Injuries have continued to hamper the Springbok team ahead of their one-off Test against France on Saturday in Cape Town. Springbok coach Jake White named a team for the first time without both his enforcers in Schalk Burger and Bakkies Botha, who have been ruled out due to injury.
Low-fare airline kulula.com on Wednesday announced its first foray into the financial-services sector with the launch of a kulula.com-branded Visa credit card centred on an innovative rewards programme. The card, issued under licence of FirstRand Bank Limited, and managed by First National Bank, will offer cash back for every rand spent, which will be used for flights on kulula.com.
Gold Fields confirmed on Wednesday that one mineworker was killed in a surface blasting accident at its Beatrix Mine in the Free State shortly before 9am on Wednesday morning. Three other workers were injured and taken to the St Helena hospital in Welkom, the group said.
South African President Thabo Mbeki should take China ”to task” over its weak human rights record at home and abroad, said opposition Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille. She said on Wednesday that while Chinese investment in Africa has taken place, there are costs to the relationship.
One of Saddam Hussein’s defence lawyers was shot dead early on Wednesday morning after he was abducted from his home by men dressed as police officers, security officials said. Khamis al-Obeidi’s body was found this morning dumped in the street in the Shia Muslim district of Sadr City in eastern Baghdad.
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Sven-Goran Eriksson’s worst fears have been realised after the cruel injury to Michael Owen that has seriously depleted England’s already threadbare attacking options. Owen is expected to be ruled out of the World Cup later on Wednesday after twisting a knee in the first minute of England’s 2-2 draw with Sweden at the Rhein Energie Stadion.
German Michael Schumacher has targeted victory in this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix as he attempts to close in on the lead of the drivers’ world championship. Schumacher (37), who drives for Ferrari, has 51 points — 23 fewer than defending world champion Fernando Alonso of Spain — and knows that he must start a dramatic turnaround in Montreal.
South Africa-born French prop Pieter de Villiers was on Wednesday announced to start in the one-off Test match against the Springboks at Newlands on Saturday. De Villiers, whose brother passed away recently, has been spending some time with his parents in South Africa after his team’s arrival.
Transport workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo have ended a three-week strike which crippled the country’s largest port, saying their main grievance has been addressed. Strikers had sought the sacking of the National Transport Office’s management committee, which they accuse of ”financial embezzlement”.
The European Union will deploy vessels and aircraft to intercept boats carrying undocumented immigrants before they leave West African waters. Representatives of the European frontier agency Frontex, 14 countries, the European Commission and Europol met on Tuesday in Madrid to discuss plans to help Spain stem the influx of illegals arriving in the Canary Islands.