For a massive ship that carries tons of ammunition and has its own cranes on board, the controversial Chinese ship carrying arms for Zimbabwe is about as easy to pin down as a cockroach in a dark, damp cellar. The An Yue Jiang is carrying three million rounds of ammunition for AK-47s, 1Â 500 rocket-propelled grenades and several thousand mortar rounds.
Up to 10% of all policemen in South Africa are either criminal or corrupt and these problems are systemic and entrenched in all police stations, says Cape Town criminologist Liza Grobler. Cops across the country interviewed by Grobler told her that criminality in the police is ”chronic” and occurs ”in every unit and in every police station”.
South African Revenue Service commissioner Pravin Gordhan has been asked to consider becoming South Africa’s next police boss. If he were to agree and be appointed by President Thabo Mbeki, Gordhan could take over the reins from embattled police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi before the end of June.
Non-existent planning, inadequate training and rampant corruption are fatally weakening the South African Police Service’s battle against crime. These are some of the findings of a council of 14 retired police commissioners, appointed by police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi in 2006 to advise him on the state of the SAPS and the country’s crime-fighting capabilities.
In an apparent revolt against a weakened president senior Cabinet ministers and government officials worked to prevent the Chinese arms ship from offloading its cargo, even as Thabo Mbeki insisted that the mortar bombs, rocket-propelled grenades and assault rifles be allowed to reach Robert Mugabe’s military.
Saturday sees the world celebrate World Media Freedom Day. It’s because May 3 was adopted by the UN General Assembly in recognition of the historic Windhoek Declaration on press freedom, drawn up by African journalists back in 1991. This year, media people could take a leaf out of Zambian experience, where an alliance of actors is painstakingly working to promote a society where freedoms of expression and information will be entrenched in both law and society.
There’s a difference between an action plan and … action. There’s a difference between spending your days making PowerPoint presentations and spending it breaking rocks with the sharp end of a pick. Microsoft products might be hell, but one job isn’t just different to the other. It’s easier.
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Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai beat Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe’s presidential election, winning 47% of the vote against the president’s 43%, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing senior government sources. One source, declining to be named, told Reuters a run-off would be needed because Tsvangirai did not win enough votes for an outright victory.
Bottom-of-the-log Black Leopards beat fellow strugglers Thando Royal Zulu (TRZ) 3-2 in an Absa Premiership match played at Thohoyandou Stadium on Wednesday. Leopards led 2-1 a half-time. The home team, Leopards, began the game on the offensive and were rewarded when striker Robert Ngambi scored the opener early on.