Billy Downer’s conduct in prosecuting Schabir Shaik was ”absolutely above reproach”, the Constitutional Court was told on Thursday. Counsel for the state, Wim Trengove SC, told the court it was ”madness” to suggest that a prosecutor steeped in a case be removed when it goes to trial.
The Brazilian and Mexican governments have tentatively approved the use of genetically modified corn seed, according to a report on the Science and Development Network website. However, environmental activists are already accusing Brazil’s technical commission on biosecurity of ignoring public safety concerns.
While the South African Football Association continued to fiddle over the hot-potato issue of Benni McCarthy, Bafana Bafana coach Carlos Alberto Parreira threw down the gauntlet and selected him for the African Nations Cup qualifier against Chad on June 2. ”My job is to select the strongest possible Bafana squad,” said the forthright former Brazil World Cup coach.
A ”facade” of unity in the tripartite alliance based solely upon the need to look united to the world is not sufficient, African National Congress secretary general Kgalema Motlanthe said on Thursday. ”No less than at any other point in our history, South Africa today needs the alliance to lead the struggle for a new and fundamentally better society,” he said.
Failure is not an option in South Africa’s hosting of the 2010 Soccer World Cup, Deputy Sports and Recreation Minister Gert Oosthuizen said on Thursday. ”It’s not just a South African dream whose success is non-negotiable … failure is not an option,” Oosthuizen told a conference in Johannesburg on the role of local government in the tournament.
SA Rugby and Absa have joined forces to stage the popular rugby fan park, Boktown, during the 2007 international rugby season. The concept promises to be a special place where Springbok fans will be able to demonstrate their support for the national team in a unique atmosphere.
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) expects about 20Â 000 public servants to take part in Friday’s march through central Cape Town, the first called by the federation in the city since last year’s security sector protest. That event was marred by looting, violence and damage to public and private property before it was broken up by police.
International travellers carrying liquids and gels in containers larger than 100ml as hand luggage will have their goods confiscated at check-in points, the Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) said on Thursday. Acsa was briefing the media on their new security measures, which are to be applied at three South African international airports from June 1.
Finance Minister Trevor Manuel does not want to be president of the World Bank, despite having his name bandied about as a possible contender, it was reported on Thursday. ”It has not even crossed my mind,” he said, but added that he was aware that his name had been thrown about as a possible successor.
An upsurge of violence in the conflict between Tamil Tiger rebels and Sri Lankan government forces has claimed up to 45 lives in the past 24 hours, although an exact toll has not been confirmed. The rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam claimed they killed at least 35 sailors and lost four of their own men in an attack on a naval facility.