IVORY Coast’s junta leader, General Robert Guei, is said to be alive and well after rumours circulated in Abidjan that he had been involved in a serious road accident. Sources said three paramilitary gendarmes had died and a dozen were injured in a road accident after they had been on presidential security duty along a […]

MINER Rio Tinto has rejected a London newspaper report that it had abandoned the battle for Australia’s Ashton Mining Ltd in the face of a higher bid by rival De Beers. The Times said Rio had pulled out after De Beers increased its bid to A$745m for Ashton, which owns 40% of Argyle – the […]

SOUTH African President Thabo Mbeki has attacked the ruling junta in Ivory Coast, saying the world cannot stand by and condone the “fruits of tyranny”. “It … cannot and will not be that, when armed soldiers rob the people of their freedom, the rest of us maintain a treacherous silence,” Mbeki said in an address […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Monday PRESIDENT Thabo Mbeki has launched the African National Congress’ (ANC) local election campaign with a pledge that free basic services will be provided to the poor – but first faces a potential showdown with traditional leaders threatening to derail the elections. Mbeki unveiled his party’s manifesto to a subdued crowd […]

REUTERS, Jerusalem | Monday INTERNATIONAL efforts to end bloodshed in the Middle East have redoubled, but tension remains high as an Israeli deadline nears for Palestinians to halt their wave of protests which has seen at least 84 people – mostly Palestinians – killed in 11 days of bloodshed. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan was on […]

AFP, Harare | Monday CONFLICT is simmering in Zimbabwe between the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and the government over threats to arrest MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai for allegedly treasonous statements. The MDC said the intended arrest was “legally unjustified and politically unwise and dangerous”, as it is likely to lead to unnecessary […]

PHILLIP NKOSI, Nelspruit | Monday A RISING star in Mpumalanga’s ANC ranks has been banned from the swish Emnotweni Casino in Nelspruit for two years after he was caught having sex in the toilets. Sipho Monareng, a member of the ANC constituency in Hazyview, was caught with his pants down by a security guard in […]

AT least 10 soldiers and 80 rebels were killed last week in fighting near the Burundi capital Bujumbura, state radio reported. Heavy fighting broke out last week between ex-FAR (Rwandan Armed Forces) and Interahamwe (Hutu militiamen who carried out the 1994 genocide in Rwanda alongside the FAR), lasting more than two days and claiming “losses […]

SOME 52 Rwandan soldiers were killed by pro-government forces in the far east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the presidential press service said. The Popular Self-Defense Forces (FAP), attached to the government army, includes members of the Mai-Mai, a group of traditional warriors in the area who have taken several towns in recent […]

JOHN GROBLER, Windhoek | Saturday THE United States’ new African Growth and Opportunities Act is expected to generate some controversy at a southern African economic summit in Windhoek next week. Many of the countries in the region have been excluded by the terms of the new law, say the organisers of the Southern Africa Trade […]