Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri has criticised the Treasury for failing to finance state-owned signal carrier Sentech, Business Day reported on Tuesday. Treasury officials ”just don’t understand” the vital role Sentech could play in lowering South Africa’s exorbitant cost of communications, the newspaper quoted the minister as saying.
South Africa’s FirstRand said on Tuesday that first-half diluted normalised headline earnings per share rose 12% to 105,6 cents, at the lower end of its forecasts, despite tough market conditions. The group said it was unlikely to meet its long-term targeted growth in earnings of 10% above inflation in the current financial year.
The death toll in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) from Monday’s accidents has risen, the province’s transport department said on Tuesday. Spokesperson Rajen Chinnaboo said a fifth accident was reported in KwaZulu-Natal at 8pm, bringing the total number of deaths in the province on Monday to 32.
Kenyan rivals were on Tuesday to push ahead with talks on a new deal to share power and tackle root causes of the strife, a day after more than a dozen people were killed in the volatile Rift Valley. The negotiations are focusing on reforms to address historical injustices that entail electoral, institutional, constitutional and judicial issues.
Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has lashed out at Australian crowds after being cleared of allegations he made monkey gestures and spat toward fans in the tri-series final win against Australia. Harbhajan was cleared after match referee Jeff Crowe was unable to find any video evidence to confirm the claims by spectators and photographers.
Australia utility back Julian Huxley has been diagnosed with a brain tumour just days after he collapsed during a Super 14 match. The tumour, believed to be benign, was discovered following a series of scans after Huxley began convulsing while playing on Saturday. ”It was a huge shock when the doctor told me I have a tumour,” Huxley said on Tuesday.
Bulls prop Jaco Engels received a three-week suspension and centre JP Nel a one-week ban on Monday following incidents in the weekend’s Super 14 loss to the Sharks. Cited after the 29-15 defeat at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday in a rematch of last year’s final, the pair fronted up to a judiciary at the stadium.
Struggling Premier Soccer League (PSL) club Bloemfontein Celtic said on Monday that they had fired coach Khabo Zondo. Zondo, who also assists national coach Carlos Alberto Parreira, was axed a day after mid-table Celtic conceded three late goals to lose 3-1 at Moroka Swallows.
Boozing into the night might inhibit coherent speech, but a Japanese company bets it will make workers communicate better. And it’s even willing to pay for it. Japan General Estate said on Tuesday it is planning to dole out thousands of dollars a month for its employees to go on the town in a bid to help communication.
The Bush administration, caught out by the rise of Hamas, embarked on a secret project for the armed overthrow of the Islamist government in Gaza, it emerged on Monday. Vanity Fair reports in its April edition that President George Bush signed off on a plan for the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, to remove the Hamas authorities in Gaza.