Although service-delivery protests are understandable, the violence that goes along with some of the demonstrations is concerning, Tshwane executive mayor Gwen Ramokgopa said on Thursday. She released the city’s annual service-delivery figures, showing that the metro council has had success in meeting and even succeeding many of its targets.
The International Committee of the Red Cross on Thursday rejected accusations it was consorting with rebels in Ethiopia’s restive Ogaden region, and said its expulsion would hurt needy civilians there. The humanitarian agency denounced the decision on Tuesday by authorities in Ethiopia’s Somali regional state giving it seven days’ notice to leave.
Iraq warned of a humanitarian crisis on Thursday as it appealed to the international community to help countries hosting hundreds of thousands of Iraqis uprooted by war. ”The Iraqi government calls on the international community, in particular neighbouring countries, to support Iraq,” said Mohammed al-Hajj al-Hmud of Iraq’s Foreign Ministry.
The editor of <i>ZimOnline</i>, an independent Zimbabwe news agency based in South Africa, was shot and seriously wounded this week in Johannesburg, its deputy editor said on Thursday. The attack on Abel Mutsakani occurred Monday night as he arrived at his Johannesburg home, Abel Chapatarongo told the media.
Angola’s state-run diamond company wants foreign companies as partners to tap what it believes are vast pockets of the precious gems, a company official said on Thursday. Angola, the world’s fifth biggest in terms of value, is exploring only about 40% of the territory believed to have potential for diamond mining.
The social networking site MySpace claims to offer a virtual replica of the real world. It provides a forum to meet old friends, catch up on news, listen to music and chat with strangers. But like the real world, it also has its share of undesirables. The site has found more than 29 000 registered sex offenders among its 180-million members.
South Africa’s producer price inflation slowed to 10,4% year-on-year in June, official data showed on Thursday, but a jump in the monthly rate continued to stoke expectations of higher interest rates. Statistics South Africa said June producer price inflation slowed from an annual 11,3% in May but increased by 2,1%.
A strike of thousands of public sector workers that brought Swaziland’s second city to a standstill was marred by violence on Wednesday. Police spokesperson Vusi Masuku said at least two shops were looted and one person was detained for violent acts.
After a see-saw ride in the morning, the JSE was trading sideways at midday on Thursday — seemingly tracking the FTSE 100, according to a trader. At 12:01pm, the all-share index was 0,10% lower from it’s close of 29 105,270 on Wednesday.
Mbulaeni Mulaudzi, the 26-year-old world number one 800m runner, returned to his brilliant best at the Herculis Monaco Super Grand Prix on Wednesday when he won his event in a blistering one minute 43,74 seconds. It was the fastest time of the year and the first below 1:44. The gritty South African ran an outstanding race and issued a stern warning to the world elite.