The highly regarded head of the government’s Aids unit, Nomonde Xundu, resigned but withdrew her notice pending negotiations with the health department’s director-general Thami Mseleku. Four sources within government and civil society confirmed independently that Xundu was on her way out.
The implementation of the ceasefire agreement between the Burundian government and the rebel Palipehutu-FNL (FNL) reached an impasse last week after the FNL went underground, complaining of biased mediation and failed promises. The FNL said that a lack of progress with the Joint Verification Monitoring Mechanism (JVMM), set up under the ceasefire agreement signed last year, led it to abandon the process.
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More public servants are blowing the whistle on corruption and unethical behaviour, but government departments are sluggish in joining the fight. This is the thrust of a trend analysis report compiled by the Public Service Commission (PSC) that compares the responses by public servants between 2004/05 and 2005/06.
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One of three women raped last year in KwaZulu-Natal was so traumatised she had to be led away from an identification parade without identifying anyone, the Scottburgh High Court heard on Thursday. The report from the identification parade was submitted to the court after one of the three accused expressed dissatisfaction with the parade.
A train crash in a remote location in central Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) killed at least 68 people, the United Nations peacekeeping force said on Thursday. ”There are 68 dead and 128 severely wounded,” UN mission spokesperson Kemal Saiki said. The accident took place late on Wednesday near Benaleka.
An investigation into the rape of a Wits medical student at the Chris Hani-Baragwanath Hospital in Johannesburg continued on Thursday, Gauteng police said. Superintendent Thembi Nkwashu said police were still waiting for the girl to make a statement.
Medical experts who declared child murderer Theunis Olivier fit to stand trial should reappear in court to answer allegations that they did not follow proper procedures, the Cape High Court ruled on Thursday. ”Serious allegations have been made against these professional people and they should be given an opportunity to answer,” the judge said.
Pakistan cricket officials said on Thursday they might move two matches against South Africa from Peshawar and Rawalpindi, but denied any action would be linked to security concerns. ”There may be changes in two venues of one-day internationals in the home series against South Africa,” Pakistan Cricket Board director of operations Zakir Khan said.