DEMOCRATIC Republic of Congo opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi left his country for the first time in years for a private visit to South Africa on Wednesday. Tshisekedi, a long-time foe of the late Mobutu Sese Seko, and now of his successor Laurent Desire-Kabila, heads the Union for Democracy and Social Progress. He had repeatedly been […]

SOUTH African Airways announced on Tuesday that because of dramatic hikes in fuel costs, it is to increase domestic and regional airfares by an average of four percent from January 10. SAA’s vice president for corporate affairs Victor Nosi said the sharp worldwide increase in the cost of a barrel of crude oil from a […]

TRANSPORT Minister Dullah Omar said on Wednesday that traffic law enforcement will be stepped up in all provinces with immediate effect in an attempt to curb the mounting holiday death toll on South African roads. After meeting transport MEC’s in Pretoria, he urged traffic officials to show no mercy for transgressors and to make sure […]

THE strike at Anglo American platinum mines may be over within 24 hours if strikers accept an improved wage offer. According to Amplats spokesperson Steve Calladine, mediation talks went well and Amplats tabled a significantly improved offer to the National Union of Mineworkers, which NUM representatives are taking back to their members, witH a report-back […]

EGYPT’S new soccer coach Gerard Gili has already run into trouble with the country’s vociferous media after he banned journalists from the team’s training sessions. A boycott of the side’s activities was announced by the Sports Journalists Association, whose members walked out of a press conference Gili had just begun and demanded an apology from […]

IN Gauteng, the matric pass rate improved to 57,1%, up from 55,6% in 1998, however only 37,5% of matric candidates in the Northern Province passed the 1999 exam. “We have successfully arrested the decline and turned the tide,” said an optimistic Gauteng Education MEC Ignatius Jacobs. Some 71757 candidates wrote matric in the province, earning […]

ROBBERS battled security guards in central Johannesburg on Monday, killing one guard and injuring two others. A woman passerby was also shot and wounded. The security guards confronted the robbers as they were fleeing from a hold-up inside a clothing shop. The robbers fled, shooting wildly at the passing crowd. Two of the robbers were […]

ROGER JARDINE, the arts and culture director general who quit last month, will serve in his post until the end of May instead of leaving on Thursday as scgeduled, according to an agreement with Public Service Minister Zola Skweyiya. Arts, Culture, Science and Techonology Minister Lionel Mtshali announced the deal on Monday. Mtshali said the […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Durban | Wednesday 4.00pm. ENGLAND lifted their hopes of winning the third test against South Africa at Kingsmead in Durban after snatching two late wickets on Wednesday. They sent South Africa to the changing rooms for 251/4. Captain Hansie Cronje was caught behind for 1 off a ball by Andrew Flintoff in the […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Durban | Tuesday 1.00pm. SOUTH Africa crushed the demoralised West Indian team by nine wickets on the fourth day of the third Test on Tuesda,y to wrap up a series victory. Needing only 146 to win the first full series between the two sides, South Africa cruised home after a free-scoring opening stand […]