The stranded Safmarine Agulhas moved a few metres in a salvage attempt at high tide on Thursday afternoon, said the National Ports Authority (NPA). Two tugs attached to the bow and stern of the 16 800-tonne container ship would keep a steady line overnight.
Some HIV/Aids and tuberculosis (TB) patients in the Eastern Cape are refusing treatment because they fear losing their disability grants, the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) in the province said on Thursday. TAC coordinator Philip Mokoena said the number of people refusing treatment is growing.
The pension-funds adjudicator wants answers on how certain provisions in the Income-Tax Act affect approved retirement annuity-fund rules. He has given the Competition Commission and the South African Revenue Service until July 26 to respond to his questions in writing.
Western Cape education minister Cameron Dugmore has suspended a Delft school principal after his arrest on charges of indecent assault and possession of child pornography, media reports said on Thursday. Three parents laid indecent assault charges against the 57-year-old man who appeared in court on Wednesday.
The illegal automatic firearms wielded by criminals in Sunday’s Jeppestown, Johannesburg, shootout have thrown a frightening spotlight on the hundreds of thousands of illegal weapons in circulation in South Africa. Although the South African Police Service has recovered more illegal firearms than those lost or stolen in the past six years, researchers believe 95% of the country’s illegal weapons remain at large.
The Directorate of Special Operations — the ”Scorpions” — will remain within the National Prosecuting Authority, which will continue to report to the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development. But political oversight of what the Scorpions’ ”law enforcement responsibilities” will include, moves to the Minister of Safety and Security.
Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Johnny de Lange is hard-working, thorough, clever and dedicated — but has a large ego and a short temper. So say those who have worked with him. De Lange’s early life appears to have been fairly standard for a small-town Afrikaner male.
South African petrochemicals group Sasol on Thursday announced that the R1,45-billion Tshwarisano black economic empowerment (BEE) transaction has been successfully concluded. In terms of the agreement, Tshwarisano acquired a 25% shareholding in Sasol’s South African liquid-fuels business housed in Sasol Oil.
The South African rand was sharply firmer against the dollar in early trade on Friday after a slide in the dollar following the United States federal open market committee’s (FOMC) decision to increase interest rates on Thursday night. At 8.26am, the rand was bid at R7,1153 per dollar.
A belligerent President Robert Mugabe is placing conditions for the lifting of international sanctions first, before any dialogue or planned visit by United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan. Mugabe is expected to meet Annan on the sidelines of the African Union summit in Gambia this week.