Monitor: Miscellaneous

Stories from around the world

The Zimbabwe Independent

EXECUTIVE MAYOR Solomon Tawengwa has reneged on a promise that he would keep the costs of building the executive mayor's mansion to below $5m, it emerged this week.

Tawengwa refuted Press reports that the executive mayor's mansion was likely to soar beyond the budgeted $5m. The mayor's advertisement read as follows: "I would like to assure the ratepayers of the City of Harare that the executive mayor's residence will not cost $5m. I, in fact, publicly instructed a reduction of the Harare City Council's budgetary provision for the construction of the house.

Tawengwa said that, whenever the issue of the house was raised, it was presented as if he had made a decision to build a house for himself. The house was not personal property, but belonged to the municipality, and the decision to build it was made long before he had assumed office.

The Daily

Dispatch

South Africa

STRAY CATTLE in the area are becoming more and more problematic. With the influx of rural folk forming squatter camps and settlements all over the place, and the sight of succulent grazing around them, they are also bringing in cows, sheep and goats.

The trouble is that fences are being broken down and, as a result, animals stray. So beware, especially at night. It is not safe to travel fast on any rural roads around East London any more. Drive carefully, and slowly. You never know what cow, horse, goat or sheep might be lurking around the next corner. You have been warned. This is Africa, you know.

Sydney Morning Herald

Australia

THE FRENCH are at it again. They are trying to force their language on to the rest of the world. This time, their battleground is the Sydney Olympic Games, where they want French to be the official language. Not surprisingly, Australian officials wish to use a far more relevant language - English.