A fourth suspect in the murder of Anglo-Zulu war historian David Rattray appeared in the Dundee Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday and was refused bail. Magistrate Vincent Hlatshwayo found that although the state’s case was not overwhelming, the fact that the suspect was arrested while hiding suggested that he knew he was being sought by the police.
United Nations health agencies on Wednesday gave the stamp of approval for including male circumcision in the panoply of arms to fight the spread of Aids, stressing though that its success also depended on safe-sex awareness, sensitivity and resources.
Twenty undergraduate students who received the Mandela Rhodes Scholarship last year were congratulated by former president Nelson Mandela in Houghton, Johannesburg, on Wednesday.
China announced on Wednesday it will launch a joint mission with Russia to Mars in 2009, marking ”an important milestone” in space cooperation between the two countries. A small Chinese satellite will take off on a Russian rocket, according to the agreement signed on Monday between the China National Space Administration and the Russian Federal Space Agency.
Business and commentators are condemning the government’s plan to suspend licensing for subscription TV till year end. But there’s belated logic in the controversial move. Yes, the decision does delay competition to MultiChoice and M-Net. It also postpones anticipated profits amongst those — like the South African Broadcasting Corporation and Telkom — who hoped to get a pay-TV licence.
A row is brewing over the use of the ”old” city names of Pretoria and Port Elizabeth by the 2010 World Cup organisers, the Herald Online reported on Wednesday. It said the metro bosses of Tshwane and Nelson Mandela Bay were strongly opposed to this approach.
The criminal justice system must revolve around the victims of crime, said National Director of Public Prosecutions Vusi Pikoli said on Wednesday. ”We want to change our criminal justice system. ”We want to ensure justice for the victims of crime by prosecuting without fear, favour or prejudice and by working with our partners and the public to solve and prevent crime,” Pikoli said.
More than 70 people were burned to death in northern Nigeria when a tanker lorry caught fire as they were scooping fuel from it, police said on Wednesday. The accident happened in Kaduna State on Monday evening, the police spokesperson for Kaduna, Saad Yahaya, said. ”More than 70 people have been confirmed dead,” he said.
South African rookie Cameron van der Burgh’s only thought going into the 50m breaststroke final of the World Swimming Championships on Wednesday was not to finish last. Instead he won a bronze medal. No one was more surprised than the 18-year-old. ”I can’t describe it. I never even thought about it. It’s my first world championships,” said the United States-based nutrition student.
Michael Phelps, Laure Manaudou and Leila Vaziri obliterated world records in Melbourne on Wednesday on another sensational night at the World Swimming Championships, but Grant Hackett’s reign as king of the 800m freestyle ended. Phelps (21) carved a huge 1,71 seconds off his own 200m butterfly world record to set a new mark of one minute 52,09 seconds.