Vol 58 No 11 | ZAMBIA Secret deal to end copper war 26th May 2017 President Lungu and First Quantum are to settle the dispute out of court – to the dismay of the state copper boss After weeks of high stakes gamesmanship over claims that First Quantum Minerals had cheated Zambia out of as much as US$2.3 billion, President Edgar Lungu has ordered his officials...
Vol 58 No 11 | SOUTH AFRICA Economically bankrupt 26th May 2017 The embattled African National Congress is rapidly running out of money as funders desert the party because of the increasingly erratic behaviour of its leader, President Jacob Zum...
Vol 58 No 10 | SOUTH AFRICA Everyone's fault but Zuma's 12th May 2017 The beleaguered President believes the best defence is attack as he blames white business and the West for his woes President Jacob Zuma has been trying to undermine his critics by claiming that all public attacks on his actions – whether in the media, from opposition parties or within the...
Vol 58 No 10 | SOUTH AFRICA No place to hide 12th May 2017 The once popular Jacob Zuma finds his room for manoeuvre ever more restricted as both supporters and enemies box him in Humiliatingly shunned by both the powerful business community and the forces of labour and the left, President Jacob Zuma is on the defensive as never before. He has had to abandon...
Vol 58 No 10 | ZAMBIA Spat with FQM continues 12th May 2017 One of the biggest mining companies wants assurance its directors won't be arrested when they arrive to attend board meetings The British-based mining company First Quantum Minerals Limited has written to the Attorney General to seek assurances that none of the directors of Kansanshi Mining PLC, which FQM...
Vol 58 No 9 | ZAMBIA Motorcade, treason and plot 28th April 2017 President Lungu's actions in imprisoning the opposition leader are viewed with growing amazement and alarm Hakainde Hichilema's arrest for treason was at first dismissed as an intimidatory gimmick by President Edgar Lungu after the 'clash of the motorcades' early this month. However, as... READ FOR FREE
Vol 58 No 9 | ZAMBIA To sue or to schmooze 28th April 2017 Ministers are torn between demanding cash from a mining giant accused of fraud and maintaining a cosy relationship The move by Zambia's largely government-owned mining investment company to sue First Quantum Minerals for fraud has put its chief executive officer Pius Kasolo at loggerheads with ...
Vol 58 No 9 | SOUTH AFRICA Mr Gigabyte's baptism of fire 28th April 2017 The new Finance Minister swings through New York and Washington trying to give an impression of business as usual South Africa's fourth Finance Minister in two years, Malusi Gigaba, encountered bemusement and indifference when he visited the United States last week for the International Moneta...
Vol 58 No 9 | MOZAMBIQUE A meandering audit trail 28th April 2017 The much-anticipated report on the secret loans is due out amid doubts about how much it will – or can – reveal Expectations and tension were building as the 28 April deadline for the delivery of the risk advisory firm Kroll's report on secret security state loans approached. Attorney Genera...
Vol 58 No 9 | MADAGASCAR Corruption climate warming 28th April 2017 A cabinet reshuffle is intended to restore the government's image but Hery has an uphill task before the coming election President Hery Rajaonarimampianina is desperately trying to regain the political initiative after taking heavy blows to his government's reputation after it allowed a controversial...