Police Clash with Striking Public Workers

Johannesburg, South Africa

Police Clash with Striking Public Workers

Police in South Africa fired rubber bullets and water cannons at protesting civil servants during the second day of public sector strike that has grounded health and education services in the country.

 Several protesters and a police officer were injured during the violence when police dispersed a rowdy crowd outside a Soweto hospital that was stopping patients from seeking services. Else where, police fired rubber bullets at teachers who tried to block the main highway leading to Johannesburg.

 More than one million civil servants from unions allied to South Africa’s main union federation COSATU went on strike on Wednesday demanding for an 8.6 percent pay increase and higher house allowance.

 Military doctors, nurses and soldiers have been deployed to render support as the strike intensifies. The South African National Defence Force members have already moved into three provinces and are on standby in the six others.

 The government has said it will only offer 7 percent, giving unions 21 days to accept the offer or else it will implement it unilaterally.

 Six deaths attributed to the strike have been reported in a Johannesburg hospital as unions have vowed to shut down the entire public service.

South African Human Rights Commission has called on the government and unions to put the interests of the country first, urging President Jacob Zuma to intervene in negotiations that could hopefully bring about necessary agreement.

 The country’s unions are key allies to Zuma’s African National Congress party forming the largest voter block that saw him elected as president. 

Mwanza, Tanzania

Court Jails Kenyan Albino Trafficker

A Tanzanian court has sentenced a Kenyan to 17 years in jail charged for trying to sell an albino friend to headhunters for ritual killings.

 The court in Mwanza sentenced Nathan Mutei to 17 years and a US$50,000 fine after pleading guilty to charges of human trafficking and abduction.

 Mutei, 28, was arrested earlier this week in Mwanza by Tanzanian police posing  as businessmen for trying to sell a fellow Kenyan Robinson Mkwana, an albino, for US$263,000. Mutei had tricked Mkwana a 20-year old hawker in pretext of finding him a job in neighboring Tanzania as a bus conductor.

Over 60 albinos are believed to have been hunted in incidents of ritual killing over the last three years in Tanzania and neighbouring Burundi to harvest specific body organs used for making potions for good luck and prosperity in life, with human skin being the most sought after organ.

Organs from live victims are believed to be more potent by their screams which means victims must be subjected to pain before death. Albinism is a congenital disorder caused by lack of pigment in their skin, eyes and hair.

Kinshasa, DR Congo

Two Arrested over Peacekeepers Killing

The Democratic Republic of Congo army has arrested two suspects leading to the killing of three Indian UN peacekeepers and wounding of seven others in an apparent ambush in the eastern region of the country.

Two of the arrested suspects belonging to the Mai-Mai militia group confessed killing the three Indian peacekeepers in a base operated by the MONUSCO- the UN stabilization mission in DRC in Kirumba city of North Kivu province.

The motive of the attack was to prevent a splinter group working with the peacekeepers from integrating into the country’s national force as part of a peace deal with the government.

Formed to defend their north and south Kivu territory against armed groups, the Mai Mai, used the war to exploit by looting and banditry, making it one of the powerful forces during the second Congo war.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has expressed support for the UN mission and condemned the attack, calling for immediate investigation by the Congo government. He also sent his condolences to the Indian government and family of the victims.

The UN Security Council approved a partial withdrawal of peacekeepers this year form the country following efforts by President Joseph Kabila to have all forces out by September next year.

Nearly 4000 Indian army soldiers form part of the Congo UN peacekeeping mission that has helped the eastern Africa state to gain stability after years of civil strife that claimed over 5.4million lives.