No image available
/ 9 December 2005
The intriguing tale of Zimbabwe’s apparent incremental victory over HIV continues, with the United Nations saying that the course of the disease in South Africa’s troubled neighbour appears to have been altered. In a UNAids report released recently, the organisation says Zimbabwe has seen a fall in the prevalence, or level of existing HIV infections, over the past few years.
No image available
/ 9 December 2005
Seismologists have warned that East and Central Africa will be struck by natural disasters such as earthquakes, mudslides and volcanic eruptions in the near future, but that countries in the region remain ill-prepared for catastrophes. A powerful earthquake struck the region on Monday afternoon, causing panic in at least six countries.
No image available
/ 9 December 2005
The arrest of the editor of a local news website this week has raised fresh concerns among defenders of freedom of expression. "Such practices reflect the government’s lack of tolerance for freedom of expression and opinion," said Mahmoud Aly, of the Egyptian Association for the Support of Democracy.
No image available
/ 9 December 2005
Western Areas’ new executive chair-person, Gill Marcus, on Monday swapped her trademark kaftan for an overall and took an extensive tour of the company’s South Deep mine near Westonaria, south of Johannesburg. Western Areas, which has a 50% interest in South Deep, can be thought of as more of a conundrum than a company.
No image available
/ 9 December 2005
What a sordid end to a sordid year! The rape charge laid against Jacob Zuma this week, which effectively ended his political career, rounded off 12 months that have shaken the foundations of our democracy. The African National Congress has been split and so have the allied organisations with which it governs the country.
No image available
/ 9 December 2005
What a difference three quarters of a year can make. In April this year, the South African gold industry was characterised by the cacophonous strains of a sector strangled by a strong rand and rising input costs and about to breathe its last. It had just announced that production output from last year had fallen to 308 tonnes — its worst level since 1930.
No image available
/ 9 December 2005
The robust defence of ”rendition” (flying terror suspects abroad for interrogation) offered recently by the United States Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, marks the export to a European audience of a position on torture that is becoming increasingly uncomfortable for the George W Bush administration.
No image available
/ 9 December 2005
United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan will send two senior UN officials to Eritrea and Ethiopia to assess the volatile border stand-off following a decision by the Eritrean government to expel personnel from the UN peacekeeping mission there. Annan has asked the head of the UN peacekeeping department, Jean-Marie Guéhenno, to leave as soon as practicable for the Horn of Africa.
No image available
/ 9 December 2005
Mozambique has to develop a more systematic response to chronic drought, which is having a devastating effect on the food security and livelihoods of around 800Â 000 people, according to a recent assessment. The government, with help from bilateral partners, has been carrying out relief operations, and plans to expand the number to 534Â 000 this month.
No image available
/ 9 December 2005
What do you do when you work in local government and you’ve been spending tax-payers’ money at the rate of R230Â 000 a day for four years without official authorisation? Option 1: You plead guilty, get a suspended sentence, and are back at work in six months. Option 2: You use the media to allege a media-fuelled conspiracy against you.