THE Cabinet has approved the appointment of advocate Wallace Mgoqi as the country’s new Chief Land Claims Commissioner. Mgoqi is the former regional land claims commissioner for the Western and Northern Cape, and replaces Joe Seremane, who was fired and has subsequently been elected a Democratic Party member of the National Council of Provinces. Announcing […]
THE Melissa virus, which burst on to the computer scene five days ago, has turned up in South Africa. The virus is spread by e-mail and infects address books in computers, forcing them to send out infected e-mails. Local service provider Internet Solutions claims to have found the virus and stopped its progress in time. […]
GOVERNMENT has effectively given South Africans permission to party especially hard at the turn of the millennium. The cabinet agreed in principle on Wednesday to declaring December 31 1999 and January 2 2000 public holidays in addition to the traditional New Year holiday. Cabinet spokesperson Joel Netshitenzhe said the extra holidays will allow four consecutive […]
THE South African Navy will participate in two international exercises in April and May, navy chief, Vice Admiral Robert Simpson-Anderson, announced in Simon’s Town on Wednesday. Simpson-Anderson, said navy ships, together with ocean patrol vessels from the French and Indian navies, will participate in exercise Blue Crane. The exercise, presented by the South African National […]
CHIEF of the Navy Vice Admiral Robert Simpson-Anderson inaugurated on Wednesday the Navy’s fleet command headquarters at Simon’s Town. The fleet was formally handed over at the the Flag Officer Fleet Rear Admiral Eric Green at a parade. Admiral Simpson-Anderson said the long awaited process of restructuring the navy started on March 30 with the […]
THE SANDF budget has been cut by about 40% over the past nine years from 4,5% of gross domestic product to under 1,5% at present. Navy chief, Vice Admiral Robert Simpson-Anderson, said the SANDF did not demobilise after the Angolan war and it is now imperative to establish a smaller, sleeker and cheaper defence force. […]
THE Airport Company South Africa (Acsa) announced on Wednesday that it has signed a lease allowing it to take over the small Pilanesberg international airport near Sun City. Acsa said it has entered into a 25-year lease agreement with the North-West government which takes effect from April 1. The Pilanesberg airport will fall under the […]
THE managing editor of Inkatha Freedom Party-owned Durban daily Ilanga has been fired following a disciplinary hearing. Amos Maphumulo’s dismissal follows an editorial last week in which he accused whites and Indians of oppressing blacks and wished for the birth of a new Idi Amin in South Africa. The editorial was criticised from across the […]
AT least four thoroughbred horses have died in the Western Cape in the past week of African horse sickness, a development that may cripple South Africa’s thoroughbred export industry. As a result of the outbreak, no horses may be exported from South Africa. According to Onderstepoort head of equine research Professor Alan Guthrie, the European […]
MALAWI’S gross domestic product for the financial year ending July 1999 is expected to grow by 6%, up from 3,2% recorded in fiscal 1998. The National Statistics Office said the projected high growth stems from the rise in agricultural production, which will increase by 11,4%. This is expected to have a knock-on effect on other […]