THE DAVID GLEASON COLUMN When is a loan a gift? Does it matter? Well, yes it does, especially when commerce and banks are involved. And I suspect the story I am about to relate may come to feature prominently as the evidence unravels before a special tribunal over the course of the year. Once upon […]

NEGOTIATIONS are under way to secure the release of a British oil worker kidnapped on Thursday in the troubled Niger Delta region, a British embassy spokesperson said on Friday.The oil man was seized on Thursday by youths demanding money. His identity, and that of the company he works for, are being withheld at the request […]

THE Ceasefire Campaign on Friday said the government’s planned R29-billion arms purchases will draw scarce resources away from the social sector, while the much-vaunted counter-trade benefits are largely fictional. The campaign’s Rob Thomson said the government has not explained how it calculates the R110-billion figure it has been throwing around. Pointing out that an Economic […]

Stephen Langtry The New Apostolic Church, which drew applause recently from Deputy President Thabo Mbeki for its proposed new national anthem, has a shady past which extends from a close relationship with the Nazi regime to support for apartheid. Confronted by this information, a representative for Mbeki, Titus Mafolo, said: “It is difficult for the […]

HUGE crowds are expected at the AA Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit in Midrand at the weekend when the official Vodacom F1 test session starts on Saturday. The Williams and Grand Prix newcomers British American Racing (BAR) teams will be testing at Kyalami from Saturday until Wednesday. Technical crews from both teams arrived in South Africa […]

Sechaba ka’Nkosi Meet the Federal Alliance’s newest recruit and probably Louis Luyt’s most sensational catch. She is streetwise Elizabeth Rapuleng (50) of Zondi, Soweto. Rapuleng dumped the ailing New National Party only three days after party stalwarts such as Sheila Camerer organised a big bash to celebrate her birthday. Rapuleng joined the alliance last week […]

A shortage of forensic pathologists and a lack of post-mortem facilities have caused several miscarriages of justice, writes Sue Blaine Statistics show that three in every thousand South Africans will die an unnatural death by murder, suicide or accident – 80 000 a year. A post-mortem must be conducted on every person who dies an […]

Cameron Duodu:LETTER FROM THE NORTH Zimbabwe’s success as a nation means a lot to me, for I have invested a great deal of emotional capital in the country. I am one of the few non-Zimbabweans who can say I knew the late Herbert Chitepo personally; I knew the late Josiah Tongogara personally; I know … […]

LAGOS police have arrested 13 people and banned northern cattle herders from using a 50-year-old market after a clash with oil tanker drivers this week left several people dead. The ban came after oil tanker drivers threatened strike action. The drivers regularly hold Lagos to ransom by strikes, using the chronic fuel shortage — in […]

Evidence wa ka Ngobeni Several foreign prostitutes have been deported from South Africa after seeking police protection from vicious assaults by their local counterparts on the streets of Johannesburg. Prostitutes from as far afield as Russia and China are working in Hillbrow, but many have now moved off the streets and into clubs for shelter. […]