President Thabo Mbeki has with immediate effect suspended the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP), Advocate Vusi Pikoli, in terms of section 12 (6) (a) of the National Prosecution Act 32 of 1988. This decision was taken on the basis of an irretrievable break down in the working relationship between the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development and the NDPP.
Government and the South African National Editor’s Forum (SANEF) met today in Tuynhuys, Cape Town, to discuss two key issues.
The Government delegation was led by Minister in the Presidency, Dr. Essop Pahad, who was accompanied by the Ministers of Public Enterprises, Safety and Security, Justice and Constitutional Development, the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, the Director General in the Presidency, CEO of GCIS, Head of Policy in the Presidency and other officials.
During the media briefing by Ms Nozizwe Madlala-Routlege, the former Deputy Minister of Health, an impression was created that Minister Jeff Radebe had called her to express his support after she was relieved of her duties, and that the Deputy Ministers of Defence and of Arts and Culture had invited her to visit the Frere Hospital in the Eastern Cape.
Following media reports regarding the dismissal of Ms Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge, the former Deputy Minister of Health, the President has decided to publish the contents of the letter he wrote to her, in an effort to prevent further speculation and misrepresentations of facts.
Dear Deputy Minister,
Following the President's decision to relieve Ms Nozizwe Madlala-Routlidge from her duties as Deputy Minister of Health, and the subsequent media reports implying that government policy and programmes on HIV/AIDS were at risk, government wishes to clarify the position as follows:
Pretoria: Representatives of government and media met today in a working session to discuss matters impacting on their working relationships.
The security ministers met today and assessed the security situation at public institutions in the context of the public servants' strike. They noted, and condemned, the acts of intimidation that had occurred at various places across the country, including at hospitals and schools, affecting amongst others health workers and teachers who were not on strike, and disrupting learning.
Government has launched a website sa2010.gov.za, to provide information on government preparations for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It also provides information about the country and the continent in the context of the first African World Cup.
This is one of government’s initiatives to take advantage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup communication opportunity for the benefit of the country and continent.
Government, business and civil society held a two-day National Consultative Conference on the National Strategic Plan on HIV, AIDS and STIs for 2007-2011 at Birchwood Conference Centre in Boksburg from March 14 to 15.
The conference was a major milestone in our efforts, as the people of South Africa, to respond to HIV and AIDS, which is a major challenge affecting our lives in many different ways.
Despite the many impressive gains made in the first economy, many of the benefits of growth have yet to reach those in the second economy even though there are a number of interventions that have been made in this regard.
This was the prevailing sentiment of partners present at the National Conference on Second Economy Communication. The conference was held on Wednesday, November 21, at the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) headquarters in Midrand.
