April 17, 2013.
From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Megan Wait.
Making headlines:

A report by the International Monetary Fund forecasts slower growth for South Africa in 2013.

The Ivory Coast calls for surveillance drones to replace UN troops in the country to aid the peacekeeping mission.

And, the South African National Roads Agency Limited says the N1-N2 Winelands improvements will benefit surrounding communities and create jobs.

A report released by the International Monetary Fund’s (or IMF’s) latest World Economic Outlook (or WEO) has forecast a growth rate of 2.8% for South Africa during 2013, rising slightly to only 3.3% in 2014, owing to sluggish mining production and weakened demand from the eurozone. Mining remains a key export market for the country.

The 2013 figure was in line with an update released in January, but below the increase of 3% in gross domestic product (or GDP) growth projected in the October WEO. The 2014 projection was somewhat lower than the 4.1% increase in growth forecast released by the IMF in its January update.

Both the 2013 and 2014 forecasts were a modest improvement on GDP growth of 2.5%, which South Africa recorded for 2012 – a year in which Africa’s largest economy experienced protracted industrial-relations strife in the mining, transport and farming sectors.

The report expects sub-Saharan Africa to maintain its strong growth momentum over the coming two years, with both resource-rich and lower-income economies benefiting from robust domestic demand.

Ivory Coast's UN envoy, echoing a recommendation by the UN chief, said that the UN Security Council should consider deploying surveillance drones in Ivory Coast to aid the world body's peacekeeping mission in the west African country.

Ivory Coast UN Ambassador Youssoufou Bamba told the 15-member council that surveillance drones should be deployed to offset any planned cuts to the peacekeeping force in the world's biggest cocoa producer.

The United Nations will soon deploy such drones for the first time in the Democratic Republic of Congo to help the peacekeeping mission in that central African country monitor its porous and mountainous eastern borders with Rwanda and Uganda.

South African National Roads Agency Limited (or Sanral) spokesperson Vusi Mona has rejected reports that the N1-N2 Winelands toll highway project would adversely affect members of impoverished communities in the area.

He indicated that since preparations for the N1-N2 Winelands toll highway project began in 1996, Sanral had met with provincial and local governments in the province, as well as with the communities who would be affected by the upgrades to the roads.

Mona pointed out that the project, which would entail upgrading the highway and the implementation of a tolling system would provide job opportunities to communities along the route.

Sanral projected that about 5 000 jobs would be created during the construction phase of the N1-N2 Winelands toll highway project.  The majority of the jobs created would be for unskilled labour, thereby benefiting members of impoverished communities.

Also making headlines: 

The South African Reserve Bank says South Africa's inflation outlook has worsened because of a weaker rand.

Telkom is expected to pay an R449-million fine for charging excessive prices and engaging in uncompetitive behaviour.

The Zimbabwe Multi-Donor Trust Fund launches a $30-million water supply and sanitation initiative.

And, finance MEC Mandla Nkomfe says a rise in unqualified audits for Gauteng departments and municipalities reflects improved financial performance.

That's a roundup of news making headlines today.