More than R11-billion flowed into unit trusts in the March quarter, as investors remained bullish on prospects for equity markets, figures released by the Association of Collective Investments on Thursday show. This was nearly double the December quarter’s inflow. Di Turpin, the association’s CEO, said domestic equity funds and asset allocation funds were the most popular destinations.
The United Nations last week condemned advertising campaigns by Dr Matthias Rath which portray anti-retroviral therapy as toxic and promote vitamin therapy as an alternative. In a statement released last week, the World Health Organisaton, the UN Children’s Fund and the joint United Nations Programme on HIV/Aids lashed out at Rath’s advertisements, saying they were "wrong and misleading".
Naturally occurring hallucinogenic and narcotic plants have played an important role in religious and cultural practices throughout history — and many young South Africans are experimenting with these ”organic highs”. Unlike marijuana and most laboratory-synthesised narcotics, these mind-altering plants are not ”proscribed” in terms of the Drugs and Drugs Trafficking Act of 1992.
"I came here in search of a job. Everyone says that life in South Africa is good. It used to be good in Zimbabwe, but that’s all gone now." — A Zimbabwean farm worker Clever Tarindwa told the <i>Zimbabwe Independent</i>, after being caught trying to cross the border into South Africa. See what Zimbabwe’s press has to say.
About 100-million sharks, rays and skates are being killed every year, and experts predict that if this current rate continues, in 20 years many species will become extinct. Already it has been established that some species of shark face the risk of extinction having dropped in population numbers by 89% between 1986 and 2000.
Traditional medicine in South Africa could face severe shortages of raw materials because of stubborn seeds. Not only are these seeds unable to be stored effectively, but the traditional medicine market is causing these plants to be over-utilised and this could lead to extinction.
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/ 14 January 2005
The insurance industry refers to ”acts of God”. Does last month’s tsunami qualify? How does the worst natural disaster for half a century square with the ideas of a divine plan and divine providence? How could a merciful and just God allow the tectonic plates under the Indian Ocean to shift so catastrophically? The Mail & Guardian asked local religious leaders for their views.
The South African government has strongly denied that it was slow in reacting to the tsunami disaster in South-East Asia. Opposition parties and the public have criticised the government for taking too long to help victims of the disaster, comparing it with civil society organisations that sprang into action when the extent of the devastation became apparent.
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/ 30 December 2004
Who are South Africa’s leaders of the future? The Mail & Guardian chose 20 hot under-40s, already making waves in a range of fields, to look out for. Our choices range from Tshilidzi Marwala, who was awarded the Bronze Order of Mapungubwe this year by President Thabo Mbeki, to Umgeni Water CEO Gugu Moloi.
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/ 15 December 2004
Disabled people say that progressive labour and equity legislation mean nothing without effective implementation strategies. In the six years since the Employment Equity Act was passed, the representation of black people and women in the workplace has grown considerably, but people with disabilities are still being left behind.