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/ 16 October 2006

Police to help protect cash-in-transit guards

Police undertook on Monday to explore all avenues to ensure that cash-in-transit security guards are able to transport money in a safer environment. ”Our main objective will be to create a safe and secure environment for the cash-in-transit guards,” said national police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Vishnu Naidoo in a statement.

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/ 16 October 2006

Travelgate: 14 plead guilty

Fourteen current and former African National Congress MPs were convicted and fined on Monday after pleading guilty to theft and fraud charges stemming from abuse of parliamentary travel vouchers. The sentencing, carried out in the Cape High Court in terms of plea-bargain agreements with the Scorpions, came only a day ahead of their next scheduled court appearance in the case.

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/ 16 October 2006

Dozens killed in suicide attack in Sri Lanka

Suspected Tamil Tiger rebels rammed a truck loaded with explosives into a Sri Lankan naval convoy on Monday, killing at least 92 people and deepening pessimism over this month’s planned peace talks. The attack near the town of Habarana, about 190km north-east of the capital Colombo, was one of the worst suicide bombings in the troubled Indian Ocean island.

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/ 16 October 2006

Islamists clash with southern Somali militia

Troops loyal to powerful Somali Islamists clashed with rival militia fighters in a southern town, killing four and stoking fears of mounting violence in the Horn of Africa nation, residents said on Monday. Two gunmen were killed on each side, they said, and two others wounded during the overnight battle in Jilib, an agricultural town about 110km north of Kismayo port.

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/ 16 October 2006

Israel: Syria continues to arm Hezbollah

Israel accused Syria on Monday of continuing to smuggle weapons to Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon in violation of a United Nations-backed ceasefire and said it might take military action if the shipments didn’t stop. ”We view this with great severity,” Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz told a parliamentary panel, according to a legislative spokesperson.

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/ 16 October 2006

NDA works to tighten up after fraud discovery

The National Development Agency (NDA) is tightening up its systems to prevent a repeat of an R8,8-million misappropriation of funds discovered in a recent forensic audit. It has also begun criminal proceedings against the former NDA employee allegedly at the centre of the fraud, NDA chief executive Godfrey Mokate said in Johannesburg on Monday.

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/ 16 October 2006

Balfour names disgraced prison officials

Correctional services is strengthening its ”onslaught” against fraud, corruption and unethical behaviour by publicly naming those found guilty and dismissed since the institution of various interventions. Briefing the media at Parliament on Monday, Minister of Correctional Services Ngconde Balfour released the first list of correctional officials dismissed after being found guilty of various charges.

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/ 16 October 2006

Fringe Aussies get chance to shine

Phil Jaques, batsman Mark Cosgrove, bowlers Shaun Tait and Jason Gillespie — who has been named as captain — will all be given the chance to impress the selectors ahead of the forthcoming Ashes series. Gillespie, who was sensationally dropped from the Australian team midway through last year’s Ashes series in England, is relishing the prospect of leading the Prime Minister’s XI against England.