ZAMBIA’S cash-strapped football team are expecting an injection of government support for their African Nations Cup preparations after a stand-off between the Football Association of Zambia and the sports ministry ended with the resignation of the association’s entire executive committee this month. The team had an ill-fated training trip to the United States which they […]

NIGERIA’S build-up to the African Nations Cup finals next month has been hit by overseas clubs refusing to release key players. Co-hosts Nigeria and defending champions Egypt are among the countries battling against time to prepare for the 16-team event starting on January 22. Nigerian coach Jo Bonfrere, who returned to the job only a […]

THE Unita rebel movement in Angola has called for peace talks with the government next year, following a string of defeats in its south-eastern strongholds. In a statement published in Paris, Unita said peace has to go further than a simple end to hostilities. “Peace must come from a dialogue on the deep historical and […]

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 […]

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 […]

A 14-YEAR-OLD youth was on Wednesday sentenced in the Cape Town Regional Court to 15 years in jail, three of them suspended, for stabbing to death acclaimed sport and news photographer John Rubython during a burglary in April. The teenager, who is too young to be named, was in October found guilty of stabbing British-born […]

A PARACHUTIST remains in a critical condition at the Knysna Hospital after a freak accident at an airshow at Plettenberg Bay in the Western Cape on Monday, SABC radio news reported on Tuesday. Paul Siebert hit the tailwing of the aircraft he was jumping from, and was knocked unconscious. His parachute opened with the impact, […]

UN chief Kofi Annan has asked the security council to raise the number of peacekeeping troops in troubled Sierra Leone to 10000 to make up for the departure of Nigerian soldiers. The UN force, Unamsil, has deployed 6000 troops in the country to enforce peace accords signed in July to bring an end to its […]