JOHANNESBURG, Oct 11 (Reuters) – Nelson Mandela never wanted
to become South African president and would have preferred a
younger person to become the country’s first black ruler,
according to a new book.

Mandela says in the book “Conversations with Myself”, due to
be launched on Tuesday, that he only accepted after senior
leaders of the African National Congress put pressure on him.

JOHANNESBURG/DURBAN (Reuters) – South Africa’s ruling ANC elects a new leader in 2012 but positioning for the country’s top job has already begun with Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe seen as favourite.

Although the question of who will become the next party leader — and almost certainly South African president in 2014 — is not on the agenda of the ANC’s week-long policy review National General Council this week, African National Congress officials and party sources say lobbying has already started.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Hundreds of thousands of South African state workers returned to their jobs on Tuesday after suspending a disruptive three-week strike which hit schools and hospitals.

Union officials were giving themselves 21 days to finalise a draft agreement with their members that could end the conflict over wages that prompted 1.3 million workers to walk off their jobs, affecting public services across Africa’s biggest economy.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Unions representing more than 1 million striking South African civil servants began talks with the government on Friday to end a stoppage that could damage Africa’s largest economy if it drags on into next month.

The state workers’ strike started on Wednesday — the latest in a wave of labor protests since May — and quickly turned violent, with police firing rubber bullets to disperse protesters blocking roads and preventing patients from entering hospitals.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – New media rules planned by the South African government are reminiscent of draconian apartheid-era press laws and could stunt democracy in the country, the Committee to Protect Journalists said.

The New York-based media freedom group said in a letter to President Jacob Zuma, posted on the CPJ website (www.cpj.org), that the proposed laws would severely curtail the independent media.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – New media rules planned by the South African government are reminiscent of draconian apartheid-era press laws and could stunt democracy in the country, the Committee to Protect Journalists said.

The New York-based media freedom group said in a letter to President Jacob Zuma, posted on the CPJ website (www.cpj.org), that the proposed laws would severely curtail the independent media.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South Africa’s image may have changed after it successfully hosted the World Cup but the billions spent on the event had little impact on improving the life of poor South Africans.

Analysts said the real benefits of the World Cup — hosted in Africa for the first time — will only be seen in years to come.

JOHANNESBURG, June 25 (Reuters) – Africa’s strong growth
will continue at a rapid pace and investors and business can not
afford to ignore the continent’s potential which goes far beyond
commodities, according to a McKinsey Global Institute study.

The study released on Friday by MGI, the economics research
arm of consultancy firm McKinsey, said Africa’s GDP grew by 4.9
percent between 2000 and 2008, making it the third fastest
growing region in the world.

SOWETO, South Africa (Reuters) – German sporting goods maker Puma sees good prospects in Africa and expects the World Cup to boost sales of its soccer business, Chief Executive Officer Jochen Zeitz said on Wednesday.

Puma, the world’s No. 3 behind U.S. sporting giant Nike and German rival Adidas, equips seven teams — including Italy and four African teams — in the World Cup currently taking place in South Africa.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South African President Jacob Zuma said on Tuesday he was confident the Soccer World Cup, hosted for the first time in Africa, will boost job creation and economic growth in his country.

“The event itself has created such an opportunity that our economy is not going to be of the same size after the 2010 World Cup. Certainly, therefore, GDP will grow from where it has been,” Zuma said in an interview with Reuters Insider television.