MONDAY, 12.00NOON: THE government may be forced to revise its tough stance on the fiscal control and budget-deficit targets laid out in its growth, employment and redistribution (Gear) strategy, and find a balance between practising rigid fiscal control and addressing the “social deficit” highlighted by cutbacks in education, health and other social services. Commenting on […]

MONDAY, 1.45PM: NEW Zealand have beaten Zimbabwe by 10 wickets and a day to spare in the first of two Tests in Wellington on Sunday. With Zimbabwe dismissed for 250 runs in their second innings, the New Zealanders needed only 20 runs for victory, and openers Bryan Young and Matthew Horne knocked these off in […]

MONDAY, 10.30AM: FORMER state president PW Botha has pleaded not guilty in the George Regional Court to charges brought against him after defying a subpoena to testify before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to explain the role of the 1980s State Security Council, which ran the apartheid government’s campaign to contain rebellion by anti-apartheid activists. […]

Marion Edmunds Two former Western Cape housing officials are skimming hefty profits off the provincial low-cost housing programme in exchange for processing subsidy information for the state. The Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has appointed RR, a Cape- Town based consultancy run by two former senior departmental officials, to help manage electronic subsidy […]

FRIDAY, 12.30PM: AFTER sharing the lead with five other players on Thursday, defending champion Zimbabwean Nick Price has taken the lead in the $2-million Dimension Data Pro-Am tournament at Sun City on Friday. Starting the second round on three under par, Price was eight under after 12 holes on the Lost City course. Overnight co-leader, […]

Andy Duffy Two signposts on the road to Muizenberg in Cape Town look hopelessly out of place. The first is a typical developer’s billboard – an eye-catching affair, beaming optimism about an exciting new development called Westlake. The second, metres away, is a far smaller, typical council sign, advising in three languages that no squatting […]

The Vita awards have been reorganised, but they could still do with a tweak or two, writes Brenda Atkinson If South Africa’s annual FNB Vita Art Prize can achieve the degree of angst, ecstasy and public attention surrounding its British counterpart – the prestigious and controversial Turner Prize – local contemporary art might just be […]

Brett Davidson Another newcomer on the South African media scene is Hal Interactive, an online electronic media buying system. It’s a one-stop shop where media organisations can promote themselves and sell advertising slots, while media planners and buyers can check schedules and availability and buy space. Hal provides information on all major radio stations and […]

Tim Phillips The annual computer virus season began last month and the next few weeks will be filled with new viruses with lurid names. But at least three of these -Valentine Greetings, Penpal Greetings and Join the Crew – are hoaxes. Michelangelo and Jerusalem – two of the most feared viruses in the history of […]

Sechaba ka’Nkosi Gauteng MEC for Safety and Security Jessie Duarte, whose political career hangs in the balance, personally handed an allegedly fraudulent document to the Mail & Guardian last week in an attempt to ward off a series of damaging allegations levelled against her. The commission of inquiry investigating the charges heard this week that […]