News Africa Extended

News Africa Extended

Zuma calls for SADC special summit on drought

Posted: 11 Nov 2016 06:01 AM PST

President Zuma wants regional leaders discuss the current drought and water shortages ravaging members states of the Southern Africa Development Community.

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Pretoria – The current drought and water shortages ravaging members states of the Southern Africa Development Community can be better dealt with if regional leaders convened a special summit on the matter, President Jacob Zuma said on Friday.

Addressing visiting Botswana President Seretse Khama Ian Khama at the third bi-national commission between South Africa and Botswana, taking place in Pretoria, Zuma said their meeting has coincided with a critical phase for the regional bloc.

“We meet during a difficult period when our region faces a serious and persistent drought and water shortages. The drought will result in significantly reduced crop production throughout Southern Africa. This will have a far-reaching impact on food security and food prices,” said Zuma.

“As SADC, we need to explore the possibility of hosting a special summit to discuss the drought and solutions thereof.”

He said it was vital for the region to fast track work on the Lesotho Highlands Water Transfer Project in an effort to address the water shortage crisis.

Zuma said, as a regional bloc, SADC also had to address combating international crime and issues of peace and security.

“Critically important is also the need to enhance our cooperation in border management to combat cross-border crimes such as rhino and elephant poaching. Some of our countries in the region and continent continue to face political and security challenges,” said Zuma.

“We need to continue working together in the maintenance of peace, security and stability.”

South Africa remains one of the major trading partners of Botswana. In 2015, South Africa’s total bilateral trade with Botswana stood at R57.97 billion.

“There is a large presence of South African companies in Botswana which are involved in various sectors such as housing, food and beverages, construction, retail, hotels and leisure, banking, medical services, etc,” the South African presidency said in a statement.

“These companies continue to contribute to the growth and development of the Botswana economy.”

African News Agency

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Cecil the lion: Charges dropped against local hunter

Posted: 11 Nov 2016 03:35 AM PST

A Zimbabwean court has thrown out charges against a local hunter accused of failing to stop the killing of prized lion Cecil.

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Harare - A Zimbabwean court has thrown out charges against a local hunter accused of failing to stop the killing of the country's most prized lion by an American dentist, his lawyer said on Friday.

Walter Palmer, a lifelong big-game hunter from Minnesota, touched off a global controversy when he killed Cecil, a rare black-maned lion, with a bow and arrow outside Hwange National Park in western Zimbabwe in July last year.

While Zimbabwean authorities said Palmer had legal authority to hunt, they were stung by the international outcry and charged local hunter Theo Bronkhorst, who assisted Palmer, with failing to prevent an unlawful hunt.

Bronkhorst's lawyers then applied to the High Court in Zimbabwe's second city of Bulawayo to set aside the charge, arguing it could not have been an offence under the country's wildlife laws if Palmer had a permit to hunt.

"The court granted us that prayer yesterday - that the charges be quashed. So I cannot imagine the state coming back again charging him with the same charge," said Lovemore Muvhiringi, a lawyer for Bronkhorst.

Cecil had been fitted with a collar to track his movements but strayed outside the confines of Hwange National Park and was then shot. Bronkhorst was accused of laying bait to lure Cecil out of the park. Palmer said at the time that no one in his hunting party realised the targeted lion was Cecil.

Wildlife hunting is an important revenue source for the southern African country, which is grappling with its worst shortage of cash since it dumped its inflation-ravaged currency in favour of the U.S. dollar in 2009.

Conservationists worldwide were outraged when Zimbabwe's government announced in October last year that Palmer would not be charged over Cecil's killing because he had obtained legal authority to conduct the hunt.

But the government said Palmer would be free to visit Zimbabwe only as a tourist, not a hunter, in future, implying he would not be issued the required permits.

Reuters

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