Justice was not served during the 2005 murder trial of Mark Scott-Crossley, who is serving a life sentence for killing a farmworker he threw to lions, the Supreme Court of Appeal heard on Monday. Scott-Crossley’s counsel submitted that the court had entered the ”arena of guiding the state when examining witnesses in chief” during the trial.
The United States hopes to increase the money it spends to tackle HIV and Aids in South Africa, US Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael Leavitt said on Monday. He met Social Development Minister Zola Skweyiya at the Union Buildings in Pretoria as part of an official visit to South Africa.
Almost two years after arriving in Cape Town, nine containers of clothes donated by Taiwan are finally ready to be given to the needy, mayor Helen Zille said on Monday. The containers of new clothes arrived in Cape Town harbour in November 2005 and were held up by unfinished paperwork and customs processes.
Eritrean President Issaias Afeworki warned Washington that its policies were leading the world on a ”dangerous path”, an official statement said on Monday. Two days after Washington said it was considering adding Eritrea to its list of ”state sponsors of terrorism”, Issaias gave an angry two-hour interview broadcast late on Sunday on state television.
Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq and South African all-rounder Lance Klusener have signed to play in an unofficial Indian Twenty20 league, organisers said on Monday. The Pakistani trio of batsman Mohammad Yousuf, all-rounder Abdul Razzaq and batsman Imran Farhat, plus South Africa spinner Nicky Boje, have also joined the league.
Sierra Leone’s ruling party presidential candidate Solomon Berewa said on Monday two main opposition candidates have formed an alliance to try to beat him in an anticipated second round. Main opposition candidate Ernest Bai Koroma of the All People’s Congress party is leading after the first round, with 44% of the vote.
Judges on Monday postponed until January 2008 the war-crimes trial of former Liberian president Charles Taylor on charges of directing atrocities in Sierra Leone after his defence asked for more time to prepare. Taylor is accused of instigating murder, rape and mutilation.
The state was stalling on details of the travel-voucher fraud charges faced by a current and a former MP, their defence teams claimed in the Cape Town Regional Court on Monday. Lawyers acting for the two said they wanted the court to rule that prosecutors must provide full answers to their requests for further particulars.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) on Monday asked the Public Protector to investigate whether Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang benefited from the inappropriate influence of President Thabo Mbeki. It has been alleged that Mbeki called up surgeons at a medical centre to insist they approve a liver transplant for Tshabalala-Msimang, DA leader Helen Zille said.
World stock markets roared higher on Monday after last week’s slump, but analysts warned of further turmoil for share prices owing to lingering concerns about borrowers’ failure to repay United States home loans. The London and Paris main indices jumped by about 1% in morning trade after Tokyo’s market closed up 3%.