Mungo Soggot The corruption crisis in South Africa’s state oil industry claimed its most important casualty so far when Minister of Minerals and Energy Penuell Maduna sacked his special adviser on energy this week. Maduna’s decision to axe his trusted aide Thulane Gcabashe, an African National Congress stalwart, has sent shock waves through the Department […]
Robert Kirby: Loose Cannon Gnaw on this dainty bone if you will. “The unfair labour practice provisions and provisions against dismissal for arbitrary reasons and unfair dismissal for incapacity should provide some protection.” Or what about this plum, in reply to the question: What is sexual harassment? “The imposition of unwanted conduct of a sexual […]
Angella Johnson No road signs mark the way to China Town. Unlike its wealthy neighbours which flaunt thatched-roof mansions to passing motorists, the impoverished township lies concealed behind a curtain of tall leafy trees. Also hidden in this dusty informal settlement – tucked between St Francis Bay and the Cape St Francis resort village in […]
Andy Capostagno: Cricket I first saw him bowl at the St Lawrence Ground in Canterbury, England. He ran in like a boulder rolling down a mountainside and bowled too short. He was cut and pulled to all parts and retired to the outfield, visibly frustrated. A year later I was on tour with the Durham […]
Mandy Collins There’s something a little sordid about admitting you’ve used a pawnshop, isn’t there? Desperate people use pawnshops as a last resort. But Andy Schwenk, who owns Andy’s Swop Shop in Bellevue, Johannesburg, says there’s a common misconception that only a certain kind of person uses pawnshops. ”I’ve had Mercs, Jags and Rolls Royces […]
It wasn’t only the South African duo, Ian Woodall and Kathy O’Dowd, who came home to controversy after climbing Everest. Now the horror of the storms of May 1996 has been captured on the giant Imax screen, writes Ed Douglas Even though it fills only a fraction of the gigantic screen, the huge image of […]
THURSDAY, 12.30PM: THE South African women’s hockey team turned the tables on their German counterparts by winning the second Test 3-1 at Hartleyvale on Wednesday night. Leading 1-0 at the turn through a penalty goal by Britta Becker, the Germans, who seemed the dominant team, started to relax their defences. The South Africans replied by […]
THURSDAY, 1.15PM: GROWTH of gross domestic fixed investment (GDFI), a major contributor to economic growth, fell from 8% in 1996 to a mere 3,5% last year as public sector investment dropped, the Reserve Bank announced on Wednesday. The Reserve Bank’s latest quarterly bulletin showed how GDFI gradually slowed down from a 3% growth rate during […]
THURSDAY, 7.15PM: THE Johannesburg Stock Exchange continued to ride the wave of positive economic data and solid futures buying, with both industrials and financials making good gains on Thursday. Dealers noted a surprisingly benign reaction to Finance Minister Trevor Manuel’s Budget, announced on Wednesday, hinting that it was well received. Although the all gold index […]
IN BRIEF NEW RAIL SERVICE A NEW passenger train will start running twice-weekly services between Durban and the Mozambique capital Maputo from April, Spoornet announced on Thursday. The service will go via Mpaka in Swaziland, crossing two borders in a day. Bheka Manana, executive manager of Spoornet’s main line passenger services, said the shuttle will […]