Donwald Pressly
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/ 16 January 2007

ANC hints at future role for Yengeni

The African National Congress (ANC) has noted the release on Monday of its former National Assembly chief whip from prison and says that it has "consistently held" that the law must take its course without fear or favour. The party also hinted that there could be a role for Tony Yengeni in what it terms the building of a non-racial society.

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/ 12 January 2007

DA leadership: Seremane to make announcement

The Democratic Alliance’s (DA) Joe Seremane told South African Broadcasting Corporation radio on Friday that he will make an announcement within weeks as to whether he will make himself available to stand for the leadership of the official opposition. Seremane is the federal chairperson of the party and, if elected, will be the first black leader of the official opposition.

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/ 12 January 2007

Buthelezi: Answer to crime a decentralised state

It is critical to win the political argument that a decentralised state is more effective than a unitary state in delivering essential services, including crime fighting, says Inkatha Freedom Party leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi. Buthelezi, noting that the South African state’s number one obligation is to protect its citizens, argued that policing in South Africa remains highly centralised.

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/ 11 January 2007

Trollip formally enters race for DA leadership

Eastern Cape Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Athol Trollip formally announced at a press conference his intention to run for the leadership of the official opposition. He was introduced to the media on Thursday in glowing terms by his Eastern Cape legislature colleague, Veliswa Mvenya: ”His skin is white but he is black.”

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/ 10 January 2007

Teachers’ union welcomes govt capitulation

The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu), which represents about two-thirds of all teachers in South Africa, has welcomed the fact that the threat to close poorly performing schools has been retracted. Sadtu was responding to a threat from Gauteng education provincial minister Angie Motshekga to close dysfunctional schools.

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/ 10 January 2007

Zim opposition backs hospital strikes

Morgan Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in Zimbabwe has backed an ongoing strike by medical doctors as well as a go-slow at the country’s schools. In a statement on Wednesday, issued by MDC secretary for information and publicity Nelson Chamisa, the party said the strike is a vote of no-confidence in the government.

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/ 9 January 2007

SA tourism figures looking healthy

South Africa’s tourism-marketing efforts are paying off in ”very concrete terms”, with statistics showing there had been a nearly 16% tourism spike in the period January to July 2006, compared with the corresponding period in 2005, Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk said in Utrecht, The Netherlands, on Tuesday.