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/ 9 November 2007
The jailed leader of a separatist movement in the south-east of Nigeria — known formerly as Biafra — was released from detention at the end of October in a move analysts hailed as a helpful and diplomatic approach by the government to the region’s problems. But the secessionist leader says he will continue his struggle for independence.
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/ 9 November 2007
While the plastic bag tax has become a cash cow for government, bringing in R221-million since 2004, the company tasked with promoting the recycling of plastic bags is struggling to get off the ground. Buyisa-e-Bag, the company in question, has seen a mere R44-million of the funds generated since it became fully operational in 2005, leaving R177-million to churn around in the general fiscus.
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/ 9 November 2007
Two of the key figures in the genesis of the arms-deal scandal — Patricia de Lille and Andrew Feinstein — went public again this week, fanning the embers of a corruption storm that has been smouldering for nine years. Feinstein, the former African National Congress leader of Parliament’s public accounts watchdog Scopa, resigned when the party moved to curtail investigations into the arms deal.
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/ 9 November 2007
The United States government is heading for the dock. The American Civil Liberties Union has launched legal action against it over its denial of a visa to prominent South African academic Adam Habib. And now that the US has revealed its reasons for denying Habib entry to the country, essentially accusing him of ”terrorist” activity, the backlash against the superpower’s government is intensifying.
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/ 8 November 2007
Shane Bond celebrated his first Test against South Africa by taking four wickets on the opening day of the first Castle Lager Test between South Africa and New Zealand, as South Africa were bundled out for 226, an hour-and-a-quarter after tea. New Zealand had 41 for two when stumps were drawn.
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/ 8 November 2007
A British man on Thursday failed in his record-breaking attempt to pull a 7,5-tonne red London bus over a distance of 10m, using his ears. Manjit Singh (57), a former police officer who now owns a security services company in Leicester, central England, managed to pull the Routemaster Bus over half the distance, about 5m.
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/ 8 November 2007
Sharks coach Dick Muir, who made a belated attempt to be considered as Springbok coach after incumbent Jake White’s term expires, will not be in line for the position. This follows a resolution by the South African Rugby Union’s president’s council, which met in Johannesburg on Thursday.
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/ 8 November 2007
South African Airways (SAA) posted a net profit before tax and restructuring charges of R136-million for the six months ended September 2007, after a period of massive losses, acting chief financial officer Clive Else said on Thursday. Revenue rose to R11-billion from R9,6-billion, reflecting a 1,2% profit margin.
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/ 8 November 2007
The 37-year-old mayor of a KwaZulu-Natal South Coast municipality was killed in a car crash, police said on Thursday. Police spokesperson Zandra Hechter said Mfundo Lushaba, the mayor of Umzumbe, was found dead in his Toyota Hilux double-cab about 10m from the Ifafa offramp on the N2 near the resort town of Hibberdene.
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/ 8 November 2007
A merger of the Federation of Unions of South Africa with the National Council of Trade Unions is a significant achievement that will unite workers in the country, Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana said on Thursday ahead of the launch on Friday of the new South African Confederation of Trade Unions.