SARAH BULLEN,Johannesburg | Thursday 9.45am. SYNTHETIC fuel group Sasol on Wednesday reported a 18,6% fall in attributable profit to R2-billion for the year to June — its first fall in profits in a decade. The fall was despite a weaker rand to dollar exchange rate, R500-million in synthetic fuel subsidies and a R100-million transfer from […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Thursday 10.00pm. REBELS from the Democratic Republic of Congo have accused the Southern African Development Community of “legitimising” President Laurent Kabila. In a propaganda war that is growing heated on all sides, the Congolese Democratic Coalition said in a press briefing in Midrand, near Johannesburg: “Granting legitimacy to the Kabila regime […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Kuala Lumpur | Thursday 8.30pm. SOUTH Africa will play a confident Australia in the cricket final at the Commonwealth Games, after the Australian team disposed of New Zealand in a crushing defeat in the semi-final on Thursday. Steve Waugh’s Australians warmed up for Saturday’s final with an emphatic nine-wicket win that was completed […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Kuala Lumpur | Thursday 7.30pm. FREESTYLE artist Ryk Neethling picked up South Africa’s second Commonwealth Games swimming medal when he finished second in the men’s 1500m event in 15 minutes 02,88 seconds in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday night. He broke both a South African and African record for the event. Although he beat […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Harare | Wednesday 8.30pm. ZIMBABWE has said it will maintain its force in the Democratic Republic of Congo until there is “irreversible” peace there. Addressing Parliament the Zimbabwean defence minister, Moven Mahachi, faced a mass of criticism from MPs dissatisfied with Zimbabwe’s military intervention in the DRC. According to local reports, MPs said […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Wednesday 8.30pm. MOZAMBICAN attorney-general Antonio Namburete said on Wednesday that more arrests could follow in connection with the gun-running and espionage charges levelled against foreign affairs official Robert McBride. Namburete spoke in Pretoria, after addressing a crime conference, saying the case against McBride must still be solved: “The suspects still have […]

SARAH BULLEN, Johannesburg | Wednesday 12.30pm. LOCAL stock rocketed on Wednesday morning as relief over global gains and a massive rally by Latin American markets spilled over into the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. By midday the all share index had gained 2,46%, led up by a 4,32% rise in the financial index and a 3,47% gain […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Port Elizabeth | Tuesday 10.00pm. NATAL hooker Chris Rossouw has been cleared of a charge of throwing a punch at Free State hooker Naka Drotske during last week’s Currie Cup game in Bloemfontein. He will now be free to play for the team in the Bankfin Currie Cup rugby match against Boland at […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Maseru | Wednesday 11.30am. SOUTH Africa’s announcement that the Langa Commission report on alleged electoral fraud in Lesotho will be released on Thursday has been met with threats that the report will be rejected by Lesotho opposition parties. Frank Chikane, secretary-general in the office of the deputy president, announced Johannesburg on Wednesday evening […]