The All Blacks come to South Africa as the Tri-Nations champions, with their last visit to Loftus Versfeld in 2003 seeing them annihilate the Springboks 52-16. Add to that the fact that the All Blacks are unbeaten so far this year. The Springboks, on the other hand, are struggling and trying to shake off their four-match losing run.
United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan said on Friday he could raise 15Â 000 troops for a UN peace force in Lebanon as European nations overcame their reluctance to send soldiers. Italy pledged up to 3Â 000 troops, France 2Â 000, Spain up to 1Â 200 troops and Poland a slightly smaller contingent.
Jailed African National Congress fraudster Tony Yengeni has been transferred to Malmesbury prison, the Cape Argus reported on Friday. The newspaper also said Yengeni was given a big lunch in a prison boardroom before leaving. Quoting an unnamed warder, it said Yengeni was driven to the modern jail, about 60km north of Cape Town.
Israeli President Moshe Katsav dismissed calls to step down over accusations of sexual harassment on Friday as he protested his innocence in his first public comments after two days of police questioning. In an interview with public radio, the head of state denied allegations that he harassed a female former employee and took bribes in exchange for pardoning criminals.
Cricket South Africa has turned down a request from the England and Wales Cricket Board for the Proteas to replace Pakistan should they withdraw from the one-day series against England following the controversy over the forfeited Test match at the Oval.
Big business and government have vowed to join forces in an intensive campaign to reduce unacceptably high crime levels in South Africa. It is necessary to ”intensify the fight against crime”, Minister of Trade and Industry Mandisi Mpahlwa told a media briefing on Friday, following a Big Business Working Group meeting with President Thabo Mbeki and members of his Cabinet.
The ongoing spat over South Africa’s response under Minister of Health Manto Tshabalala-Msimang to HIV and Aids undermines the common struggle against the epidemic, the African National Congress said on Friday. ”Whatever criticisms anyone may have … the current climate of heightened discord does not serve the interests of the … struggle against the epidemic,” the party said.
South Africans’ dental IQ is very low in comparison with the rest of the world and many people do not replace their toothbrushes as often as they should, according to the South African Dental Association. But what if it were possible to get the same oral hygiene provided by toothpaste and toothbrushes from cheap sticks, stems and roots?
South Africa is making good progress in improving the lives of all its citizens, President Thabo Mbeki said on Friday. ”[The Reserve Bank’s 2006 annual economic report] says that we are making steady progress towards the achievement of our objectives, based on the healthy economic fundamentals that we need to enable us to move forward,” he said in his weekly newsletter.
United States Senator Barack Obama, visiting his father’s homeland, praised Kenya’s democratic achievements during a meeting on Friday with President Mwai Kibaki. Obama’s visit — his first since becoming a US senator last year — has dominated the front pages of newspapers and television stations.