Chris Gordon and Howard Barrell Jonas Savimbi’s stronghold has fallen, according to reports coming out of Angola. Government troops are thought to have entered Unita’s Bailundo headquarters on Wednesday and Unita are said to be retreating eastwards to their bases in the Cazomba region, Moxico province, next to the Zambian border, leaving the town relatively […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Thursday 10.00pm. KENYA take a one-goal lead to Tanzania this weekend for an intriguing East African derby in the preliminary round of the 2000 Olympic Games qualifiers. The first match in Nakuru was settled by an early goal from Simon Mulama. The winners face Cameroon, Ghana, Guinea or South Africa in […]

Food: Monica Hilton-Barber If you’ve decided to let Richard Branson do the jetsetting and simply put your feet up and chill out this summer, then check out the hot spots in the Mpumalanga Lowveld. The coolest place to be this season is the Artist’s Caf in Hendriksdal, on the N37 from Nelspruit to Lydenberg. Nestled […]

ROB DAVIES, Johannesburg | Thursday 4.00pm. SOUTH Africa are looking down the barrel of a gun at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth as the West Indies bowling attack fired on all cylinders to leave the South Africans reeling at 182/8 just at tea on the opening day. The South Africans will be looking to […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Harare | Thursday 11.30am. TWO Zimbabwe banks may be heading for failure after the collapse of the country’s United Merchant Bank (UMB), say local analysts. The turmoil in Zimbabwe’s banking circles follows the Zimbabwe Reserve Bank’s provision of Z$400-million to prop up the Zimbabwe Building Society. The building society is believed to have […]

MICHAEL METELITS, Johannesburg | Thursday 5.00pm. THE rand continued stronger on Thursday, bringing bonds and the Johannesburg Stock Exchange along with it although gains were muted all around. Trading was spare before the holidays and dealers repeatedly suggested the markets were “looking for direction”, indicating potentially volatile swings. The rand closed at R5,95 to the […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Tuesday 8.30pm. JOE NDHLELA, former Transnet executive director, was on Tuesday appointed the new chief executive officer of the Premier Soccer League. The announcement was made by National Soccer League chairman Leepile Taunyane at the PSL’s offices in Johannesburg. Forty-three year old Ndhlela will take over from current CEO Trevor Phillips […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Sunday 9.00pm. NOTORIOUS heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson will fight for the first time in nearly 19 months on January 16 when he makes his return to heavyweight boxing against South Africa’s Francois Botha. The return, however, might be short-lived as Tyson may be headed back to prison after he allegedly assaulted […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Manama | Monday 11.00pm. A JOINT Islamic bank may be set up in South Africa in 1999 if negotiations with prospective Gulf Arab partners are finalised, a senior banker said on Monday. ”Talks with prospective Gulf partners reached an advanced stage,” Eric Hirsch, general manager of South Africa’s Absa Bank International (ASAJ.J), said. […]