The South African Parliament has welcomed the decision by the African Union to make South Africa the permanent seat of the Pan-African Parliament. ”We shall work hard to make the institution serve its purposes as a true African Parliament,” Speaker Baleka Mbete said in a statement on Thursday.
The South African rand was expected to test the key psychological six per dollar level on Thursday as it continued to rally on the back of offshore demand for the local unit. At 08h49, the rand was quoted at its best level since January 7, 2000, of 6,0451 per dollar from an overnight close of 6,10 on Wednesday and 6,2876 on Tuesday.
The JSE Securities Exchange (JSE) was marginally weaker in noon trade on Thursday as a strong rand continued to keep the bourse in check. On the market’s upside, gold stocks continued to benefit from a higher bullion price. The rand was quoted at R6,09 per dollar from R6,11 when the JSE closed on Wednesday.
They are the institutions of hope and aspiration that have become soiled and bedraggled. With a trail of many tragic millions of rands wasted, and of human and institutional failure, it is time to take a hard look at whether we need the National Development Agency, the National Empowerment Fund, the loan guarantee agency Khula and the enterprise promotion agency Ntsika — at least in their present form.
Acting South African Airways (SAA) CEO Oyama Mabandla is considered the likely successor to André Viljoen, who resigned this week, widely believed to have done so under pressure. Oyama Mabandla is widely considered to have the professional and political clout to run the troubled airline.
Oom Krisjan is concerned about what’s put in the drinks when the Democratic Whatever (DW) chooses someone for its trade and industry portfolio. First there was Nigel Bruce, renowned for his Financial Mail phrase about black waiters: ”truculent tribesmen with an eye on the clock and a thumb in the soup”. And now his replacement, Enyinna Nkem-Abonta.
If records are anything to go by then world champion Michael Schumacher faces a tough task to bake his rivals and keep his victorious run alive in this weekend’s British Grand Prix. The dominant Ferrari driver is the favourite to take his astonishing winning tally this season into double figures on Sunday.
Five-time winner Lance Armstrong pulled on the Tour de France yellow jersey for the first time in the race after a blistering time trial performance by his United States Postal team over 64,5 km between Cambrai and Arras in France on Wednesday. US Postal were the winners of the team event last year.
Former France captain Marcel Desailly has denied reports he wants to play for Scottish champions Celtic. The most-capped player in French football history, who was released after six years with Chelsea, said he has yet to make his mind up about his future.
Ernie Els makes his first appearance in a tournament since his dramatic last round meltdown at the United States Open at Shinnecock Hills when he defends his Scottish Open title this week. Els, paired with Colin Montgomerie and Lee Westwood for the first two rounds, took a two week break after crashing out of contention in the US as playing partner Retief Goosen collected his second major title of his career.