Each day, Edwin Makotore's wife and children hit the streets to earn cash so he can pay for the privilege of working. The 38-year-old father-of-two is the only one in the family with a full-time job, but by the time he has met the soaring cost of travelling to work in a small Harare supermarket, paid out of wages wildly out of step with the 165 000% inflation rate, Makotore is out of pocket.

Leading German car manufacturers Mercedes-Benz and BMW issued a statement on Thursday slamming the alleged recent lurid behaviour of world motorsport governing body (FIA) president Max Mosley as "disgraceful". Both companies, with teams set to take part in this weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix, distanced themselves from the revelations about Mosley's private life.

Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota was on Friday sentenced to a R5 000 fine or 12 months' imprisonment for reckless and negligent driving. Wearing a dark suit, glasses with gold frames and accompanied by his bodyguard, Lekota pleaded guilty to exceeding the national speed limit. Last Sunday Lekota was arrested for driving at 189km/h in a 120km/h zone.

Three robbers were killed and five others were arrested after they tried to rob a Coin Security van in Pretoria on Monday. National police spokesperson Sally de Beer said the Coin Security guards noticed they were being followed at about 9am on Monday morning by a black Nissan Navara on Christina De Wit Drive in Pretoria.

"I know this might sound corny, but the sound of the Aston Martin Vantage Roadster's V8 engine gave me indescribable pleasure. Yes, I've driven V8s, V10s and even a V12-engined vehicle before, but none has ever sounded as viciously sweet as this," writes Sukasha Singh.