Honourable representatives, esteemed ambassadors, ladies and gentlemen of the press, and our young visitors from Mammy Jubilation’s Old Timey Kindergarten up yonder in the cheap seats; welcome to this session of the United Nations General Assembly, my first as Secretary General.
South African President Thabo Mbeki has paid tribute to Ghana, which celebrates 50 years of independence (from Britain) on March 6. In his internet column, ANC Today, Mbeki noted that 50 years ago, as Ghana prepared to accede to independence, the all-white Parliament in South Africa was engaged in an intense and protracted debate of the Flags Amendment Bill.
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South Africa have a reputation in World Cups of being unable to finish things off. In 1999, a last-ball run out against Australia left the Proteas with a tie when they needed a win to advance to the final. In 2003, hosts South Africa didn’t read the Duckworth-Lewis figures properly, tied the game against Sri Lanka and failed to progress to the second round.
A group of men armed with rifles and pistols robbed a Coin security van collecting money at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) head offices in Auckland Park on Friday, Johannesburg police said. Police spokesperson Captain Bheki Mavundla said a white Ford Bantam bakkie was seen pulling up behind the security van at 11.15am inside the public broadcaster’s complex.
Fidentia’s collapse had further repercussions in the Cape High Court on Friday when two closely linked companies were also placed under curatorship. The court granted a provisional order placing Ovation Global Investment Services and Ovation Global Investment Nominees under curatorship.
Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota has challenged the South African business sector to partner the government in improving the performance of other African economies through meaningful investment. He said South African business needed to be more active in issues of African development.
Mozambican marines rescued more than 1Â 700 people, including 900 children, from flooding in central Mozambique on Friday. The marines used eight boats to mount the rescue operation in the central town of Buzi in the province of Sofala, where at least 28Â 000 people have been affected by the floods.
A three-day pan-African conference adopted the Ekurhuleni Declaration on Fighting Corruption at a venue near OR Tambo International Airport, east of Johannesburg, on Friday. The declaration will contribute to Africa’s input to the Global Forum V, scheduled to be held in Sandton next month.
Jane Taylor’s acceptance speech for the Olive Schreiner Prize for Prose asserts the moral function of detective fiction.
The Out in Africa South African Gay and Lesbian Film Festival’s survival, and even flourishing, for so long is in itself a massive achievement, writes Shaun de Waal.