There is no leadership tussle within the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), the federation’s president told reporters on Wednesday. ”We work very closely with each other, and I can assure you that there is no war in the federation,” said Willie Madisha.
Three Lebanese soldiers were killed on Wednesday while clearing unexploded Israeli shells in southern Lebanon, underscoring the dangers of a region awaiting the deployment of thousands of United Nations peacekeepers. The three men were the first Lebanese troops to die since the army began moving south last Thursday.
While Jenson Button lines up as a race winner for the first time in Turkey this weekend, the main spotlight is back on Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher. The Formula One title battle has reached a decisive phase, with five races remaining and the only two men on the starting grid who know what it feels like to be a world champion separated by just 10 points.
The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) is remaining tight-lipped hours ahead of a planned international day of action on Thursday. ”It is a secret,” said Rukia Cornelius, the TAC’s national manager, on Wednesday. The day will see protests at South African embassies and government institutions in South Africa, the United States and Europe.
Sephiwe Shabange (22) sat patiently with four other men in a busy clinic in Mbabane, Swaziland.
Unlisted mobile services provider Cell C on Wednesday reported a 23% rise in net profits to R199,3-million for the six months ended June. Jeffrey Hedberg, new Cell C CEO, commented: "While certain key performance indicators reflect that we are moving in the right direction, I am not pleased with our performance over the first six months of 2006."
Rolling mass action by South African Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu) and other affiliates of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) has been scheduled for Friday September 1 as a show of solidarity with the cleaning sector, "whose conditions of work are characterised by low wages and poor working conditions", Satawu said on Wednesday.
The country’s biggest short-term insurer, Santam, on Wednesday reported a 16% decline in headline earnings to R583-million for the six months to the end of June. This equates to headline earnings per share of 498 cents against 599 cents for the previous comparable half-year.
Media group Caxton and CTP Publishers on Wednesday reported a 13,5% increase in headline earnings per share from 69 cents to 109 cents for the year to the end of June. Turnover for the 12 months grew by 8,2% from R3,2-billion to R3,5-billion. The group declared a dividend of 45 cents per share.
Centre Jean de Villiers is in the South African team to play New Zealand in Pretoria on Saturday but the Springboks were hit with another serious injury blow on Wednesday. Loose forward Juan Smith injured a left thigh muscle in practice on Wednesday and was ruled out of Saturday’s Test.