Africa Briefs

SA govt wins wages court case

The South African government on Tuesday won a court case over public-sector wage increases that it has refused to pay, boosting its efforts to repair a gaping budget deficit and soaring debt.

Trade unions had approached the courts to try to enforce a wage deal struck in 2018 that promised their members inflation-linked increases for three years in a row.

The government honoured the deal for its first two years but did not pay the final year of increases, which were due to take effect in April. It said the increases would cost more than R37 billion, which it couldn't afford during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Labour Appeal Court ruled it would be unlawful for trade unions to enforce the latest wage increases because it would contravene parts of the constitution and public service regulations.

But it added that further negotiations between the government and unions over a settlement may still take place. – Nampa/Reuters

Zim govt assumes national airline debt

Zimbabwe's Cabinet on Tuesday resolved to assume the debt of national airline Air Zimbabwe and to extend its reconstruction period as the government seeks to prop up the company, said the country's information ministry.

The airline has debts exceeding US$300 million that are weighing down the restructuring exercise or potential bids, according to media.

Addressing a post-cabinet media briefing, information minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the reconstruction will provide for the payment to creditors as well as return the airline to profitability.

"Owing to the strategic nature of the national airline, cabinet resolved to assume the debt as well as the extension of the Air Zimbabwe Reconstruction period to 30 June 2021," Mutsvangwa said.

She said the airline will resume flights to Victoria Falls and Bulawayo on Dec. 21 after resuming regional flights in October. It had suspended all flights in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic. – Nampa/Xinhua

Nigeria orders ID numbers on SIM cards

Nigeria has given telecommunication providers two weeks to add valid national identification numbers (NIN) to every SIM card registered in the country, according to a statement from the Nigeria Communications Commission.

All SIM cards without a NIN attached will be blocked from Dec. 30, the statement said.

Last week, the NCC barred telecommunications firms from selling new SIM cards while it conducted audits into rule compliance.

Adding the numbers to some 200 million active mobile phone lines in two weeks is a daunting task, one made more difficult by the fact that not all Nigerians have a national identification number.

The statement warned that any company violating the directive would "be met by stiff sanctions, including the possibility of withdrawal of operating license". – Nampa/Reuters

Tanzania gets grant for power project

Tanzania on Tuesday signed a US$31.5-million grant agreement with the French Development Agency (AFD) for financing the implementation of the Tanzania-Zambia power interconnection project.

The agreement was signed in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam.

The project was to establish cross-border power transmission between the southern African power pool and the East African power pool to enable regional power trade in order to establish a regional power market.

It involves the construction of 400 kilovolts electricity transmission lines and associated substations along the Iringa-Kisada-Mbeya-Tunduma-Sumbawanga corridor. – Nampa/Xinhua