No image available
/ 29 November 2007
Clutching an exam pad and diary, former bouncer Gary Beuthin took notes from almost the instant he stepped into the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on Thursday. Wearing a grey and white T-shirt, blue tracksuit pants and shackles at his ankles, Beuthin seemed to scan the court for supporters as he walked in.
No image available
/ 29 November 2007
The handover of a controversial report drawn up by an African Union watchdog into standards of governance in South Africa was postponed indefinitely on Thursday, officials said. President Thabo Mbeki was expected to have received the African Peer Review Mechanism report at a ceremony in Pretoria to which journalists had been invited.
No image available
/ 29 November 2007
The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) lost R66-million on fraudulent unemployment claims between April 2005 and March this year, the fund said on Thursday. UIF spokesperson Kgomotso Sebetso said it is considered fraud for people to continue to receive benefits despite having secured a new job.
No image available
/ 29 November 2007
Hundreds of people have been left homeless in the landlocked kingdom of Swaziland after a severe storm wreaked havoc, disaster officials said on Thursday. Ben Nsibandze, chairperson of the National Disaster Management Agency, said 76 households had been given tents and blankets after the heavy rains that began sweeping through Swaziland on Tuesday.
No image available
/ 29 November 2007
The Supreme Court of Appeal agreed on Thursday with a golf-estate homeowner that he is entitled to relief for badly aimed golf balls from the sixth hole at the Milnerton golf course. Nearly 900 golf balls had hit his home between 2003 and 2006. The court upheld an appeal by Alexander Simonis against a Cape High Court judgement.
No image available
/ 29 November 2007
Toy distributor Just Fun Toys has recalled all its stocks in South Africa of Bindeez Magic Beads, the distributor said on Thursday. The stock was recalled as a new bead coating, changed by the Chinese manufacturer without consulting its developers, was found to be potentially harmful if ingested.
No image available
/ 29 November 2007
The Cape High Court on Thursday found former Old Mutual actuary Fred van der Vyver not guilty of the murder of his girlfriend, Inge Lotz. The acquittal brought to an end a dramatic trial that had lasted nine months, which Judge Deon van Zyl described as ”long and emotion-packed”.
No image available
/ 29 November 2007
Almost 80% of South African pupils do not develop basic reading skills by the time they reach grade five, a new international study released on Thursday shows. The Progress in International Reading Literacy study was conducted in 40 countries and carried out locally by the University of Pretoria.
No image available
/ 29 November 2007
There is a stark difference of opinion as to how Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns view their status in South African soccer: Chiefs claim the Brazilians are attempting to usurp their role of pre-eminence while Sundowns, for their part, insist they have already achieved this objective.
No image available
/ 29 November 2007
In a rare public-health success story on the world’s most beleaguered continent, Africa has slashed deaths from measles by 91% since 2000 thanks to an immunisation drive. Worldwide measles deaths fell to 242 000 between 2000 and 2006, a reduction of 68% made possible by the remarkable gains in Africa.