision earlier this week to disband the troublesome ANC Youth League. The ANCYL has expressed shock at the reports despite provincial secretaries from Limpopo and Gauteng confirming that they were informed of the disbandment. Provincial secretary Dikgang Stock said: “This is news to me, I only heard about it in the news. I am in Johannesburg now and we will be having an NEC meeting this evening. Maybe it is then when I will be briefed about the outcome.” He went on to say that if the ANCYL NEC is shown the door, they will accept the resolution.

Original article: http://allafrica.com/stories/201303180470.html