South Africa’s January producer price index (PPI) data will be released at 11.30am on Thursday March 6, Statistics South Africa said on Monday. The data, which will include changed weightings and new products in the PPI basket, was initially scheduled for release on February 28. It was delayed twice on problems related to the introduction of the new structure.
The United States military targeted suspected ”terrorists” in a strike launched early on Monday in Dobley, Somalia, a senior US military official said. The official, who declined to be named, said: ”We launched a deliberate strike against a suspected bed-down of known terrorists.”
Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe’s deputy, Joyce Mujuru, has thrown her weight behind the veteran ruler’s bid for a sixth term, dispelling speculation linking her to Mugabe’s rival, Simba Makoni. Mujuru was quoted by the state-owned Herald newspaper on Monday as saying: ”Firstly, you should vote for comrade Mugabe”.
To exclude white journalists because they do not share the pain and frustration experienced by their black colleagues seems disingenuous as a raison d’être for the Forum of Black Journalists if those leading the line make a living as soapie makers, event managers, business people or government spokespeople.
A defence request on Monday for a two-month postponement in Najwa Petersen’s trial for the alleged murder of her husband led to acrimonious exchanges between her new senior counsel and Cape High Court Judge Siraj Desai. Senior counsel Klaus von Lieres und Wilkau told the court he had only been approached late last Friday by new attorney Joshua Greeff.
No power cuts are foreseen for the rest of this week, Eskom said on Monday. ”The situation is tight at the moment, but we don’t anticipate load shedding to occur for the rest of this week,” said spokesperson Tony Stott. Last week Eskom and City Power-Johannesburg launched a timetable of power cuts to help industry and residents plan ahead.
Barack Obama intensified his bid to end Hillary Clinton’s White House quest in Tuesday’s momentous nominating contests in Texas and Ohio, as both rivals geared up massive voter-turnout drives. Clinton, meanwhile, in a wistful moment, said she would examine her options when the results were in.
Fresh attacks claimed at least 15 lives in Kenya’s Rift Valley region overnight, police said on Monday, while rival political leaders worked out details for reform under last week’s power-sharing accord. ”A total of 15 people died: six burned in their houses, six hacked with machetes and three shot dead,” a police commander said after the attack.
South Africa’s rating of 63,2% ranks it 52nd globally on the Heritage Foundation 2008 Index of Economic Freedom. In a statement released on Monday, Century 21 South Africa — the local chapter of the world’s largest real-estate brand — said the index, which covers 162 countries, took 10 specific freedoms into account.
South Africa’s bowlers are fast earning a bloody reputation of injuring rival batsmen after the latest incident, involving Bangladesh’s Aftab Ahmed, in the second Test. Ahmed was left with a bloodied cheekbone after a short ball from Jacques Kallis bounced through his helmet grille and hit him just below the right eye.