State-owned arms manufacturer Denel continued to make losses in the past financial year, but according to chief executive Shaun Liebenberg, the losses have dropped to a mere R500-million from R1,3-billion a year ago. Nevertheless, the group’s auditors cast doubt on the company’s ability to continue as a going concern.
The Independent Democrats has accused airport check-in staff and baggage handlers of corruption and endangering flight safety. Simon Grindrod, the party’s deputy leader and a member of Cape Town’s mayoral executive committee, said that check-in staff are accepting bribes not to charge for excess baggage.
President Thabo Mbeki and the opposition leader, Helen Zille of the Democratic Alliance, crossed swords on Friday in the internet letters they send each week to their supporters. Both were talking about sacked deputy minister of health Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge.
A new Bill proposing an integrated system of coastal management will not lead to expropriation of beachfront properties, MPs were assured on Wednesday. But officials who are sponsoring the Bill through Parliament say that it will make it easier for local authorities to remove holiday chalets illegally built on the beach.
Some MPs protested on Wednesday at the Bill to regulate internet gambling. The National Gambling Amendment Bill was introduced to the trade and industry portfolio committee by Fungai Sibanda, the acting director general of the Department of Trade and Industry.
The South African government has tabled six new pieces of legislation to greet MPs as they return from their month-long winter break to start the new term on Tuesday. The Bills, with one exception, are all amendment Bills tidying up earlier legislation or making arrangements to deal with problems that have arisen since the original laws were passed.
President Thabo Mbeki seized the occasion of his speech to the African region conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association on Friday to tick off a number of countries present who have not yet passed anti-terrorism laws. "All of us are obliged to take action to implement the provisions of the African Convention on Terrorism," said.
Communities affected by the building of another runway at OR Tambo International Airport outside Johannesburg are to be kept fully informed about progress, according to Transport Minister Jeff Radebe. The aim, he said in reply to a written parliamentary question on Tuesday, is to allay fears and misconceptions.
The way affirmative action is being implemented in South Africa is to be discussed between President Thabo Mbeki and the main opposition party in Parliament, the Democratic Alliance (DA). Anchen Dreyer, who speaks for the DA on labour issues, said on Monday that when the president answered a parliamentary question last month, he agreed to meet them for such discussions.
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/ 31 January 2007
<a href="http://www.mg.co.za/specialreport.aspx?area=zuma_report"><img src="http://www.mg.co.za/ContentImages/243078/zuma.jpg" align=left border=0></a>Continuing his charm offensive to reassure businessmen and the investment community that his ascent to the leadership of the ruling party signifies no threat to the economy, Jacob Zuma on Thursday faced the bulls, bears and stags of the Johannesburg Securities Exchange. He spoke at a luncheon organised by Jayendra Naidoo, chairperson of Macquarie First South.