Burma is forcing homeless cyclone survivors out of the nation’s monasteries, monks from the disaster zone said on Thursday, as the junta rebuffed international pressure to allow in foreign aid workers. The reports from the monasteries came as the regime announced overwhelming public support in its recent national vote.
South Africa has drifted closer to the bottom of a global-competitiveness index for 55 countries this year, hit by skills shortages, unemployment and weak infrastructure, where it ranked last, Business Day reported on Thursday. South Africa’s rating slipped to 53 from 50 last year — beating just Ukraine and Venezuela.
Zimbabwe’s central bank introduced Z-million notes worth just on Thursday in the latest sign of spiralling hyperinflation, only a week after issuing the Z-million bill. The new highest denomination note would buy about two loaves of bread. Zimbabwe has the highest inflation rate in the world at about 165Â 000%.
Malawi’s tobacco industry has been in turmoil after wildly fluctuating prices led protesting farmers to force the closure of the auction floors. This year’s tobacco sales started on a very high note with prices reaching the phenomenal price of $11 per kilogramme. The high prices did not last, however.
Fred van der Vyver is suing the government for R46-million after its failed bid to pin on him the murder of his girlfriend, Inge Lotz, the Times reported on Thursday. Van der Vyver, a Cape Town actuary, was acquitted in November last year. The judge dismissed the evidence against him as flimsy and criticised the police.
South African investment banking and asset management group Investec reported a 15% rise in full-year core profit on Thursday, but missed expectations because of United States writedowns. Pre-tax operating profit rose to £537,7-million for the year to March 31, meaning growth was 3% lower than expected according to a Reuters poll.
Johannesburg townships Alexandra and Diepsloot were tense on Thursday morning in the wake of xenophobic violence that has killed a number of people since the weekend, police said. Captain Louise Reed said one man was injured in a suspected mob attack in Diepsloot on Wednesday evening.
A Sydney suburb has been dubbed "cannabisville" after police found four apparently normal family homes were actually marijuana hothouses containing vast quantities of the illegal drug. Police have seized 1 000 plants worth $7,5-million from four houses in Blair Athol.
Vusi Ngcobo’s hat-trick helped Thanda Royal Zulu ease their relegation problems when they registered a hard-fought 3-2 win over Bidvest Wits in a thrilling Absa Premiership match at Absa Stadium, Durban, on Wednesday. The match started at a blistering pace with Royal Zulu pushing forward in numbers in search of the opener.
Former Fidentia boss J Arthur Brown was examined by a doctor and a psychiatrist on Wednesday after being beaten up by fellow prisoners, the Times reported on Thursday. Brown’s attorney, William Booth, said his client had been moved to a private clinic in Cape Town on Tuesday.