Marion Edmunds The mystery surrounding Cape Town gardener Bennet Sibaya’s relationship with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission deepened this week, after he denied providing commission investigators with evidence that he was involved in police “dirty tricks” operations. Sibaya has refuted suggestions, made in a Sunday newspaper, that he told the commission he had been a […]
Madeleine Wackernagel : Taking Stock Looking for a cheery subject to start the new year, I thought of the massive influx of foreigners and all that lovely foreign exchange providing a welcome boost to our beleaguered economy. But events conspired against me. Lurid tales of foreign visitors mindlessly slaughtered around the country will deal a […]
Dan Atkinson and Larry Elliott When the Iraqi tanks of Saddam Hussein rumbled into Kuwait in August 1990, economic pundits declared that the oil price could hit $60 a barrel within months. Early this week, a barrel of Brent crude was changing hands at less than $16. It was not only oil that was tipped […]
Ann Eveleth South African household furnishings are shrinking to fit into government-built homes – and to lower costs in line with falling consumer spending power, say retailers. OK Furniture, a division of OK Bazaars, said this week it had seen a sharp rise in sales of “slimline refrigerators and ovens” during the past four to […]
police Andy Duffy The top detective brought in amid huge fanfare late last year to revive crime- fighting efforts on the troubled Cape Flats spent just six weeks in Cape Town before returning to Gauteng. Police management deployed Director Ivor Human to the Western Cape last October to lead investigations into the spiralling violence, and […]
FRIDAY, 4.30PM: SOUTH Africa were almost pipped at the post by New Zealand in an electrifying limited overs match at the Gabba that realised close to 600 runs. After scoring 300 runs in their alotted 50 overs South Africa climbed into the Kiwi batsmen with a vengeance. The tenacious New Zealanders fought back grimly throughout […]
Cheche Selepe Life has not been the same for the Malebane household in Katlehong, near Germiston, since the brutal rape and subsequent murder of six-year-old Mamokgethi Malebane last year. Mamokgethi’s younger sister Emma and the other children in the neighbourhood are obeying the new law of the household: never shake the hand of any male […]
Wonder Hlongwa and Mungo Soggot President Nelson Mandela overruled truth commission legislation guidelines to ensure former state president PW Botha’s legal team was paid almost double the going rate for representing a potential witness. This week Minister of Justice Dullah Omar – who had been part of the negotiations on the massive bill – said […]
Stephen Gray : Unspoilt places All roads into Warmbaths lead to the Elephant Springs Hotel. This is the resort’s old bed-and-brandy joint, the Bronnehof, reclad for all modern travellers wishing to arrive in the Waterberg district. For an introduction try the wooden deck over the main drag, where a menu of genius rejuvenates the weary […]
Mungo Soggot The panel appointed to investigate Emanuel Shaw II’s top state oil job finished its probe this week after hearing testimony from Gordon Sibiya, the senior government official leading the charge against Shaw’s R3-million appointment. The acting director general of the Department of Minerals and Energy, Dick Bakker, said this week that after hearing […]