Duncan McKay The discovery of 13 vials containing human growth hormone in the luggage of a Chinese swimmer as she passed through Perth customs on her way to the World Swimming Championships is another indication of extensive drug abuse in China. The Chinese have been accused of taking drugs since their women won 13 out […]

Steve Morris : Rugby We are barely a month away from the start of another round of Super 12 and a season which surely spells the end of the age of innocence for this country in a game which has mirrored the South African condition of blending the cutting edge of excellence with the desperate […]

Hard Livings, but the living is easy Alex Duval Smith Hard Livings gang leader Rashied Staggie’s favoured hood-wear of the moment is a bright orange cap that he wears slightly set back on the head to reveal the green- coloured underside of its visor. This, reflected in the gold-rimmed mirror sunglasses which are perpetually perched […]

THURSDAY 3.30PM: A DISMAL future is predicted for world food supplies by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. In his report for 1997, FAO director-general Jacques Diouf identified the increase in frequency and severity of disasters caused by war and climate as the likely causes. Diouf said that since the 1960s, the […]

THURSDAY, 12.30PM: TWO penalty tries given against the Northern Bulls cost them the match against Welsh champs Swansea on Wednesday night. The game, which was played on Swansea’s home turf and was decided in driving rain, was frequently interrupted for a total of 22 penalties — 18 going against the Bulls. Springbok scrumhalf Dan van […]

IN BRIEF MORE CAPE SHOOTINGS A MAN was killed and four others injured in a drive-by shooting attack on a house in Woodstock, Cape Town on Thursday — the second such attack on the house this week. The house came under attack in similar fashion on Sunday. The attack led to the death of Ismael […]

THURSDAY, 5.45PM: THE Mpumalanga portfolio committee for public accounts berated the province’s legislature on Thursday after it failed to explain mismanagement, inefficiency and financial irregularities over the last two years. After provincial auditor-general Douglas Maphiri told the committee that the legislature had failed to address many problems of uncontrolled expenditure and waste reported by the […]

THURSDAY, 5.45PM: THE all share index on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange ended a relatively thin day’s trade on positive ground, thanks to an 85-point leap in the financial index. At the close the financial index was up 84,7 points at 9 891,7 while the industrial index fell 17,4 points to 6 946,7. The all gold […]

THURSDAY, 12.00NOON: MAKHAYA NTINI may make history on Friday at The Waca. If Ntini gets the nod to play he will be the first black player to represent South Africa in a fully fledged one-day international. Ntini, who has played in first class matches on the tour, will probably play against New Zealand in order […]

WEDNESDAY, 12.30PM: NAMIBIAN Coach Rusten Mogane has warned his Bafana Bafana counterpart Jomo Sono not to underestimate his team when they meet in a Cosafa cup clash in Windhoek next Saturday. Mogane yesterday said he believed that the exclusion of experienced players like Doc Khumalo, Eric Tinkler and Shoes Moshoeu could prove costly to Bafana […]