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/ 31 October 2003

Union stands by its man at sex pest appeal

South Africa’s ambassador to Indonesia, Norman Mashabane, found guilty last year at an internal disciplinary hearing on 21 cases of sexual harassment, is to be represented at his appeal hearing by his union. ”While we will be representing Mr Mashabane, it does not in any case mean we support sexual harassment by managers/political appointees,” it hastened to add.

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/ 31 October 2003

Movements split on vote

Next year’s general elections appear to be sowing divisions among South Africa’s social movements, which are unsure about how best to use the poll to protest against the government’s percieved lack of delivery. The Anti-Privatisation Forum (APF), which is still debating whether or not to field candidates for the 2004 poll, is currently trying to manage divided opinion.

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/ 31 October 2003

One thing after another

In an attempt to deal with irregularities at the National Development Agency (NDA), Minister of Social Development Zola Skweyiya has suspended CEO Delani Mthembu and instituted a forensic investigation into charges of corruption and mismanagement.

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/ 31 October 2003

Block’s disclosures under scrutiny

The declarations of financial interests and benefits by Northern Cape minister for transport, roads and public works, John Block, made under the Executive Members Ethics Act, form part of investigations into his alleged corruption. Such use of declarations has emerged in the wake of last week’s Idasa report on government ethics.

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/ 31 October 2003

Furore over name change

More legal action against tertiary mergers is in the pipeline as massive rebellion builds up in the Eastern Cape against Minister of Education Kader Asmal. His announcement last week that the merged institution to be created from the University of Transkei (Unitra), Border Technikon and Eastern Cape Technikon will be known as the "Eastern Cape University of Technology" sparked deep anger at these institutions.

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/ 31 October 2003

The dirtiest politician in SA?

Mpumalanga’s influential public works minister, Steve Mabona, privately received payments totalling R1-million from a company that had contracts with his department. The money, in two amounts of R500 000 each, flowed to Mabona within days of his department having transferred millions to the company for a contract that was subsequently probed.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?ao=22899">A chequered career</a>
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?ao=22900">In his own words</a>

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/ 31 October 2003

Louis and Di: The missing letters

Signed World Cup rugby balls, the Judas in the Lays ad on television, Prince Philip falling asleep in a scone, the chins of Marlon Brando, the hair of Napoleon, and the smell of a damp Labrador some weeks dead. These are just some of the horrors that await in the secret letters of Princess Di and Louis Luyt…

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/ 31 October 2003

Antarctic ice shelf melting, scientists warn

A giant ice shelf the size of Scotland is melting rapidly in the Antarctic, scientists warned on Friday. Two sections of the Larsen ice shelf collapsed in 1995 and 2002. Now satellite measurements have confirmed that it has thinned by as much as 18 metres more than usual in the past decade, because of a warmer ocean.