IN BRIEF NEW RAIL SERVICE
A NEW passenger train will start running twice-weekly services between Durban and the Mozambique capital Maputo from April, Spoornet announced on Thursday. The service will go via Mpaka in Swaziland, crossing two borders in a day. Bheka Manana, executive manager of Spoornet’s main line passenger services, said the shuttle will be the first of its kind in Southern Africa and will boost tourism and travel in the three regions. The new service will cut the travelling time of Mozambican traders travelling to Durban by up to 20 hours, giving it the potential to “strengthen regional ties among the three countries, and promote regional co-operation, mutual understanding and free trade,” Manana said.
MAX FAILS FERTILITY TEST
PRELIMINARY fertility tests done last week on the Johannesburg Zoo’s gorilla Max indicate he suffers from a low sperm count. Zoo veterinarian Dr Leslie Rasmussen said that although Max’s virility is not doubted, the low count could stem from the dramatic encounter last year when Max was shot twice by a fleeing robber. “The incident was extremely stressful on both Max and Lisa [his mate] and might have been a contributing factor to Max’s current condition,” Rasmussen said. A zoo representative said all efforts will be made to ensure Lisa carries Max’s baby; failing that gorilla sperm from the US will be used to inseminate Lisa.
SECOND HANI AMNESTY HEARING
THE convicted killers of former South African Communist Party general-secretary Chris Hani will appear before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s amnesty committee for a second hearing next week, the TRC said on Thursday. Former Conservative Party MP Clive Derby-Lewis and Polish immigrant Janusz Walus, who are serving life sentences for the April 10 1993 assassination of Hani, applied for amnesty at a hearing in Pretoria last year. The hearing will take place in the Johannesburg City Hall from March 16 to 20.
MURDER ACCUSED MISTAKENLY FREED
TWO men accused of murdering a Johannesburg businesswoman and her American companion in Cape Town in January were mistakenly set free when charges against them in a separate murder case were dropped on Wednesday. Rashaad Petersen and Marshall Andrews strolled out of Mitchell’s Plain Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday night after charges for the murder of Somerset West couple Mike and Maggie Knott were dropped — despite the fact they were still in custody for allegedly murdering Marilese Holmes and Edward Keim, and kidnapping Stellenbosch pastor Dries Manders and his son Andries. Western Cape Attorney-General Frank Kahn said their release is a disgrace. “Why the police did not rearrest them is a matter that concerns me. This must be explained,” he said. Police spokesman Senior Superintendent John Sterrenberg refused to say why a special hearing for Petersen and Andrews was held at night.
ZIM ARMY CUT
ZIMBABWE, facing mounting pressure from donors to cut government spending, is to radically reduce the size of its army. The Financial Gazette, reports the army, which is estimated at between 35 000 and 40000 troops, will be reduced by at least 10000 soldiers. Secretary for Defence Job Whabira would give no details of the size of the cutback. Retrenchments are due to start in May, and 1000 members of the force will be retired each month until the required number is reached. “Because of economic constraints,” Whabira said, “we have to make our own internal arrangements to downsize the army and create some savings.”
SEVERANCE DEALS MISMANAGED
VOLUNTARY severance packages for public servants have been mismanaged in the past and should no longer be so readily available, the parliamentary public service portfolio committee heard on Wednesday. The public services department said the maladministration of such packages included granting them to people already near to retirement. Also, such packages have failed to rid the service of unneeded workers. Such packages should be restricted to redundant workers the department said.
‘AFRICA’S WARMEST WELCOME’ EXTENDED TO GRENADES
A PASSENGER on South African Airways flight 266 to London on Saturday night was allowed onto the plane with a deactivated hand grenade in his land luggage. The British passport holder apparently was allowed to board by ground staff at Johannesburg International Airport. When cabin crew reported the grenade to the plane’s captain, he insisted the grenade be confiscated, and Heathrow security officials searched the man on landing. SAA security staff are investigating the incident.