JOHANNESBURG youth radio station YFM was hit by robbers late on Thursday night, who assaulted staffers and stole their possessions. Ten armed men stormed the station’s studio in Troyeville at about 11.30pm, forcing late-night presenter Msizi Shembe and his producer Desmond Mashaba to open the station’s safe. When they discovered there was no cash stored on the premises the robbers stole CDs, studio equipment and cellular phones, cash and personal effects of staffers. Shembe was pistol-whipped during the robbery.
BOARD FIRED AFTER KENYA SHOOTING
KENYA’S agriculture minister has sacked the entire management of the country’s irrigation authority after police shot dead two people during a demonstration by rice farmers, local media reported on Friday. Police opened fire when they confronted an estimated 3000 protesting farmers at the Mwea Irrigation Scheme in the central Kirinyaga district on Tuesday. Agriculture Minister Musalia Mudavadi announced the sacking of the board on Thursday, accusing it of failing to tackle farmers’ long-standing grievances.
GRACELAND ON THE SHELF
THE controversial Z$20-million mansion built by Zimbabwe’s first lady, Grace Mugabe is failing to attract buyers, almost a year after it was put up for sale, Horizon magazine reported in its latest issue. According to the monthly, several wealthy businessmen, including foreigners, have visited the house but opted not to buy. The first lady has said she would rather keep the house if she does not get the price she wants for it. The mansion, built allegedly using money siphoned from various government ministry housing schemes, overlooks the state-of-the-art Nick Price Golf Course.
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