OWN CORRESPONDENT, Rabat | Thursday 4.30pm. MOROCCO denied on Thursday that it will withdraw its 2006 World Cup bid if the African Football Confederation (CAF) opts to back South Africa as Africa’s sole candidate. Both countries are vying to bring the event to Africa for the first time but there are worries that the existence […]

EXCESSIVE rainfall in parts of the Northern Cape has damaged up to 45% of the grape harvest in the region, leaving the crop down 25% on last year’s, according to industry figures. Excessive rain, which causes crop decay, is estimated to have lopped more than R200m off the income of grape growers in the Orange […]

MARTIN PARRY, Melbourne | Thursday 3.30pm. THE African tennis express was derailed as three stars crashed out of the Australian Open, leaving veteran Wayne Ferreira the only one on track Thursday. Leading the exodus was women’s eighth seed Amanda Coetzer who had no answer to lowly American wildcard Kristina Brandi. The 28-year-old South African was […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Thursday 2.00pm BANKS owed an estimated R1,3-billion by Hyundai Motor Distributors have told Hyundai Motor Corporation that it has until Friday to back a plan to sell the failed car dealer, or they will liquidate its assets. ”Officials of the Hyundai Motor Company of Korea were today [Thursday] requested by the […]

THE Congress of South African Trade Unions is considering mass action in protest against Johannesburg’s iGoli 2002 project, which aims to rejuvenate the city by privatising some of its assets. Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi on Wednesday said in Johannesburg that the trade union federation will also “explore political solutions” to solve labour’s problems with […]

MPUMALANGA education department head Faith Sithole was fired on Tuesday for her role in the province’s 1998 matric exam scandal. Education MEC Craig Padayachee said in a statement he decided to terminate Sithole’s services with immediate effect after months of detailed analysis of her performance both before and during the scandal. Sithole was initially suspended […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Harare | Wednesday 4.30pm. THE Zimbabwe Cricket Union has been rapped over disciplinary action against a black player during a series against Sri Lanka last month, but cleared of racism, an official said on Wednesday. Charges of racial bias in the sport, which is dominated by white players here, were made in government […]

STEVEN MANN, Cape Town | Wednesday 4.50pm. THE 75-foot sloop Zephyrus IV had opened up a big lead over its nearest rival Sagamore in the Cape to Rio yacht regatta on Wednesday, and with just over 500 nautical miles to go to Rio de Janeiro it seems assured of winning the race. While the two […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Accra | Wednesday 2.30pm. THE bitter struggle between Morocco and South Africa over who should become the first African country to host a World Cup threatens to dominate the two-day 24th African Football Confederation (CAF) congress which starts in Accra on Thursday. The key item on the agenda is the almost certain re-election […]

Burundi’s main rebel group said on Tuesday that former president Nelson Mandela has already brought peace closer.