NORTHERN PROVINCE premier Ngoako Ramatlhodi on Wednesday rejected calls by the opposition for a referendum in Bushbuckridge on whether the region’s provincial borders should be redrawn. Dismissing the United Democratic Movement call for a referendum as a “non starter”, Ramatlhodi told the legislature that overwhelming support for the African National Congress by voters during the […]

MOZAMBIQUE’S former island capital and once-thriving Arabic trade city, Ilha da Mozambique, may soon be revived to its former glory as part of a multi-million dollar project to rehabilitate the archipelago off the coast of Nampula province. It was the country’s capital for nearly 400 years until the seat moved to Maputo in 1898 and […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Washington | Wednesday 8.30pm. THE World Bank on Wednesday announced an agreement to grant Mozambique $3,7-billion in debt relief from its external creditors. In terms of net present value, which reflects current interest and exchange rates, the relief is worth $1,7 billion dollars against present value of future debt obligations. The assistance is […]

MICHAEL METELITS, Johannesburg | Wednesday 7.00pm. PRODUCER prices jumped sharply in May, rising by 6,0% on an annual basis in figures released by Statistics South Africa on Wednesday. The increase represented an increase of 1,1% over April’s figures. The figures showed imported crude oil as a major factor in driving producer prices upwards. Average prices […]

MANCHESTER United confirmed on Wednesday they have pulled out of the 1999/2000 FA Cup. The decision means they will now participate in FIFA’s inaugural World Club Championship in Brazil next January without fixture congestion. In a statement the club said: “We realise that many of our supporters will be as disappointed as we are with […]

THE new Health Minister, Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang on Tuesday promised a “truly multi-sectoral response” to the scourge of HIV/Aids. Speaking in Cape Town, she said she would meet next week with researchers working on the disease and with other stakeholders. Her department would study closely the call by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan to declare […]

VIOLENT clashes between Mauritanians and Malians have left at least 13 dead. The clashes, which took place last week on the border of the two Saharan states, were over watering holes for cattle. They erupted between inhabitants of Djigueni, in Mauritania, and villagers from Missira Samoura in Mali, after Malian shepherds refused to give water […]

JUST days after President Thabo Mbeki announced that Swissair will acquire a 20% stake in South African Airways at a cost of $240-million, the government said moves are under way to privatise a further 20% of the national airline. Swissair last week won the bid, beating Germany’s Lufthansa with partner Singapore Airlines, American Airlines and […]

NIGERIA has banned the importation of chicken, poultry and dairy products from Belgium, claiming they are not fit for human consumption, a top official said in reports on Wednesday. Gabriel Osuide, director general of the state-run National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control told reporters on Tuesday that the ban was necessitated by […]

A GENERAL strike in Senegal on Monday paralyzed Dakar’s airport, where all operations were suspended, and the situation was expected to remain the same on Tuesday. The general strike, Senegal’s first in seven years, was called by trade union leaders after the collapse of negotiations with the government over pay and social welfare terms. Despite […]