GHANAIAN President Jerry Rawlings offered citizenship in the West African nation to African American descendants of African slaves on Wednesday while on a state visit to the US. “My continent is the mother, not of all continents, but humanity today,” Rawlings said at a news conference. “There is no reason why I would deny my […]

THE South African Human Rights Commission, who is conducting an inquiry into allegations of racism in the media, called for written submissions from interested parties on Thursday. The commission said that all submissions should be in writing and must be handed in to the commission’s office by March 30, 1999. If a submission relies on […]

ABOUT 2000 children between the ages of five and 14 have gone missing since junta rebels invaded the Sierra Leonean capital, Freetown, on January 6, the social welfare ministry said on Thursday. “Based on statistics, we believe that many of the children have been abducted by the rebels when they were chased out by [the […]

THE South African National Defence Force has launched a top-level investigation into allegations that its fighter planes and helicopters regularly violate Mozambican air space. SANDF army chief Siphiwe Nyanda said in Maputo on Wednesday that the inquiry has been launched at the request of his Mozambican counterparts. A Mozambican military spokesperson said earlier that SANDF […]

PRESIDENT Cassam Uteem threatened on Wednesday to impose a curfew on Mauritius after three people were killed in three days of riots sparked by the suspicious death of a popular singer. Reggae musician Kaya died on Sunday while in police custody, sparking violence in the poor Roche Bois area of the capital, Port Louis. The […]

A HAND GRENADE exploded outside the Eerste Rivier home of People Against Gangsterism And Drugs member Ebrahim Jeneker on Wednesday night. Windows were shattered by the blast, but no-one was injured according to Western Cape police. Jeneker’s is one of over 30 houses that were searched in police raids on Sunday. The police are trying […]

LONG-distance queen Frith van der Merwe is undecided on whether she will run in this year’s Comrades Marathon and will make a decision after the Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town at the Easter weekend. Van der Merwe, who will compete in the Buffalo Marathon in East London at the weekend, would like to aim […]

SOUTH Africa’s 146000 prisoners will not be allowed to vote in the upcoming general election. The Pretoria High Court on Tuesday dismissed an application by the South African Prison Organisation for Human Rights (SAPOHR) to allow prisoners to register to vote in the poll, expected in late May. Cabinet decided last year that prisoners will […]

NELSPRUIT’S council began a R3-million upgrade of rural water treatment plants in surrounding villages on Wednesday after almost two years of complaints about water quality. The cash-strapped council was initially unable to fund the upgrade for rural settlements 40km from the town’s CBD but approved the project earlier this year following a R3-million donation from […]