Motlanthe and Manuel throw in towel as MPs

Published Mar 11, 2014

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Motlanthe and Manuel throw in towel as MPs

Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe and National Planning Minister Trevor Manuel will not return to Parliament after the May 7 elections, indicating they may quit politics. The National Assembly has scheduled farewell tributes for Motlanthe and Manuel at a sitting tomorrow, according to a programme of events published by Parliament. Thabo Masebe, Motlanthe’s spokesman, confirmed that the deputy president was retiring, while Dumisa Jele, Manuel’s chief of staff, declined to comment. The ANC’s list of MP candidates for the election has not yet been published. The constitution says the president must select his deputy from the members of the National Assembly, while only two cabinet ministers may be chosen who are not MPs. – Bloomberg

ANC in talks over minimum wage

The ANC is in talks with its labour allies on imposing a national minimum wage to help redistribute wealth in the economy. While the ANC’s programme to boost black participation in the economy had focused on ownership, a minimum wage was aimed at broadening income distribution, Enoch Godongwana, the head of the party’s economic committee, said yesterday. The ANC’s manifesto planned for a minimum wage in five years’ time, Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant said. – Bloomberg

Opasa sceptical of oil and gas law

Plans to secure the government a stake in new oil and gas ventures would compromise the industry and threatened to choke off investment, the Offshore Petroleum Association of SA (Opasa) said. Last week Parliament’s mineral resources committee adopted amendments to the 2002 Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, which would give the state a 20 percent free stake in all new energy projects. The National Assembly is scheduled to vote on the new law tomorrow. – Bloomberg

75% of Post Office strikers get jobs

About 75 percent of the 6 500 SA Post Office casual workers who had launched an unprotected strike would be permanently employed, Janras Kotsi, the head of the utility’s mail business, said yesterday. The balance of the workers would be employed on a flexi-time basis. – Asha Speckman

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