There is an urgent need for local suppliers of anti-retrovirals (ARVs), according to people living with HIV/Aids, pharmacies and manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline. This was highlighted by shortages this week in the supply of ARVs to South Africa.

Behind-the-scenes negotiations indicate that the South African government is loosening its support for Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe. This change in stance by one of the Mugabe government’s main — direct and indirect — political and financial supporters comes when Zimbabwe has been suspended from the Commonwealth.

A former member of a precursor to the Scorpions unit has laid criminal charges against national prosecuting boss Bulelani Ngcuka and other former colleagues. The charges were laid last Friday by Magistrate Ashin Singh.

The Northern Cape provincial transport minister John Block is expected to be asked to resign from his position in the next few days. Block has admitted to having used taxpayers’ money to fund his personal travel, among other things.

At least four prominent African National Congress members are being billed as candidates for posts in the new post-election Cabinet. The ANC is drawing up its list of candidates for national and provincial legislatures.

The South African Communist Party has broken ranks with its African National Congress allies in the Northern Cape over their defence of ANC chairperson John Block, who faces corruption allegations. The ANC Northern Cape list lacks balanced representation, say the communists.

Jo’burg mayor Amos Masondo is a key member of the ANC’s election brain trust. He spoke to Jaspreet Kindra.

The Western Cape secretary of the Congress of South African Trade Unions, Tony Ehrenreich, is seeking President Thabo Mbeki’s help in his battle with the provincial government over a growth and development strategy for the province.

The head of the South African Diamond Board, Abbey Chikane, said he has found no evidence to back a United Nations report citing South African companies, including De Beers, as linked to the illegal exploitation of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) natural resources.