COPS BURGLED THIEVES broke into Cape Town’s new eastern metropolitan police headquaters in Bellville on Wednesday night, and stole a TV set, a computer, portable radios and personal items of staff members. The front door was apparently left open on Wednesday night by building contractors who were finishing renovations to the building.
HUGE PUBLIC SERVICE STRIKE MORE than 365 000 members of public service unions afiliated to the Congress of South African Trade Unions will on Friday converge in all major cities to express their dissatisfaction at the government’s failure to fullfil its wage increase promises. A 48-hour striker will then be held on August 6 and 8 if no amicable settlement is found.
TB BIGGEST KILLER ACCORDING to figures released by the South African Institute of Race Relations on Thursday, Tuberculosis killed more people in South Africa in 1996 than any other disease and murder combined. The survey also found that 158 000 people currently suffer from Tuberculosis in SA.
TRC PUSHES BARNARD THE Truth and Reconciliation Commision has requested former chief spy Dr Niel Barnard to reveal the names of apartheid-era informers. Barnard refused to disclose the names during testimony last week, claiming it was not in the interests of the country to make the names known. Barnard has handed the request to his legal advisers.
KEEPING SOWETO CULTURE A JOINT venture between Johannesburg Metropolitan Council and Standard Bank led to the formation of the Soweto Heritage Trust on Thursday, to preserve the rich cultural history of the area. Plans are afoot to develop the Hector Petersen Memorial Park, in Orlando West, Soweto, into a tourist centre in memory of the first school pupil to be shot by police during the 1976 Soweto uprising.
POLICE STATIONS ATTACKED THREE policmen and a civilian were shot dead at a satellite police station in Protea South, Soweto on Wednesday night. The service weapons of the dead policemen had been stolen. Spent cartridges found at the scene indicated AK47 assault rifles and weapons with a 9mm calibre were used in the attack.
Meanwhile, a satellite police station in Vosloorus on the East Rand burnt down during Wednesday night. Police are investigating the cause of the fire.
POST WINS CASE
THE Lusaka High Court has thrown out a libel and contempt of court case by Zambian Vice-President Godfrey Miyanda against journalist Masautso Phiri of the opposition Post newspaper. This is the second reprieve for the Post in a week — a prosecution against two senior editors foundered when the prosecution failed to arrive to present its case.
KRIEGLER RULES DESPITE the controversy over his handling of the 1994 elections, judge Johann Kriegler has again been appointed to chair the Independent Electoral Commission, with Brigalia Bam as his deputy. Although the 1999 elections are unlikely to be as fraught as those in 1994, considerable obstacles lie ahead, and no voters roll exists yet.
THE Cabinet also granted approval on Wednesday for the appointment of Judge HJO van Heerden as Deputy Chief Justice — he was defeated in the race for chief justice last year — and Judge Pius Langa as Deputy President of the Constitutional Court.
MOB KILLS MINE MANAGER A COAL mine manager in Ogies, Free State, was brutally murdered by hundreds of workers yesterday who dragged him from his car, beat him senseless, then put him back in the car and set fire to it. Mine managers said the motive for the attack was unknown.