THE United States plans to offer sub-Saharan Africa $1bn in annual loans to pay for American Aids drugs and medical services, a US newspaper reported. The loan programme is to be offered through the Export-Import Bank, an independent government agency financed by the US congress. The bank plans to make the loans available to 24 […]

PRESIDENTIAL spokesman Parks Mankahlana will know in six to eight weeks if he is the father of an eight-year-old boy who lives in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga. Mankahlana, the boy and his mother had blood drawn for a paternity test at pathologists Du Buisson & Partners in Nelspruit on Monday morning. Pathologist Dr David Toerien confirmed that […]

Philippine negotiators are pressing Muslim gunmen to free the remaining 38 hostages including two South Africans, after the release of an ailing German hostage. Renate Wallert is now back in her hometown of Goettingen, in central Germany. “We hope her freedom would lead to more releases,” President Joseph Estrada’s chief aide, executive secretary, Ronaldo Zamora […]

REPRESENTATIVES of southern African countries will meet for eight days from Wednesday to discuss co-operation on cultural issues, Deputy Arts and Culture Minister Brigitte Mabandla said on Tuesday. Mabandla said she hoped the Southern African Development Community ministers and officials would look at arts and culture as a means to unify the region, although member […]

Shares in African Bank Investment Ltd (Abil) lost three percent in volatile early tradeafter news the group’s year- endearnings would not be as bad as the market had anticipated. Traders explained that shares were seeing bouts of profit-taking after a rather upbeat session yesterday. ”The share is seeing a lot of volatility following the announcement […]

South African equity market opened firmer with buying interest seen in IT shares ahead of Dimension Data’s listing in London on Wednesday. *The IT sector up 13.3 pts, or 1.41 pct, to reach 957.1, while the benchmark All-Share index gains 34.7 pts, or 0.43 pct, at 8,038.3. *Didata up 130 cents, or 2.35 pct, at […]

Shares of South Africa’s mining property group Union Mines Ltd have been suspended with immediate effect, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange announced. In a brief statement the bourse said the suspension followed a request from the company’s directors. It gave no further details. – Reuters

STATE-OWNED Ghana Railways Corporation (GRC) has negotiated a $16m loan from South Africa’s Absa bank to help it cope with an expected increase in freight haulage capacity. GRC’s deputy managing director, Emmanuel Poku, said It was now awaiting final approval from the ministry of roads and transport. Haulage of bauxite and manganese, which make up […]