BLAIR LANDS IN SA

BRITISH Prime Minister Tony Blair landed in South Africa on Wednesday at the start of a visit aimed at putting the seal on defence contracts and cementing relations with Deputy President Thabo Mbeki. Blair was met at Waterkloof Air Force base outside Pretoria by South Africa’s Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad. The British leader is expected to use his first official visit to South Africa to announce British investment of about R40-billion and to raise international issues including the conflict the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Lockerbie trial. He has indicated that he will appeal to President Nelson Mandela to use his influence with Libyan leader Moammar Gadaffi to have two Libyans suspected of the 1988 bombing tried by an international court.