A prosecutor on Wednesday expressed concern in the Cape Town Regional Court over the tendency of gangsters involved in territory warfare to lay criminal charges against their rivals, but then fail to attend proceedings as crucial witnesses. Prosecutor Harold Engelbrecht was speaking during the trial of an alleged gangster.
The decision on whether to toll Gauteng’s main highways will be announced later this year, the Department of Transport said on Wednesday. Beeld newspaper reported that motorists would be charged 50c per kilometre to use the main highways in Gauteng if it was decided to toll the roads.
A man appeared in the Pretoria Commercial Crimes Court on Wednesday accused of certifying defective condoms in exchange for cash, said Gauteng police. Sphiwe Fikizolo faces charges of fraud and corruption. Police spokesperson Captain Percy Morokane said Fikizolo’s case was postponed to August 23 and he was released on R2 000 bail.
What remains of Pretoria is a ”cadastral area” registered in the deeds registry as a township, the City of Tshwane metropolitan council said on Wednesday in answer to a notice of motion of an urgent application for a ciourt interdict against the pending change of Pretoria’s name on road signs to Tshwane.
If it were up to Minister of Arts and Culture Pallo Jordan, the potential of South Africa’s music industry would be felt all over the world. His strong belief in the cultural sector was shared with those present at the opening of the Moshito Music Conference and Exhibition 2007 at MuseuMAfricA in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
Solidarity has declared a dispute with Telkom about the company’s interpretation of a 2006 wage agreement, the trade union said on Wednesday. ”Telkom’s interpretation of the wage agreement concluded with Solidarity in 2006 deprives workers of part of their remuneration,” Solidarity said.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) on Wednesday officially wrote to President Thabo Mbeki asking him to fire Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang. It cited Tshabalala-Msimang’s obsession with good nutrition as a substitute for proper HIV/Aids treatment as one of the reasons she should be fired.
A former Iraqi lawmaker gave chilling testimony of torture and beatings at the trial on Wednesday of 15 aides of executed dictator Saddam Hussein, including the notorious ”Chemical Ali”, who are accused of crimes against humanity. ”I heard screams of pain as prisoners were beaten and tortured,” the witness said.
Efforts by media lawyers to obtain access to documents relating to former National Intelligence Agency boss Billy Masetlha amounted to a ”fishing expedition”, a Constitutional Court judge said on Wednesday. ”With respect, does this not come close to a fishing expedition?” Judge Dikgang Moseneke asked.
India’s National Congress Party leader Sonia Gandhi met former South African president Nelson Mandela at the Nelson Mandela Foundation on Wednesday. Gandhi said she was honoured to be meeting Mandela. ”It is a privilege — a visit to South Africa wouldn’t be complete without calling on Madiba,” she said.