Gauteng minister of education Angie Motshekga is once again in the spotlight for failing to disclose all her business interests to the legislature, as required by law. One of her undisclosed interests, Kara Heritage Institute, has provided services to another department in the Gauteng administration, and to an agency of national government, raising questions of a general conflict of interest.
Jacob Zuma’s backers are planning a range of activities aimed at drumming up support for the embattled African National Congress deputy president ahead of his corruption trial in the Pietermaritzburg High Court, starting on July 31. Some of the activities aim to head off a possible postponement of the trial, which the state’s requested.
Pietermaritzburg High Court Judge Herbert Qedusizi Msimang is seen as a leading contender to preside over the corruption trial of African National Congress deputy president Jacob Zuma. Senior legal figures in KwaZulu-Natal said Judge Msimang, a law graduate from Louisiana’s Tulane University who began practising in Pietermaritzburg in the early 1980s, became the obvious choice for KwaZulu-Natal Judge President Vuka Tshabalala.
The United States this week said it would welcome efforts by former Tanzanian president Benjamin Mkapa to mediate in Zimbabwe’s crisis only if he was able to convince President Robert Mugabe to accept responsibility for his country’s crisis. Mkapa would also have to persuade Mugabe to accept sweeping political and economic reforms.
Thousands of delegates from around the world gather in Toronto, Canada, next month for the Sixteenth International Aids Conference. "We have the knowledge to defeat HIV now, we know what is effective, and that is recognising that the epidemic is caused by human rights abuses, which fuel the epidemic," said Joseph Amon, director of the HIV/Aids programme at Human Rights Watch.
Workers’ growing awareness of massive executive salaries may make future negotiations much more interesting, labour analysts warned after trade union Solidarity released its report on wage discrepancies between bosses and workers recently. The report found the average CEO earned between 35 and 53 times more than the average worker.
Director General of Health Thami Mseleku has instructed the Medicines Control Council (MCC) to take its hands off controversial vitamin salesman Matthias Rath.
MCC chairperson Peter Eagles revealed this week that Mseleku had instructed the MCC to refer all Rath-related issues to his office and not to discuss or investigate them further.
The South African government has condemned Israel’s disproportionate response, but has said it will not suspend diplomatic ties with that country. This week the <i>Mail & Guardian</i> sought perspectives on the Middle East from Iqbal Jassat, chairperson of the Media Review Network, and David Saks, acting national chairperson of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies.
Nadine Botha braves an African sweat lodge — semi-naked and with a bunch of strangers.
Nadine Botha goes to Mike van Graan’s derisive new play about contrasting youths.