JAPAN warned on Monday that it will reconsider economic ties with Niger if democracy is not quickly restored following the assassination of president Ibrahim Mainassara Bare.A Japanese foreign ministry statement released by the embassy here expressed “profound regret” that Mainassara, who was “democratically elected, was ousted from power by assassination … Japan will reexamine its […]
MONDAY, 5.30PM: MEMBERSHIP of South African trade unions rose 13% last year, to 64% of the 5,4-million workers in registered in non-agricultural employment, labour ministry announced on Monday. Releasing the ministry’s annual report, Labour Minister Tito Mboweni said that registered unions now represent over 3,4-million members. Total union membership comprises about 24% of South Africa’s […]
MPUMALANGA’S environmental MEC Luckson Mathebula appeared briefly in the Graskop regional court on Friday after he allegedly beat his wife so severely with a wooden elephant curio that she had to be hospitalised. Mathebula appeared for the third time on common assault charges, but was not asked to plead. Rose Aletta Mnisi (32) is Mathebula’s […]
NO significant progress has been made in establishing a rail link between Namibia and Angola, despite a feasibility study recommendation that there is enough traffic to justify the link. TransNamib Transport spokesman Usi Hoebeb said on Friday that the project will be delayed for some time. Namibia has first to find partners from the international […]
RESCUE services on Monday launched an air and sea search for the remaining 13 crew of a missing South African trawler after the bodies of three crew were recovered off the Eastern Cape coast, police said. The bodies were recovered mid-Monday in the Indian Ocean off the fishing port of Cape St. Francis, police Superintendent […]
CONSTRUCTION of a $1,3-billion aluminium smelting plant in southern Mozambique should be completed by July next year, six months ahead of schedule. Mozal smelter company GM Peter Cowie said on Friday that Mozambique’s biggest single investment project should produce its first aluminium ingot by July 2000 instead of the initially forecast January 2001. Britain’s Billiton […]
TRAGEDY was averted during the Three Tenors concert on Sunday night when 3000 fans were moved out of two stands which were at the point of collapsing. An estimated 35 000 people, including President Nelson Mandela, heard Luciano Pavarotti, Jose Carreras and Placido Domingo deliver a fine performance in the gardens of the Union Buildings, […]
AFRICAN National Congress chief whip in the National ssembly, Tony Yengeni, on Monday said he will ”definitely not” be his party’s candidate for Western Cape premier. He said ANC president Thabo Mbeki and the party’s national executive committee will decide who its premiership candidates would be. He has not been approached. ”I have always accepted […]
BOTSWANA sold 17,8 tons of ivory by auction to a group of Japanese buyers on Saturday, Ministry of Commerce and Industry deputy permanent secretary Vincent Selato confirmed on Monday. Proceeds from the sale, which were not divulged, are to be used to aid conservation, largely for the management of Botswana’s elephant population, which numbers between […]
A MAN has appeared in court, charged with the Charlene Smith rape that made headlines two weeks ago. Police have opposed bail for the man, who also has an outstanding murder charge against him. Smith reports that abusive phone calls from the rapist, which she received several times a day both before and after the […]