Staff Reporter
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/ 29 November 2007

Interest-rate hike ‘a near certainty’

The continued strong rises in credit extension provided little counter to the shocking inflation figures released on Wednesday and the chances of an interest-rate hike next week now seemed an almost assured fact, the Efficient Group said on Thursday. This comes after the South African Reserve Bank released both the October monetary aggregates and credit extension figures.

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/ 29 November 2007

SA October producer inflation ticks up

South Africa’s factory-gate inflation ticked up to 9,5% year-on-year in October, data showed on Thursday, beating forecasts and reinforcing expectations for an interest-rate rise next week. Producer price inflation accelerated from 9,4% year-on-year in September, and outstripped forecasts of a 9,1% rise, Statistics South Africa said.

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/ 29 November 2007

Manto: Klebsiella babies were underweight

Most of the babies who died following a klebsiella outbreak at a Durban hospital were underweight and born to teenage mothers, Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang said on Thursday. Tshabalala-Msimang was speaking at the opening of a public hospital management conference in Boksburg, east of Johannesburg.

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/ 29 November 2007

Japie Mulder pleads guilty to indecent assault

Former Springbok centre Japie Mulder has admitted that over an extended period he indecently assaulted a young girl and tried to rape her, Beeld reported on Thursday. Mulder was fined R120 000 or three years in prison in terms of a plea bargain in which he pleaded guilty to charges of indecent assault and soliciting a minor. The girl is in grade 12 this year.

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/ 29 November 2007

Fierce firefight at rebel Philippine hotel

Fierce firefights broke out inside a five-star hotel in the Philippines capital on Thursday as government forces entered to arrest a group of military rebels, a reporter on the scene said. An armoured troop vehicle rammed repeatedly into the main door of the hotel and roared into the lobby amid a hail of gunfire.

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/ 29 November 2007

Arrows, Royal Zulu play to 1-1 draw

The KwaZulu-Natal derby between Thanda Royal Zulu and Lamontville Golden Arrows petered out to a 1-1 draw in their Premier Soccer League clash at Absa Stadium in Durban on Wednesday night. Arrows led 1-0 at half-time. Arrows took the lead when Siyabonga Sangweni blasted a low shot that beat Royal keeper Aime Kitenge in the 26th minute.

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/ 29 November 2007

Rampant Villa crush Blackburn

In-form Aston Villa ran riot in Blackburn on Wednesday night with a resounding 4-0 victory at Ewood Park that moved them up to sixth in the Premier League. Rovers had dominated the first half hour only to be denied by a mixture of poor finishing and fine saves from Scott Carson before John Carew put the visitors ahead after 29 minutes.

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/ 29 November 2007

October credit growth slows to 22,27%

Growth in demand for credit from South Africa’s private sector eased marginally to 22,27% year-on-year in October, but remained high, keeping up pressure on the central bank to raise interest rates again. Central bank data showed on Thursday credit growth slowed from 22,46% in September, while annualised M3 money supply was down at 23,39% from 24,94%.