A Congress of Democratic Taxi Associations (Codeta) driver has been shot dead in Khayelitsha in the sixth taxi-related killing in less than a month. The murder of a 24-year-old Codeta-affiliated driver, who may not be named as his next of kin have not been informed, follows the murders of five Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association drivers in the past three weeks.
The owners of the Assmang manganese processing plant at Cato Ridge, where at least 50 workers are suspected to be suffering from manganese poisoning, were warned as early as 1995 about the dangers of high levels of dust at the plant. In 1999 the owners were advised to use international measurements of acceptable dust levels because the local legislation was outdated.
Pakistani forces stormed a mosque compound in the capital on Tuesday, killing at least 40 militants who were believed to be holed up with hundreds of women and children. With more than two-thirds of the complex cleared, commandos had yet to encounter any of the women and children.
A meeting to resolve a dispute about moving ambulance services and clinics in Gauteng from municipal to provincial administration ”achieved nothing” on Monday, a trade union said. The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu), which opposes the move, met provincial health minister Brian Hlongwa in Johannesburg.
Nigerian troops repelled an attack on a construction site run by Korean firm Daewoo in the Niger Delta in the early hours of Tuesday, killing some of the attackers. The attack took place at Mbiama, on the outskirts of the delta’s main city of Port Harcourt, where Daewoo are doing contract work for Italian oil firm Agip.
South African companies affected by a clampdown on business on Zimbabwe have not made complaints to Pretoria’s mission in Harare, the Foreign Affairs Department said on Monday. ”If indeed they are faced with this critical situation, they need to get in touch with the embassy in Harare and inform them of their plight,” said spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa.
The White House is reviewing its Iraq strategy earlier than planned because of a revolt by Republicans who have run out of patience and want United States troops brought home. US President George Bush had been hoping he had until at least September before debate began on whether his surge strategy was working.
Western Cape police are investigating charges of rape and abduction after a five-year-old girl, who had been reported missing in the Karoo, was found alive, South African Broadcasting Corporation news reported on Tuesday. Police spokesperson Captain Malcolm Potje said that he was relieved that the girl had been found.
I will be resigning from the public service at the end of June 2007. Please advise me on what I should do with my pension. Should I open a retirement annuity, according to this week’s article? The article also spoke of the split, which is transferring half of the money into the annuity and cashing the rest, writes reader Phuti.
As a result of interest rate hikes in the past year, a homeowner with a bond of R500 000 is paying an extra R1 000 a month to his or her bank. Where does that extra mortgage payment go each month? Who benefits from the billions of extra rands that are paid by homeowners? The short answer is: the savers.