South African Reserve Bank governor Tito Mboweni’s positive stance on cheap Chinese and Indian goods and services remained unchanged on Tuesday in the face of government and trade union criticism. Mboweni was labelled ”irresponsible” by Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi earlier in the day.
Former president Nelson Mandela has thanked India for its immense influence on South Africa’s struggle for freedom from the oppression of apartheid.
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/ 27 September 2006
Wednesday’s eventual release of the annual crime statistics raised strident calls for the figures to be made public more regularly. Democratic Alliance spokesperson Dianne Kohler-Barnard said the government’s continued refusal to publish crime statistics on a more regular basis meant the public had to wait another year before finding out just how serious the current crime spike affecting the country was.
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/ 14 September 2006
The South African casino industry expressed puzzlement on Thursday at South African Reserve Bank Governor Tito Mboweni’s accusation that they were not helping to catch money launderers. Casinos actively assisted the authorities in apprehending money launderers, said South African Casino Association chief executive Derek Auret.
Terrorist activities in Africa are increasing, a counterterrorism conference in Kyalami, north of Johannesburg, heard on Tuesday. The threat is mainly from global terrorist groups seeking refuge, recruits and funds, said David Radcliffe, regional director for Africa in the office of the United States Secretary of Defence.
Security at South Africa’s airports and on its aircraft is satisfactory following the terror threat uncovered in the United Kingdom, the National Aviation Security Committee said on Thursday. South African Airways said on Thursday that it would not cancel flights to the UK, but it warned of lengthy delays on return flights.
Six major South African businesses will officially back the 2010 Soccer World Cup in South Africa, the local organising committee announced in Pretoria on Wednesday. First National Bank has already announced that it will sponsor the soccer extravaganza to the tune of -million (about R212,7-million).
In just three years, Johannesburg’s shiny Nelson Mandela Bridge has gone from being a symbol of the city’s upliftment to a vandalised, shabby hangout for criminals. ”It’s no longer heavenly and the essence of it is no longer so. It’s sad,” said Penelope Motubatse, who uses the bridge almost every day.
Businessman Patrice Motsepe will be stepping down from his high-level position in business organisations to concentrate on black empowerment. He made the announcement at a media briefing on Friday after the National African Federated Chamber of Commerce’s (Nafcoc) two-day biannual national conference.
Transnet and the four unions representing its staff signed an agreement on Tuesday governing the transformation of the parastatal. The signing marked the end of a dispute which began last August and led to two days of national strikes in March that crippled the transport industry.