He will not, however, travel beyond the capitals of Mozambique, Madagascar and Mauritius.

ends intro

Pope  Francis is adamant that the authorities in the three countries he’s visiting should not splash out on hosting  him. He wants only the most basic requirements.

Nevertheless the Mozambique government has spent R5-million getting ready for the papal visit.

Campaigning is underway for elections there in a fortnight.

Smaller parties have started slowly because money they are due from the electoral commission is late.

Residents of Beira, still recovering from cyclone Idai that killed more than 600 people six months ago are disappointed they will not get to see the Pope. 

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This is the second deadly storm to hit South Africa’s eastern neighbour in a month.

Cyclone Kenneth carries all the deadly properties of Cyclone Idai that killed more than 900 people around Beira last month and left three million in need of emergency humnitarian aid.

Its winds are the speed of a category four hurricane.

It is expected to dump more than 600 mm of rain in northern Mozambique and southern Tanzania over the next five days.

Having killed three people and caused extensive damage on the Comores archipelago yesterday, cyclone Kenneth land around Pemba city in Mozambique last night

The post 30 000 Mozambicans must be evacuated from effects of cyclone Kenneth appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.

He was speaking when he joined Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Lindiwe Sisulu in handing donations to Mozambique and Zimbabwe which have lost more than 800 people and had millions displaced by the effects of cyclone Idai.

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Patrice Motsepe and his wife Precious Moloi-Motsepe carried cheques for R30-million – R15-million each for Mozambique and Zimbabwe –  when they joined the humanitarian caravan to Beira and Harare yesterday. 

He says he came forward when government called for help.

(take in Patrice clip here)

Motsepe recalls when EBOLA struck a devastating blow in  West Africa in 2013, business  provided financial aid. 

The post Patrice Motsepe says business steps up to help in African humanitarian crises appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.

With tropical cyclone Idai expected to take landfall at Beira today, at least 120  people have died in Mozambique, Malawi and South Africa. Nearly a million have been displaced.

Mozambique is particularly prone to heavy rai  and flooding at this time of year.

800 people drowned in 2000 and  100 four years ago.

Heavy rain is forecast until at least the weekend.

The United Nations is calling for emergency assistance in both Mozambique and Malawi.

Gift Of The Givers is standing by to augment help expected from the South African National Defense Force with rescue boats, divers, aquatic rescue personnel, paramedics and medical teams.

The post Flooding kills at least 120 in Mozambique, Malawi and South Africa appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.

The victims are believed to have been trying to get fuel off the truck when it blew up.

ends intro

The truck was carrying fuel to Malawi from the port of Beira when it overturned.

The injured had to be taken 90 kms to hospital.

The disaster occurred in Tete province about 2 000kms from the capital Maputo.

A government team is traveling there to investigate the incident.

They’ll be checking whether the fuel was being sold from the truck or whether it had been ambushed by local residents.

Mozambique is one of the world’s poorest nations.

The government recently increased the price of fuel, after the value of the local currency – named metical – sunk against the dollar.

The post 73 Mozambicans die taking fuel overturned truck appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.