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/ 14 September 2007

Joe Slovo erupts

On Monday morning, hundreds of homeless people from the Joe Slovo squatter camp in Cape Town blockaded the N2 highway during peak-hour traffic, venting their anger and frustration with government for not providing houses. In response, Housing Minister Lindiwe Sisulu said: ”Residents of the Joe Slovo informal settlement must decide whether they wish to cooperate with government.”

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/ 14 September 2007

Show of hands … or maybe of teeth

Zimbabwe’s ruling Zanu-PF party has called a surprise special congress for December, setting the stage for a showdown between President Robert Mugabe and rivals within his party, who are plotting to oust him. A conference had been scheduled, but a meeting of Mugabe’s politburo last week decided that an extraordinary congress should be called instead.

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/ 14 September 2007

Backlogs here to stay?

Eradicating massive backlogs in school infrastructure will cost about R40-billion. This represents nearly 40% of the current year’s education budget. The infrastructural challenges facing thousands of schools emerge from the most comprehensive audit ever done on the physical state of the country’s 25 000 public schools.

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/ 13 September 2007

‘ANC not in a state of crisis’

The winds of change are blowing in the ANC. On the sixth floor of Luthuli House, secretary general Kgalema Motlanthe has removed all the paintings and decorations from the walls as he prepares to leave his office in three months. Neatly wrapped and folded in the corner, the destination of his decorations is unknown.

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/ 13 September 2007

Google sponsors $30m moon landing prize

Web search leader Google will sponsor a -million competition for an unmanned lunar landing, following up on the -million Ansari X Prize that spurred a private sector race to space. The Google Lunar X Prize is open to private industry and non-government entities worldwide, organisers said on Thursday.

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/ 13 September 2007

Expectations reversed for 2003 replay

On the surface, Friday’s World Cup pool clash between England and South Africa looks similar to their 2003 meeting. In reality four years has seen an astonishing 180 degree shift in expectations. The winners at the Stade de France will go on to a probable quarterfinal against Wales and a possible semi against France.