January 2009

South Africa: Road Agency to Raise R25 Billion for Freeway Projects

South Africa: Road Agency to Raise R25 Billion for Freeway Projects - The South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) is to raise a further R25 billion in debt finance to upgrade and improve critical road networks in the country. [AA Urbanisation]

South Africa: Joburg brings in solar powered traffic lights to help congestion during outages

South Africa: Joburg brings in solar powered traffic lights to help congestion during outages -

By Rudo Mungoshi

Johannesburg - The Johannesburg Road Agency (JRA) has completed the installation of solar-powered traffic lights at five critical intersections in the city, in a bid to ease traffic congestion during a power outage.

The high-tech traffic lights have been placed at the corner of Loveday and Rissik streets, the Grayston on and off-ramps from the M1; the corner of Grayston and Rivonia roads and the corner of William Nicol and Sloane streets.

The solar-powered traffic lights were installed at an initial cost of R1.65-million, reports Joburg.org.

JRA Spokesperson, Conel Mackay said they were closely monitoring the performance of the solar traffic lights, under South African weather conditions.

"Our traffic signal control boxes are being fitted with communication devices that automatically give feedback to our maintenance team if there is a fault at the intersection," he said.

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Africa: Infrastructure is Key to Economic Growth

Africa: Infrastructure is Key to Economic Growth - Africa's current infrastructure, which has long been identified as a key requirement for economic growth, needs to be developed to an adequate and efficient standard. [AA Urbanisation]

Nigeria: Gwagwalada Constructs Eight Clinics

Nigeria: Gwagwalada Constructs Eight Clinics - In a bid to promote health care services, Gwagwalada Area Council has constructed eight clinics in the council within one and half years of the present administration. [AA Construction]

Uganda: Nakaseke Hospital for Renovation

Uganda: Nakaseke Hospital for Renovation - THE Government will this financial year renovate Nakaseke Hospital. [AA Construction]

Nigeria: KWSG Opens Bids for Construction of School Facilities

Nigeria: KWSG Opens Bids for Construction of School Facilities - The Kwara State government has opened bids for the construction of school facilities across the state, reaffirming its commitment to continue to uphold accord due process transparency and due process in the course of policy and programme implementation. [AA Construction]

Uganda: Do Not Politicise Development - Mrs. Museveni

Uganda: Do Not Politicise Development - Mrs. Museveni - THE First Lady and Ruhaama MP, Mrs. Janet Museveni, has cautioned her constituent not to politicise development programmes. [AA Urbanisation]

Namibia: 'Too Much Self-Help' At Self-Help Housing Project

Namibia: 'Too Much Self-Help' At Self-Help Housing Project - A NUMBER of residents of Windhoek's Havana informal settlement are growing increasingly agitated over alleged corruption in community housing schemes that were meant to make it easier for them to acquire their own homes. [AA Urbanisation]

Nigeria: Mortgages Almost Non-Existent - Expert

Nigeria: Mortgages Almost Non-Existent - Expert - A primary mortgage operator says the mortgage institution is virtually non-existent in Nigeria due to lack of sufficient funds to meet the huge demand. [AA Urbanisation]

East Africa: Risks And Dividends of Apartment Building Investment

East Africa: Risks And Dividends of Apartment Building Investment - Many beginner real estate investors often find it hard to figure out how they can make money on rental property because the cost of buying land, putting up a building or purchasing property is very high these days. [AA Construction]

Mozambique: Maputo Airport Has New Cargo Terminal

Mozambique: Maputo Airport Has New Cargo Terminal - A new cargo terminal came into operation at Maputo International airport on Monday. [AA Construction]

Botswana: Chinese Risk All to Complete Airport On Time

Botswana: Chinese Risk All to Complete Airport On Time - Sino Hydro Corporation official Zheng Xiyu speaks with a broad smile that lights up his face as he discusses the huge project he is overseeing - Botswana's first world class international airport. [AA Construction]

Nigeria: Who Owns Abuja Collapsed Building?

Nigeria: Who Owns Abuja Collapsed Building? - The residents of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory were jolted when a building in Utako area collapsed, killing about nine people and maiming of many others. Despite the release of the report of panel of inquiry to investigate the accident, Mustapha Shehu writes that nothing concrete came out of it five months after [AA Construction]

Nigeria: Blame Professionals, Businessmen for Sub-Standard Construction, Products - Akanya

Nigeria: Blame Professionals, Businessmen for Sub-Standard Construction, Products - Akanya - Director-General of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr. John Akanya, in an interview recently spoke to a team of media executives on alleged lacklustre performance by the standards watchdog in checking the influx of fake and sub-standard materials into the country. But the SON boss says the body is not to be blamed, stressing that unhealthy rivalry among industry professionals on one hand and the average Nigerian businessman's resolve to import low quality goods on the other are the major reasons for the impasse. HOUSES & HOMES EDITOR, Michael Simire, was at the session. Excerpts: [AA Construction]

Kenya : World's environment ministers to meet in Kenya

Nairobi - More than 1 000 environment ministers from across the world are set to meet in Kenya next month for the UN Environment Program (UNEP)'s Governing Council meeting.

According to the Nairobi-based UN environment agency the meeting, which will take place from 16-20 February, will also discuss climate change and the ongoing talks towards a new international agreement in Copenhagen in December 2009.

Issues on the table include the green economy and green growth and mercury.

The ministers will discuss policy options for an international response to global mercury pollution and the food crisis.

The ministers will also discuss Olympic Games and the environment, and an overview of the key environmental issues of the day including ecosystem management, resource efficiency and environmental governance.

"An overview of the key environmental issues of the day including ecosystem management, resource efficiency and environmental governance will be on the table," the agency said.

The high-level meeting comes on the heels of an eventful year which saw further evidence of global warming, food shortages and the worst financial crisis in years.

South Africa : Most water sources in Limpopo's Greater Sekhukhune district cholera free

By Sydney Masinga

Groblersdal - Most water sources in Limpopo's Greater Sekhukhune district, including the Tubatse River, have tested negative for cholera.

"Recent laboratory tests indicate that water sources in most villages along the Tubatse River near Burgersfort are not contaminated with cholera," said acting spokesperson for the district Frans Moswane on Tuesday.

"Only water from a canal in Tsakane has tested positive for e-coli and vibrio cholera after tests were done on two samples."

Tests of other water sources in Ga-Mampuru, Ga-Phasha, Steelpoort, Nazareth and Tsakane villages were negative.

"The results come as a relief, but they do not mean that (we) as a water authority and our partner departments will sit on our laurels.

"We will work hard to fight the spread of cholera until we are sure that the lives of our people are safe," Mr Moswane said.

He said the district, which is based in Groblersdal, would continue to speedily repair all water infrastructure that has broken down and supply water tankers to areas without proper infrastructure.

Palestine : Thousands of Gazans Remain Homeless

Gaza - Thousands of Gazans remain homeless and hospitals still have a large number of intensive care patients over a week after a ceasefire ended Israel's devastating three-week offensive against Hamas militants.

This after the United Nations continued calls for immediate unhindered humanitarian access to the Strip's 1.5 million inhabitants.

"At this stage, the initial response is focusing on the re-establishment of basic services to the population of Gaza, including water, health, food, cash assistance, education and psychosocial support," the UN Office the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Monday.

This includes safety of movement by marking and clearing unexploded ordnance, removing rubble, repairing priority infrastructure, and securing access to services.

Although fewer than 500 displaced people remain in three UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) emergency shelters, most displaced Gazans are staying with host families who are overstretched and face shortages of food, non-food items such as mattresses and blankets, and water and electricity.

South Africa : 2010 clock strikes 500 days to kick-off

The world is watching in anticipation as stadiums go up, roads and highways are built or upgraded, and a country once faced with overwhelming odds draws closer to hosting the biggest sporting spectacle on the planet, writes Michael Appel.

In exactly 500 days, about three billion eyes will watch in anticipation as the coveted event touches down in Africa for the first time in history.

While such a spectacle will always draw its sceptics and share of pessimists, it is the responsibility of the public, private and business sectors, as well as the public at large to cast aside blanket views of failure for the country.

One of the most positive spin-offs for the country is the massive influx of foreigners destined for South Africa's sunny shores, and the investment they bring with them.

Among those industries set to boom in a massive way over at least the next five years are the hotel, tourism, transport, restaurant and catering industries, and of course, what is referred to as South Africa's second economy, small scale entrepreneurs and artisans.

Nigeria: Babalola Builds U.S. $1 Million Clinics for Red Cross

Nigeria: Babalola Builds U.S. $1 Million Clinics for Red Cross - Minister of State for Finance, Mr Remi Babalola, said at the weekend, that he was building two world-class clinics worth $1 million in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja and Ibadan, Oyo State, for the Red Cross Society. [AA Construction]

South Africa : Water contamination is likely main cause of cholera increase

South Africa : Water contamination is likely main cause of cholera increase - By Gabi Khumalo
Pretoria - Health Minister Barbara Hogan said in most cases the contamination of water sources and food by cholera bacteria was likely the main cause of cholera increase in the country.
"The spread of the infection from the north-east of the country has probably been caused by the migration of cholera carriers from affected areas as well as by the lack of adequate water supplies and safe sanitation in certain areas.
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[Freenet Africa ]

Zimbabwe : Zimbabwe cholera still out of control, spreading

Zimbabwe : Zimbabwe cholera still out of control, spreading - Harare - Zimbabwe's cholera epidemic, with a mortality rate of 5.7 percent, is still way out of control and continues to spread, an international aid agency said on Friday.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said in a statement on Friday the disease that the World Health Organisation says has killed 2 773 people of the 50 000 affected since last August, has exhibited an unusually high death rate, indicating the extent of decay of Zimbabwe's health infrastructure.
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[Freenet Africa ]

Mali : New building opened at Ahmed Baba Institute in Timbuktu

Timbuktu - South African President Kgalema Motlanthe has described the new building at the Ahmed Baba Institute in Timbuktu, Mali as a celebration of African co-operation and friendship.

"It is our commitment to a common humanity," the President said during the handing over of the building, which will be used to house the Timbuktu manuscripts, on Saturday.

President Motlanthe said he was confident that inspired by these manuscripts of great scholarship, African scholars will take up the cudgels and seek to re-define the role of Africa in history.

He said the event was not only imperative as one of the many cultural icons of our continent but seminal in their work to make the 21st century the African century.

"This magnificent heritage should strengthen our efforts to rebuild our continent, work for growth and development, fully aware that we can - despite the many impediments we face - emulate the grandeur of these great Africans who came before us.

International : DETAIL Prize 2009 awarded

The DETAIL Prize 2009 was awarded in seven different categories during the glamourous DETAIL Gala at the Munich House of Artists. The architectural DETAIL Prize, which was awarded for the third time this year, has "Aesthetics and Construction" as its motto and total prize money of 29,000 euros. It awards completed structures characterised by well-designed, future-orientated and technically innovative details within an outstanding overall design. New and expanded categories mean that there is now a greater emphasis on cross-sectoral connections and the strengthening of the interdisciplinary network.

The main prize was won by FAM architectura y urbanismo from Madrid together with Schlaich Bergermann & Partner from Stuttgart for the M-11 Memorial in the centre of Madrid.

South Africa : Load shedding, power cuts a learning experience - Eskom

South Africa : Load shedding, power cuts a learning experience - Eskom - By Edwin Tshivhidzo, tel: (012) 314-2454
Johannesburg - The load shedding which wreaked havoc on South Africa's economy and businesses at the beginning of last year was a learning experience for Eskom, says Eskom Chief Executive Officer Jacob Maroga.
The forced rolling black outs were caused by a higher than expected demand in electricity and low reserve margins.
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[Freenet Africa ]

South Africa : Joburg Water focuses on Ennerdale

South Africa : Joburg Water focuses on Ennerdale - By Lesego Madumo
Johannesburg - Joburg Water has drawn up a six month-long water infrastructure upgrade project in Ennerdale Extension 5 in a bid to get rid of obsolete systems in the southern suburb.
The plan is to replace outdated water house connections and household water meters at 1 161 stands, reports Joburg.org.
Already, R4.7 million has been assigned to the project, which is expected to start at the end of the month and be completed by mid-July.
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[Freenet Africa ]

Namibia: Shantytown Complains About Lack of Services

Namibia: Shantytown Complains About Lack of Services - RESIDENTS of the Ombili informal settlement at Mariental have expressed anger over a lack of basic services. [AA Urbanisation]

Zimbabwe: Patients Dump Urban Healthcare for Rural, Mission Hospitals

Zimbabwe: Patients Dump Urban Healthcare for Rural, Mission Hospitals - WHEN Tobias Nzira recently tested HIV-positive after visiting a New Start Centre he never thought he would encounter difficulties in seeking treatment for opportunistic infections in the capital. [AA Urbanisation]

Nigeria: Lagos Tasks Youths on Megacity, Infrastructural Devt

Nigeria: Lagos Tasks Youths on Megacity, Infrastructural Devt - Lagos State Government has challenged youths in the state to complement the current determined efforts of rebuilding a sustainable mega city. [AA Construction]

Mozambique

Mozambique Stadium News and Information

Mozambique : 2009-01-25 National Stadium Ready By Early 2010

Mozambique: National Stadium Ready By Early 2010 - Mozambique's new national stadium should be ready by the end of the first quarter of 2010, the year in which the football World Cup will be held in neighbouring South Africa. [AA Construction]