South Africa:Union Files Suit against Expelled Youth Leader

Johannesburg--A South African workers union has filed criminal charges against expelled leader of the ruling party’s youth league, Julius Malema for inflaming tension at the mines hit by ongoing unrest over pay increase.

Mr Malema has been vocal on recent violent strikes at South African Mines calling on mine workers to down their tools until wage demands have been met, but denies claims of inciting violence.

Earlier Wednesday, Solidarity, a trade union which largely represents white, skilled workers, laid charges of incitement to public violence and intimidation against the activist at a police station near the capital Pretoria.

The trade union says Malema who had earlier called on striking workers to make the mines ungovernable until their demands are met, is capitalising on the strikes to further his own political agenda.

"Violent protests at mines are not spontaneous. He encourages violence for his own gain. Malema is an opportunist who uses unrest to try to revive his political career," Solidarity spokesman, Johan Kruger, said.

Malema, was ejected out of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party earlier this year for ill-discipline over his inflammatory speeches on nationalizing mines and has since then sought means to hit back at the party’s brass.

Ongoing unrests in mines in the country offshoots from last month’s killing of over 44 people at the Lonmin platinum mines in Marikana, where 34 miners were gunned down by the police following violent clashes between two rival unions at the same mines that left ten people including two police officers dead.

Unrest over pay increase has since spread to other mines including gold mines in east of Johannesburg owned by the Gold Fields KDC where over 12,000 striking miners have held violent demonstrations.

Over 1000 workers at the ill-fated Marikana mine held demonstrations in demand for an almost double pay increase to $1,500 a month. This comes as new round of talks mediated by church leaders is underway to negotiate settlement between the workers and the managers at the world’s third largest platinum producer.

Malema was expected to travel to Marikana on Thursday to rally for support of the striking miners, as the remaining group of the 270 workers held over the police shooting is due to be released following earlier release of 50 workers.

A South African court dropped charges of the workers following public outcry and condemnation of the charges that were leveled under a controversial apartheid-era law, to accuse the mineworkers of provoking police to open fire.

Since the August 16 shooting, world platinum prices have risen more than 10 per cent, with also listed shares of the British-owned Lonmin in Johannesburg and London stock exchanges have dropped by more than 15 percent in value.

Nouakchott, Mauritania

Former Gaddafi Spy Chief Extradited to Libya

Mauritania has handed over fugitive ex-Libyan spy chief wanted in Libya for criminal charges, nearly five months after he was arrested for entering the country illegally.

The state-run television reported on Wednesday that "Mauritanian authorities hand over ex-Libyan spy chief Abdullah al-Senussi to Libya,"

Libyan defence officials including, defence minister and army chief had travelled to Mauritania on Tuesday in relation to the extradition of the feared former right-hand man and brother-in-law of slain leader Muammar Gaddafi who is also wanted by France and The Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC).

Pictures on social media confirmed Mr Senussi had arrived in Libya on Wednesday following the agreed deportation, where he is believed to be held in the capital, Tripoli.

Sanussi was arrested on arrival in Mauritania in March and charged later for illegal entry and use of forged documents. Libya’s new authority in July sent a delegation to Nouakchott to press for his handover, but the Mauritanian leader Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz insisted Senussi had to face justice for illegal entry into the country.

Libyan Prime Minister Abdurrahim el-Keib has assured a fair trial for Sanussi following appeals from international right groups demanding for fair trial for the former spy chief.

"Abdullah al-Senussi will have a fair trial according to international standards for human rights, the rights from which Libyans were deprived," said el-Keib.

His extradition to Libya to face charges there seems a blow to the ICC which wanted Sanussi, alongside Col Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam be tried at the court.

The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Senussi in June last year over his role as an indirect perpetrator of crimes against humanity committed in the birthplace of the Libyan revolt that ended Col Gaddafi’s four-decade rule.

He is also wanted in France where he had been sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment for involvement in the September 1989 bombing of the French UTA airliner over Niger airspace in which 170 people were killed.

The global policing agency, Interpol had issued a “red notice” on behalf of Libya over several charges of fraud and gross human rights abuses including the his alleged role in the 1996 massacre of more than 1000 inmates at the Abu Salim prison in Tripoli.