THURSDAY, 10.30AM: A DRAFT white paper covering affirmative action in government requires the public service to have 50% black managers and 30% women by 1999. At present 38% of managers are black and 11% of middle to senior managers are women. Although 79% of public servants are black, only 38% at the level of director […]

THURSDAY, 9.20AM: THE Italian national rugby coach George Coste believes that Springbok line-out giants Krynauw Otto and Mark Andrews will be the match winners on Saturday when Italy host South Africa in Bologna. “We have always had problems at lock. In Italy we don’t have the same height or bulk as South Africa,” said the […]

THURSDAY, 5.00PM: The South African government need not revise its growth estimates, despite last week’s market turmoil, Finance Minister Trevor Manuel said on Thursday. Nor is there any question of revising its 4% budget deficit target “We don’t see the need for any panic in respect of the fiscal targets we have set,” he said. […]

THURSDAY, 5PM: The Rev Ndabaningi Sithole, father of the armed struggle against white rule in Zimbabwe, is the latest veteran of the liberation war to complain that the government is holding back on promised benefits. Sithole, now 77, led the Zimbabwe African National Union in the early 1960s and 1970s. He said this week he […]

THURSDAY, 10.30AM: The business sector cannot afford Telkom’s proposed 25% rate increase on local telephone calls, according to the Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Chief executive Marius de Jager said yesterday the JCCI had serious concerns about the effect the cost increases could have on business, particularly those which relied heavily on telephones. The […]

THURSDAY, 8.40AM: VAAL Professionals beat Mamelodi Sundowns in their Premiership match at Iscor Stadium on Wednesday night. Pros were 2-0 up at half time. New Bafana Bafana midfielder Jabu Mnguni was inspirational in midfield and took the game to the visitors. Joseph Chikoti scored the opening goal in the 29th minute and Neil Jansen increased […]

PRIVATE JAILS PARLIAMENT has unanimously approved a bill which allows for ‘privatised’ prisons, which are built and run by the private sector at a set fee per prisoner. Correctional Services Minister Dr Sipo Mzimela said Cabinet had approved four pilot projects, which were in the process of being put to tender. The Bill also provides […]

THURSDAY, 11:30AM: EDUCATION minister for Gauteng, Mary Metcalfe, admitted on Wednesday the leak of Monday’s matric accounting examination paper happened within her department. She gave no details of how the theft took place, but did reveal the breach did not happen in the maximum security building where the papers are stored – dubbed ‘Alcatraz’. ”The […]

TUESDAY, 9.35AM: ORLANDO PIRATES, Mamelodi Sundowns and kaizer Chiefs return to the Premier Soccer League action on Wednesday and Thursday after being involved in the Rothmans Cup semi-finals last weekend. Pirates host Supersport United at FNB Stadium on Wednesday. Piarates and SS United have met twice this season and on both occasions Pirates beat SS […]

WEDNESDAY, 2:30PM: SOME of South Africa’s numerous army bases may soon be converted to schools, prisons and hospitals. On Tuesday the cabinet approved plans to rationalise the defence force’s assets. Vast tracts of land acquired by the SA Defence Force during the apartheid era will be released for public use, and the military will reduce […]