THE three rebel groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday began a third day of talks in a bid to harmonise their positions ahead of a regional peace summit due to be held in Lusaka later this month. Attending the talks are representatives of the Ugandan and Rwandan governments, who back the rebels, […]
EMILIA SITHOLE, Johannesburg | Friday 2.20pm NEW Africa Investments Ltd on Thursday allowed an option to take a major stake in publishers CTP and Caxton to lapse, but received a handsome consolation prize of almost R1-billion in cash. Shares in South Africa’s foremost black-owned firm shrugged off the news it had received R994-million from Johnnies […]
CROATION president Franjo Tudjman is to leave next Wednesday for a two-day visit to South Africa for the inauguration of incoming president Thabo Mbeki, Tudjman’s office said on Friday, quoted by HINA news agency. Tudjman and his delegation are also expected to meet representatives of the Croatian community in Johannesburg and Cape Town, the same […]
OW CORRESPONDENT, Cape Town | Friday 7.00pm NEW National Party leader Marthinus van Schalkwyk’s office in Parliament stood empty on Friday afternoon, stripped of everything but government-issue furniture in preparation for its new occupant — Democratic Party leader Tony Leon. The drawers of the imposing wooden desk, with inlaid fake-leather writing pad, yawned open; an […]
SARAH BULLEN, Cape Town | Thursday 8.00pm JAY NAIDOO has quit as Minister of Posts, Telecommunications and Broadcasting and will be leaving parliamentary politics at the end of his current term of office, the African National Congress announced on Thursday. The ANC said in a statement that Naidoo is leaving active political life due to […]
OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Friday 12noon SENIOR Inkatha Freedom Party official Philip Powell is under investigation for treason. The probe follows Powell’s exposure last month of a huge cache of explosives and ammunition in northern KwaZulu-Natal. Powell led police to seven tons of heavy weaponry and ammunition near the IFP stronghold of Ulundi. The arsenal […]
SOUTH Africa were still favourities Australia’s odds to win the World Cup were cut to 5-2 from 3-1 following their 44-run win over Zimbabwe on Wednesday. But bookmakers William Hill still made Australia only third favourites to win the tournament which ends on June 20. Latest odds: 6-4 South Africa 9-4 Pakistan 5-2 Australia 12-1 […]
OWN CORRESPONDENT, Kinshasa | Saturday 5.00pm. DEMOCRATIC Republic of Congo (DRC) President Laurent Kabila called late on Friday for total war against neighbouring Rwanda, the main backer of a 10-month-old rebellion against his government. “The Congolese people must arm themselves. The war must be total,” Kabila said on state radio after talks with Namibian President […]
On the fringe, Wordfest offers a forum for lovers of language in all its myriad forms. Catherine Knox dips in.
Anthony Sampson A Second Look How different will South Africa really be after the June 2 election? Nelson Mandela’s successor Thabo Mbeki is so opposite in style that the contrast with his predecessor seems dramatic: he is short, introverted, intellectual, preferring to deal behind the scenes rather than lead from the front as Mandela did: […]