The African Union under the leadership of Alpha Konare, Mali’s former president, has committed itself to moving from non-interference to non-indifference. It was incredible to see African leaders calling on their Sudanese colleague, Omar el-Bashir, to account for the situation in Darfur: a far cry from the days of the Organisation of African Unity when such interference was taboo.
Vehicle sales are a major economic index — but they also serve as a useful demographic indicator. This week vehicle finance bank Wesbank released figures showing that over the past 10 years the value of vehicle loans to black clients increased tenfold, from R736-million in 1994 to R7,6-billion in 2004. This increase occurred against the backdrop of a 490% increase in the bank’s total book.
The <i>Mail & Guardian</i>’s 2/10 rating for Ntsika Enterprise Promotion Agency in its assessment of agencies last week does not reflect our reputation as a leading agency that supports small business in South Africa. We operate as a wholesale agency, which means we use intermediary organisations to deliver business services on our behalf, writes Lefa Mallane.
The Zimbabwean government this week stepped up efforts to crack down on the <i>Mail & Guardian</i>. The police served a subpoena on the security manager of Century Bank in Harare summonsing information about the newspaper’s bank account, including records of cheque transactions, since the beginning of the year.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/pd.asp?ao=118793">Former M&G journo under hotel arrest</a>
Every parent knows the moment the balance of dependency shifts. Nothing needs be said; both parties know instinctively that from now on it is negotiation time. It is the recognition of equality of power. Governments know it, too. Phoney equality — as represented by the P in Nepad (New Partnership for Africa’s Development) — is seen for what it is.
The South African rand was hovering just below the psychological R6,00 per dollar level in late afternoon trade on Friday, after breaching this level a couple of hours earlier on the back of offshore dollar sales. The rand earlier touched R5,95 the first time since June1999.
For too long science has overlooked the hillbilly. Perhaps fearing being tied to a tree and molested, anthropologists and sociologists have eschewed the deep woods, failing to draw back the mosquito net of secrecy that still obscures this remarkable tribe. Scratch the surface of the hillbilly, and we find little rolls of dirt and traces of antifreeze under our fingernails. Wash the surface and then scratch, and we find the story of humanity itself.
Brazil views its 2-1 loss to Paraguay as a helpful inconvenience ahead of its Copa Americana quarterfinal clash with Mexico on Sunday. Meanwhile, Peru will meet Argentina on Saturday, while reigning champions Colombia play Costa Rica. Paraguay takes on Urugauy on Sunday.
They attract millions of tourists seeking to improve their swing in the sun. But the rush to coastal golf courses around the arid southern Mediterranean is posing a grave threat to its limited fresh water stocks. Each of an estimated 200 courses built around the Mediterranean consumes the same amount of fresh water as a town of 12Â 000 people, according to a recent report.
Halfway through the British Open, South Africa’s Retief Goosen is staying quietly in contention to win his third tournament in a row. The quiet game is exactly what Goosen employed last month to win the United States Open at Shinnecock Hills after four consistent, if unspectacular, rounds.