BRAZZAVILLE (Reuters) &#8211; Congo Republic jailed a notorious poacher for 30 years for ivory trafficking and the attempted murder of park rangers, a conservation group said, hailing the case as a milestone in the fight to hold wildlife criminals to account.



Mobanza Mobembo Gerard, known as Guyvanho, led poaching expeditions in the central African country that may have killed over 500 elephants since around 2008, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society.



His trial and sentencing last week marked the first criminal conviction of a wildlife trafficker in Congo Republic. Previously, environmental crimes were tried in civil courts and incurred a maximum sentence of five years, it said.



The sentence “sends an extremely strong message that wildlife crime will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted at the highest levels,” WCS regional director Emma Stokes said in a statement on Monday.



Congolese judicial authorities could immediately be reached for comment.



The attempted murder charges against Guyvanho were connected to a 2019 incident when his poacher group allegedly fired at and wounded members of a ranger patrol in Nouabale-Ndoki National Park, WCS said.



The park covers 4,000 square kilometers (1,540 sq miles) of northern Congo Republic. Its dense lowland rainforest has been a refuge for the region’s rare forest elephants, which were only confirmed to be a separate species from the larger African savannah elephant in 2010.

African_Bush_Elephant

Congo elephant poacher jailed for 30 years; landmark case hailed

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A treadmill, a bench press, a step class – Do you miss them? For five months gym bunnies in South Africa were not allowed to taste the sweet sweat of a gym session, because of Covid-19. Now with a softer lock-down, gyms are allowed to open. But how is it all going to work? Joining CNBC Africa to discuss the impact is Mosima Mabunda, Head of Wellness, Discovery Vitality.

Level 2 lockdown: What the reopening of gyms means for the fitness industry

How the butterfly spy case continues to divide opinion in Botswana

NAIROBI (Reuters) &#8211; Mauritius said on Thursday it had started to scuttle the Japanese-owned bulk carrier that ran aground off its shores and spilled oil over pristine waters and fragile coral reefs.



The MV Wakashio hit a coral reef off the Indian Ocean island on July 25 and began spilling oil on Aug. 6, prompting the government to announce a state of environmental emergency.



Two of the ship’s officers were arrested on Tuesday on charges of endangering safe navigation.



The government’s National Crisis Committee said in a statement the exercise had started at around 1200 GMT.



“The &#8230; Crisis Committee has taken note of the progress made with regards to the scuttling exercise of the stem section of the casualty which has reached the identified location as confirmed by the Chief Salvage Master,” it said.



On Wednesday, the government said the ship’s sinking would be done in a way that would avoid further pollution or interfere with maritime routes.



Environmental group Greenpeace said the action would lead to more pollution.



Scientists say the full extent of the spill was still unfolding but the damage could affect Mauritius and its tourism-dependent economy for decades.

Op-Ed: Tourism sector in Mauritius devastated by COVID-19

Mauritius starts to scuttle Japanese oil-spill vessel

By Andrew Pascoe, President of the Commercial Farmers&#8217; Union in Zimbabwe.



President Robert Mugabe’s notorious land reforms in the early 2000s robbed thousands of Zimbabwean farmers of their land, and of their livelihoods. What was presented as an attempt to right the wrongs of colonialization, turned into a politicised, corrupt land grab. It has taken twenty years for the injustices and illegalities to have been recognised.



 On the 29th July 2020, Zimbabwe finally made the headlines for the right reasons. The government, led by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, and the white farmers, represented by the Commercial Farmers Union (CFU), signed a compensation deal worth $3.5 Billion, described by President Mnangagwa as a “new beginning of the land discourse in Zimbabwe”.



 The deal has set many a tongue wagging. It is thus crucial to lay out all the facts on the table. Most importantly perhaps is the democratic nature of this agreement. The CFU conducted a referendum of its members, 60% of whom today live outside Zimbabwe. Out of 2896 votes on the day, there were 2759 ‘Yes’ votes, and only 137 ‘No’ votes. Votes have continued to trickle in since the cut off, and as of the 13th of August, 95% of the 3,191 votes were cast in favour. The agreement itself is a result of long and tough negotiations, based on the Zimbabwean constitution which provides for the payment of compensation for improvements on “compulsorily acquired agricultural lands”.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="972" height="647" src="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Belarus-equipment-reaches-Zimbabwe-1-1.png" alt="Equipment arrives from Belarus as part of training for the farmers of ZImbabwe." class="wp-image-379494" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Belarus-equipment-reaches-Zimbabwe-1-1.png 972w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Belarus-equipment-reaches-Zimbabwe-1-1-300x200.png 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Belarus-equipment-reaches-Zimbabwe-1-1-768x511.png 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Belarus-equipment-reaches-Zimbabwe-1-1-696x463.png 696w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Belarus-equipment-reaches-Zimbabwe-1-1-600x399.png 600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 972px) 100vw, 972px" /></figure>



 A database was thus created, known as the ‘Valcon Database’ which has 4,730 farms registered, representing almost 90% of all farms affected by Mugabe’s Fast Track Land Reform Program. The database calculated the value of all registered farms in order to arrive at a fair figure of compensation.



 In this case, the valuation of permanent improvements was carried out in accordance with the requirements of the Zimbabwe Land Acquisition Act. As per the constitution, the land value was to be excluded, and in accordance with International Valuation Standards, the Depreciated Replacement Cost (DRC) method was used to establish the value of improvements was used.



 None of this was done alone. The replacement costs per unit were agreed with Government after consultations with reputable contractors, which took over a year to obtain and agree in full. The figure of $5.2 Billion was established as being the collective valuation of improvements



to the farms as a whole. Considering Zimbabwe’s economic difficulties, this figure was considered to be unaffordable, and after lengthy negotiation the government offered a figure of $3.5 Billion, which was put to farmers for their acceptance or rejection. In light of the economic climate, it was clear that the payment would not be in one lump sum.



 The key was to find a payment schedule that provided swift relief to farmers, many of whom have waited two decades for compensation, while not further increasing the country’s debt burden. The terms of the deal, a 50% down-payment within one year of signing, with the balance to be paid over the next four years, represent a fair compromise. In addition, the government has committed to paying the full sum within 12 months should the funds successfully be mobilised within that time.



 There are of course those that criticise the agreement. For some, the compensation figure and the payment schedule are not what they hoped for. For others, the very concept of an agreement based on improvements to the land, and not its value, is a non-starter.



 Yet we urge those around the world to listen to the voice of those directly affected by the issue, who almost unanimously voted in favour. We are not blind to the limitations, but we recognise that for the first time in two decades, there is a Zimbabwean government prepared to recognise our plight, to treat us with respect and dignity and to compensate us for our suffering. We have put this matter behind us, and call on others to do the same. We hope that the dialogue and willingness to compromise reflected in this agreement represents the beginning of a new era in relations between Zimbabweans of different races and backgrounds, and between Zimbabwe and the nations of the world.



 While the agreement is not perfect, as those who have lived this struggle for two decades, we resolved to move forward, and to not let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

Belarus tractors for Zimbabwe

What do  Zimbabwe’s farmers think of the $3.5 bn deal?

(Reuters) &#8211; Mauritius has arrested the captain of a Japanese bulk carrier that ran aground off its coast, causing a devastating oil spill in one of the world’s most pristine maritime environments, police said on Tuesday.



“We have arrested the captain of the vessel and another member of the crew. After having been heard by the court they have been denied bail and are still in detention,” Inspector Siva Coothen told Reuters.



The MV Wakashio struck a coral reef off the Indian Ocean island nation on July 25 and began spilling oil on Aug. 6, prompting the government to announced a state of “environmental emergency” the next day.



The oil spill spread over a vast area of endangered corals, fish and other marine life in what some scientists called the country’s worst ecological disaster. Emergency crews managed to remove most of the remaining oil before the carrier split in two on Saturday.



The Mauritius coastguard had repeatedly tried to reach the ship to warn that its course was dangerous but had received no reply, a maritime official with knowledge of the incident who asked not to be named told Reuters.



“The route set five days before the crash was wrong and the boat navigation system should have signaled that to the crew and it seems the crew ignored it. The boat did also fail to send out an SOS (when it ran aground), and did not respond to attempts by the coast guard to get in touch,” the official said.



Local media have reported that the crew were having a birthday party on board. Coothen and the official declined to comment on the reports but the official said an examination of the ship’s black box might reveal whether that was true.



Scientists say the full impact of the spill is still unfolding, but the damage could affect Mauritius and its tourism-dependent economy for decades. Removing the ship is likely to take months.

Mauritius arrests captain of Japanese oil spill ship

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) &#8211; South African power utility Eskom will implement planned blackouts on both Tuesday and Wednesday after breakdowns at a number of power stations overnight, it said on Tuesday.



The power cuts, known locally as loadshedding, will last from 1400 GMT to 2000 GMT on Tuesday, and start again between 0700 GMT and 2000 GMT on Wednesday, the company said in a statement posted on Twitter.

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South Africa’s Eskom implements power cuts after breakdowns

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) &#8211; South African general merchandise retailer Game re-entered the clothing market on Friday after 15 years with the launch of a new range in 22 stores in hopes of boosting its profit and margins as part of a turnaround plan.



Game, owned by retailer Massmart, has been a drag on group profit as financially constrained customers prioritise spending on non-durables, such as food, over bigger-ticket items like appliances.



Still, Game’s fresh and frozen food category was underperforming, prompting Chief Executive Mitch Slape, who has said the business’s proposition was muddled, to move to replace it with a budget clothing range, dubbed Stylessentials.



“We are expecting a positive result in terms of our revenue streams from Stylessentials in the next year, as the range replaces our fresh and frozen offering,” Neville Hatfield, Game vice president of merchandise, said.



The clothing range will be available in all 122 stores across South Africa by July 2021.



Game Vice President Andrew Stein said the retailer had identified a gap in the market for seasonally relevant casual wear “that is designed with the South African consumer in mind” and has taken market trends into account.



The retailer’s launch of casual discount wear comes at a time when athleisure, t-shirts and sweat pants are the new best sellers across retailers, while suits, ties and formal dresses gather dust as the coronavirus forces people to work from home.



It also stands to benefit the retailer as consumers are cash-strapped and more price-conscious in the current environment.

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South Africa’s Game re-enters budget clothing market after 15 years

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South African president Cyril Ramaphosa has sound the alarm on corruption and mismanagement of the COVID-19 procurement of contracts and funding that was meant to pave the road for recovery from the pandemic. Legal organisations have been called upon to clamp down on corrupt individuals, which so far, are mostly government employees. So how does one trust the very institutions that are meant to repair the country, yet are the same institutions that are hindering growth and recovery? The Attorney General Alliance of Africa and the National Prosecution Authority hosted a discussion this week on this matter and Kim Robinson, Country-Coordinator for AGA-Africa joins CNBC Africa for more.

AGA-Africa on how to build public trust in state institutions during COVID-19

The full impact of the toxic spill is still unfolding, scientists say. As the Indian Ocean island’s residents scramble to mop up the oil slicks and clumps, they are seeing dead eels and fish floating in the water, as fuel-soaked seabirds limp onto shore.



Satellite images also show the 1,000 tonnes of spilled oil spreading northward along the coastline from the spill site in the turquoise waters of Blue Bay Marine Park.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">RELATED COVERAGE</h4>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li><a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mauritius-environment-japan/japanese-shipping-company-says-mauritius-government-has-requested-compensation-idUSKCN25A009">Japanese shipping company says Mauritius government has requested compensation</a></li></ul>



The damage, scientists say, could impact Mauritius and its tourism-dependent economy for decades.



“This oil spill occurred in one of, if not the most, sensitive areas in Mauritius,” oceanographer and environmental engineer Vassen Kauppaymuthoo told Reuters by telephone from the island, where he was surveying the disaster. “We are talking of decades to recover from this damage, and some of it may never recover.”



The wildlife at risk include the seagrasses blanketing sand in the shallow waters, clownfish darting around coral reefs, mangrove trees corralling the coastline with their tangled root systems, and the critically endangered Pink Pigeon, endemic to the island.



Giant tortoises slow-walk through a nature reserve on the nearby islet, Ile-aux-Aigrettes, where there is also a scientific research station. Altogether, Blue Bay Marine park counts 38 types of coral and 78 species of fish.



The spill brings “a massive poisonous shock to the system,” said Adam Moolna, an environmental scientist from Mauritius who lectures at Keele University in Britain. “This oil will have cascading effects across the webs of life.”



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">STILL UNCONTAINED</h3>



The spill came from the Japanese-owned MV Wakashio, which rammed into a reef in the marine park on July 25. It is still unclear why the ship was sailing so closely to the coast. About a week later, oil began gushing from the cracked vessel.A general view shows the bulk carrier ship MV Wakashio, belonging to a Japanese company but Panamanian-flagged, ran aground on a reef, at the Riviere des Creoles, Mauritius August 13, 2020. REUTERS/Reuben Pillay



However, the flow had been stopped, authorities say, after they pumped the remaining oil from the ship.



On Thursday, the ship’s owner Nagashiki Shipping said it would face up to its liability and assess compensation for the disaster.



Already, about 15 km of coastline have been affected by the spill, said Mauritius Marine Conservation Society President Jacqueline Sauzier.



“We don’t have the equipment or the expertise to remove the oil, and time is of the essence to limit the damage,” she told Reuters.



Local residents are wading unprotected into the toxic waters, while using human hair as well as husks from sugar cane factories to quickly soak up as much of the spill as they can.



For both people and wildlife, the spill will have a “resonating and resounding impact for the next 10 to 20 years,” said environmental toxicologist Craig Downs, who assesses oil spills but has not studied the spill in Mauritius.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">SPIRALING IMPACT</h3>



Coral reefs and fish are likely to suffer first. That’s especially rough for Mauritius, where tourism and fishing are mainstays of the economy.Slideshow&nbsp;(4 Images)



Corals that survive could have weakened resistance to marine heat waves, which are hitting the area due to climate change and have already caused some coral bleaching, experts say.



“If things continue to go the way they are the future prospects for coral reefs look very, very bleak indeed,” said Alex Rogers, a visiting professor at Oxford University and science director of REV Ocean, a not-for-profit company.



Conservationists are also anxious about oil washing into mangrove forests, where roots serve as nurseries for fish.



Oil also could sink into sediments around mangroves, where it could smother molluscs, crabs and fish larvae, said Callum Roberts, a professor of marine conservation at the University of Exeter in Britain.



“It’s very hard to remove once it’s sunk into the sediment,” Roberts said. “Trees can become sick and die.”



Birds nesting in the mangroves, or migrating via nearby mudflats, are also vulnerable. Ingesting oil can make it hard for birds to fight disease or even to fly, said environmental toxicologist Christopher Goodchild at Oklahoma State University.



Research has shown that “just a small amount of oil being transferred to a bird’s egg — as small as a droplet of blood — can actually cause a change in the bird embryo’s physiology,” he said.



Beds of seagrass, which like mangroves store vast quantities of climate-warming carbon dioxide, play a vital role in protecting coasts from waves.



On land, some scientists warn that washed up oil deposits could harden and lead to lasting change.



“In the long term, we could see an asphalt-like coast as the oil dissipates and degrades, as the oil puddles,” said Ralph Portier, an environmental scientist at Louisiana State University who studied the aftermath of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico.



“It’s a real tragedy,” Portier said.

‘Massive poisonous shock’: Scientists fear lasting impact from Mauritius oil spill

According to unconfirmed reports, suspected Islamist militants have once again attacked and occupied Mocímboa da Praia in the northern Cabo Delgado province. Reports suggest that the port town was first attacked overnight on August 5/6, with intense fighting continuing until August 11. 



Security forces are said to have been given air support by the South Africa-based private security company Dyck Advisory Group (DAG), which has been active in the region since May. 



DAG is currently based in the port city of Pemba, more than 300 km to the south. Although unconfirmed, both militants and security forces are believed to have suffered multiple casualties. Mocímboa da Praia has been targeted numerous times in 2020, including on March 23 when it was temporarily occupied. recently, the town was attacked and occupied overnight on June 27, the same day eight employees of Fenix Constructions Service, a subcontractor of Total, were killed when their vehicle was ambushed by gunmen near Palma, some 80 km north of Mocímboa da Praia. Both attacks on Mocímboa da Praia were claimed by the Islamic State Central African Province (ISCAP) militant group. ISCAP has claimed or been blamed for the most recent attacks in Cabo Delgado.



 However, it is only one of several groups known to be active in the region, with the group commonly known as Ansar al-Sunna or Ahlu Sunnah Wa-Jamo (also referred to by locals as Al-Shabaab) operating there since 2017. The groups are not thought to have direct links with their better-known namesakes, but rather identify with them ideologically. Indeed, most analysts agree that socio-economic issues, underdevelopment, and perceived marginalisation are major drivers of the Islamic insurgency in the region, along with militants’ links to organised crime. The government has struggled to contain the escalating insurgency, which has threatened major liquified natural gas projects in the province, deploying additional security forces and engaging private security companies to try and contain the growing violence.



 On May 14, Interior Minister Amade Miquidade announced that 50 militants were killed in a security operation launched in the Meluco, Mocímboa da Praia, Mueda, Muidimbe, Nangade, and Quissanga districts. However, security forces have also suffered major reversals, impacting morale and operational capacity. The insurgency has been considered at a multilateral level with the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) discussing it at a special summit in Harare on May 19.



 A communiqué released after the conclusion of the Extraordinary Organ Troika Summit plus Mozambique “urged Sadc member states to support the Government of Mozambique in fighting the terrorists and armed groups in some districts of Cabo Delgado”. However, there have been no concrete commitments by either the bloc or any individual member to provide military support.



 Senior figures in South Africa have made comments suggesting that the possibility was at least under discussion. South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Naledi Pandor, briefed Parliament in May, saying that government was in discussion with Mozambique about how it could help fight the insurgency, prompting the Islamic State to issue threats to “open a fighting front inside [South Africa’s] borders”. The chairperson of the country’s National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (Natjoints) has since been quoted as saying, “We can’t interfere in a country’s sovereign matters, but we make sure we are keeping our forces ready.”



 In a development that may be related to the situation in Cabo Delgado, Tanzania’s military has been conducting military exercises along that country’s shared border with the troubled province since August 10. Tanzania first announced that it would be deploying soldiers to the border in May, in response to the insecurity. Islamist militants have significantly stepped up their activities in Cabo Delgado in 2020 and have become increasingly emboldened with its usual modus operandi evolving from targeting small villages and rural dwellers to launching relatively sophisticated attacks on district capitals, like Mocímboa da Praia and Quissanga. 



This has seen them driving security forces from towns they were garrisoned in, allowing militants to achieve psychological victories and capture weaponry. The security situation in Cabo Delgado is not expected to improve significantly over the short to medium term as there is no purely military solution to the insurgency. Most analysts agree that a coordinated, regional response to the insurgency is required as porous borders and organised crime activities are some of the key drivers of the violence. Mozambique is said to be reluctant to agree to a regional force being deployed, partly due to its poor relationship with Tanzania and Botswana, which will soon take over from Zimbabwe as chair of the Sadc Troika. Media reports allege that President Filipe Nyusi had proposed a bilateral arrangement to his Zimbabwean counterpart, Emmerson Mnangagwa, which was rejected as the latter preferred a coordinated response. A coordinated response appears unlikely in the immediate future. Louw Nel, Political Analyst

Mozambique records first COVID-19 death

Analysis: Why Mozambique is suffering from terror attacks

NAIROBI (Reuters) &#8211; Mauritian volunteers fished dead eels from oily waters on Tuesday as they tried to clean up damage to the Indian Ocean island’s most pristine beaches after a Japanese bulk carrier leaked an estimated 1,000 tonnes of oil.



The ship, MV Wakashio, owned by Nagashiki Shipping and operated by Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd, struck a coral reef on Mauritius’ southeast coast on July 25, and began leaking oil last week, raising fears of a major ecological crisis.



Activists told Reuters that dead eels were floating in the water and dead starfish washed in the sticky black liquid. Crabs and seabirds are also dying.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="960" height="540" src="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/1571595826001_6180184254001_6180184697001-vs.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-378691" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/1571595826001_6180184254001_6180184697001-vs.jpg 960w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/1571595826001_6180184254001_6180184697001-vs-300x169.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/1571595826001_6180184254001_6180184697001-vs-820x461.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/1571595826001_6180184254001_6180184697001-vs-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/1571595826001_6180184254001_6180184697001-vs-696x392.jpg 696w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/1571595826001_6180184254001_6180184697001-vs-600x338.jpg 600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /><figcaption>Ameenah Gurib-Fakim on how the oil spill will impact the Mauritian economy</figcaption></figure>



“We don’t know what may happen further with the boat, it may crack more,” said clean up volunteer Yvan Luckhun.



The MV Wakashio is still holding some 2,000 tonnes of oil and it is expected to eventually break up, Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth said late on Monday, warning that the country must brace for the worst.



Tourism is a key part of the Mauritius economy and the government, which has declared a state of emergency due to the spill, is working with former colonial ruler France to try to remove the oil.



The spill has set back two decades worth of restoring the natural wildlife and plants in the lagoon, which started after the government banned sand harvesting in the area back in 2000, said Vikash Tatayah, conservation director at Mauritius Wildlife Foundation, a non-governmental organisation.Slideshow&nbsp;(5 Images)



The fragmentation of the oil in the sea is expected to damage corals when the heavier particles in the oil settle on them, he said, adding that the steps taken by the government to prevent the disaster are also being scrutinised.



“There is some anger and some criticism from the civil society that the government may have taken too much time to respond,” he said. The ship was grounded for nearly two weeks before it started leaking oil.



There was no immediate comment from Mauritian government officials.



Mitsui OSK Lines said in statement: “We will do our utmost towards resolving the situation quickly.” It did not provide any details.

Sea life around Mauritius dying as Japanese tanker oil spill spreads

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) &#8211; The South African central bank further cut its government bond purchases in July, buying 2.5 billion rand ($142 million) worth, or half the amount it bought in June, to bring its total holdings to 38.4 billion rand, data showed on Friday.



Rampant selling of government debt in March and April, as the coronavirus struck, forced the bank into emergency liquidity measures, including a quantitative easing style purchase of bonds in the secondary market.



At its rate meeting two weeks ago, when the bank clipped lending rates by 25 basis points, governor Lesetja Kganyago stressed the bond buying was to support liquidity rather than finance government’s ballooning budget deficit.



In May, National Treasury upped the weekly amount of debt on auction by nearly 2 billion rand.



Local banks and asset mangers have mostly taken up the increased supply, but foreign investors have reduced their holdings to an eight-year low at 30.1%.



($1 = 17.5639 rand)

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South African central bank cuts bond buys to 2.5 bln rand in July

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) &#8211; South African mobile operator MTN Group said on Thursday it will be exiting the Middle East over the medium term, starting with the sale of its 75% stake in MTN Syria as part of plans to focus on Africa.



MTN is in advanced discussions to sell the stake in MTN Syria to TeleInvest, which is the minority shareholder in MTN Syria with a 25% holding, Group President and Chief Executive Officer Rob Shuter told media on a conference call as the firm reported its half-year results.



“As part of the review of our portfolio, we believe the group is best served to focus on its pan-African strategy and to simplify its portfolio by exiting the Middle East region in an orderly manner,” Shuter said.



The Middle East assets, which also include operations in Afghanistan and Yemen, contributed less than 4% to group earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization in the first-half ended June 30.



The group also has a 49% minority holding in Irancell.

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South Africa’s MTN to exit Middle East over medium-term

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) &#8211; South Africa’s rand inched up on Wednesday after dropping to two-months lows the day before, as some risk demand returned amid concern over the global economy.



At 0650 GMT the rand was up 0.4% to 17.3000 per dollar, after falling to 17.5350 in the previous session, its worst since early June.



“The rand traded on the back foot yesterday, despite local sellers of USD. This supply was easily absorbed by offshore-driven demand, with the rand an apparent proxy for all emerging-market currencies,” analysts at Nedbank said in a note.



“This morning, the rand has recovered from its worst levels. Globally, headlines are dominated by the news that the trade agreement between China and the U.S. would be evaluated later in the month.”



A delay in agreement over the latest coronavirus relief package in the United States has also slowed demand for the dollar, leading to some recovery in emerging-market assets.



Gold climbed to a record high on Wednesday, extending a run above $2,000. Demand for the safe haven reflected waning hopes for a quick recovery in the global economy.[GOL/]



Bonds gained, with the yield on the benchmark 2026 bond down 1.5 basis points to 9.320%.

ArcelorMittal South Africa fined R3.64 million over hydrogen sulfide emissions

South African rand creeps up after slipping to two-month low

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) &#8211; Power utility Eskom and South Africa’s Special Investigating Unit (SIU) said on Monday they had issued a court summons in an effort to recoup 3.8 billion rand ($221 million) they allege was diverted by former Eskom executives and the Gupta family, who ran high profile businesses in the country.



The move by Eskom and the SIU relates to the 2015 acquisition of Optimum Coal by the Gupta-controlled company Tegeta Exploration and Resources. At issue is a claim by Eskom that the deal involved a payment to the Guptas which was authorised by previous executives, damaging the company financially.



Eskom alleged “a concerted effort corruptly to divert financial resources from Eskom, (and) to improperly and illegally benefit the Gupta family” in a statement issued jointly with the SIU.



It said that Eskom had issued a civil summons in the North Gauteng High Court against 12 individuals to recover funds lost.



Rudi Krause, the lawyer acting for the Gupta family, said he had not received any communication from Eskom or South Africa’s SIU about claim for damages.



“If they serve a summons properly and my clients are properly cited, then I will have something to respond to. At the



moment I know nothing about it,” Krause said. Krause decline further comment on Monday’s statement.



Eskom is one of several South African state-owned firms which have been investigated over allegations of corruption involving government contracts.



The investigations have prompted the overhaul of Eskom’s management and board, as well as government promises of stronger oversight, with President Cyril Ramaphosa last year announcing Eskom would be spilt into three separate entities.



Eskom also has had a succession of chief executives over the past decade as it struggled to service debts totalling 450 billion rand, while trying to keep power supplies going.



Brian Molefe, who resigned as Eskom CEO in 2017 after South Africa’s state corruption watchdog questioned coal deals struck during his term, was one of the individuals named in the statement. He also said he had not received a summons.



“Suddenly they whip out this file after three years. Nobody has contacted me,” Molefe said.



Another former Eskom CEO Matshela Moses Koko, who was also named in the statement, also dismissed the legal move.



“What a horrific blunder and a bad publicity stunt by Eskom and the SIU,” Koko wrote on Twitter. “I really want to comment but I don’t have the summons. So I don’t know what Eskom is accusing me of,” Koko later told Reuters.



The SIU is an independent statutory body that is accountable to South Africa’s parliament and the country’s president. It says it conducts investigations at the president’s request.



A judicial inquiry into alleged corruption involving state contracts worth billions of rand at Eskom and other state firms, which began two years ago, is ongoing.



South Africa’s parliament and National Treasury have also conducted investigations into Eskom’s Tegeta deal and other aspects of its procurement arrangements, but have not brought any criminal or civil charges.



($1 = 17.1724 rand)

South_Africa-Mpumalanga-Middelburg-Arnot_Power_Station01

South Africa’s Eskom seeks $221 million damages over coal deal

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) &#8211; South African Breweries (SAB) said on Monday it was cancelling 5 billion rand ($290 million) of planned investments as a result of revenue losses sustained during a near three-month ban on alcohol sales during the coronavirus crisis.



The South African drinks industry has been among the hardest hit by restrictions, which included a ban on the sale of alcohol to the end of May, which was reinstated last month to free up space in hospitals burdened by what officials said were avoidable alcohol-related injuries.



“The cancellation of this planned expenditure is a direct consequence of having lost 12 full trading weeks, which effectively equates to some 30% of SAB’s annual production,” SAB vice-president of finance Andrew Murray said.



The sector has already cut 118,000 jobs and projections show that a nine-week ban now will cost another 84,000 and 15.5 billion rand in GDP, Richard Rushton CEO of Distell, which makes wines, spirits and ciders, said.



SAB, owned by the world’s largest brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev, said it had cancelled 2.5 billion rand planned expenditure for this financial year, while the other half for the next financial year remains under review.



Investments being considered by SAB included upgrades to operating facilities and systems, as well as the installation of new equipment at selected plants, it added.



The ban has also forced the South African arm of Heineken to drop plans to build a 6 billion rand brewery in KwaZulu-Natal, it said on Monday.



Industry associations have called for the government to drop the alcohol ban, with some restaurant, bar and tavern owners considering closing for good.



SAB said the country had lost an estimated excise tax of more than 12 billion rand during the first ban.



($1 = 17.2467 rand)

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