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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

THE road death toll since the start of the holiday season on December 1 has surged towards the 650 mark, well over the number of road deaths the same time last year. Two people were killed and six others injured after a vehicle they were travelling in collided with a goods train at the Mare […]