Staff Reporter
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/ 29 November 2007

A spirit of give and take

Even if Thabo Mbeki wins the African National Congress (ANC) leadership at Polokwane — and this looks increasingly unlikely given the outcome of the provincial general councils last weekend — he will face a totally new power configuration after December 21.

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/ 29 November 2007

‘The ANC is not the US’

Some ANC national executive committee members believe that changes are needed in the procedure for the election of the party’s president, which should take place after an ”open campaign”. The idea is that anyone interested in leading the ANC would declare their interest and openly campaign for the position, writes Malusi Gigaba.

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/ 29 November 2007

Social grants: Dependency or development?

As the African National Congress gears up for its Polokwane conference in little more than two weeks, many wonder if a possible change in leadership will signal an accompanying change in social policy, especially social grants — one of the most important and controversial weapons in the fight against poverty.

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/ 28 November 2007

Zuma takes battle to Constitutional Court

African National Congress deputy president Jacob Zuma on Wednesday applied to the Constitutional Court for permission to challenge aspects of the investigation against him by the national director of public prosecution (NDPP). Zuma plans to challenge the issuing of a letter of request secured by the NDPP to get documents from Mauritius.

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/ 28 November 2007

SA disappoints in global literacy study

Ten-year-olds in Russia, China’s Hong Kong and Singapore show the greatest reading ability among their peers, according to a global literacy study released on Wednesday. The worst performances came from South Africa, Morocco, Kuwait, Qatar, Indonesia, Iran, Trinidad and Tobago, Macedonia, Georgia and Romania.

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/ 28 November 2007

Watchdog slams Somali media restrictions

An international media watchdog condemned as ”ridiculous” and illegal on Wednesday the Mogadishu mayor’s banning of media interviews with Somali insurgents and other tough restrictions on local journalists. Mayor and former warlord Mohamed Dheere called media heads in this week to impose the restrictions.