The Zimbabwe government on Thursday denied taking delivery of a consignment of weapons from China after a ship carrying the arms was prevented from unloading its cargo. ”The shipment did not dock and there has not been delivery as yet,” Defence Minister Sydney Sekeramayi told journalists.
More people across all race groups in South Africa are living in relative poverty, a report released by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) said. The number of white South Africans living in relative poverty has doubled, from 2% to 3,9% since 1997, the number of black South Africans has increased from 50,3% to 57,2%, the commission’s report found.
The Pretoria High Court has ruled that a statement to police by the man accused of killing seven-year-old Sheldean Human was admissible as evidence. Acting Judge Chris Eksteen said on Thursday he would only give reasons for his ruling at a later stage. This was after Andrew Jordaan of Pretoria West took the stand on Thursday, claiming he was innocent.
South Africa made the front page of world newspapers for all the wrong reasons this week as anti-foreigner violence spiralled out of control.
There had been production setbacks at DRD Gold’s ERPM operation in Primrose on the East Rand due to violent attacks on foreigners, who make up 38% of the workforce. Spokesperson James Duncan said fewer foreign nationals had been reporting for work since Monday and the mine was in a ”loss-making situation”.
The recent wave of so-called xenophobic violence had been deliberately unleashed ahead of next year’s general election, National Intelligence Agency (NIA) Director General Manala Manzini said on Thursday. At least 42 people have been killed and 16Â 000 displaced since the outbreak of the attacks on foreigners in Alexandra on May 12.
South African inflation was facing stubborn and persistent external shocks that were helping to drive prices higher, central bank Governor Tito Mboweni said on Thursday. But it would be foolish to change the 3% to 6% inflation target range, he said in a speech at a monetary policy conference in Johannesburg.
Finance Minister Trevor Manuel has accused Helen Zille, the leader of the Democratic Alliance and mayor of Cape Town, of fanning the flame of xenophobia by saying that attacks on foreigners were in part due to the fact that foreigners were selling the drug tik to South African children.
Fate has dealt a cruel hand to Mamelodi Sundowns’ budding right back, Papi Mungomeni. The 23-year-old, who has become a regular in the Brazilians’ starting line-up this season, will miss playing in Saturday’s Premier Soccer League (PSL) showpiece, the Nedbank Cup final against First Division Mpumalanga Black Aces at the Johannesburg Stadium.
After four consecutive victories, the championship-leading Ferrari team and their defending world champion, Kimi Raikkonen, are expecting to be the dominant force again in Monaco on Sunday. The Finn, who leads this year’s title race ahead of Ferrari teammate Brazilian Felipe Massa, is convinced the Italian scuderia is in excellent shape.