Listed South African retailer Spar Group has reported a 16,8% increase in headline earnings per share to 121,7 cents for the six months ended March from a restated 104,2 cents at the interim stage last year. Revenue rose by 22,6% to R8,2-billion from a restated R6,7-billion.
Another tournament, another disappointment? Spain makes its eighth straight appearance in the World Cup with hopes of success understandably low. A soccer giant at club level, the national team has lifted only one major trophy — the 1964 European Championship.
Springboks players likely to be involved in the World Cup will be exempt from playing Currie Cup rugby for the next two years. This was confirmed on Tuesday by Andy Marinos, the South African Rugby manager of national teams at a media briefing in Johannesburg.
Officials at the International Cricket Council (ICC) called for a ”responsible” reaction to the launch of their new six-year Future Tours Programme unveiled on Tuesday on its website. ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed added: ”The drafting of the new FTP was an incredibly complex process involving two years of analysis and 10 drafts.
Ruud van Nistelrooy did not walk out on Manchester United last weekend but was booted out by Alex Ferguson, it was reported on Tuesday. Tuesday’s Manchester Evening News said that the training ground rows last week between manager Ferguson and Van Nistelrooy were so serious that the United boss ordered the striker to go home.
The Western Cape may experience rolling blackouts from next month when electricity consumption peaks with the onset of winter, the Cape Times reported on Wednesday. Its website said Eskom warned consumers on Tuesday that the province was at present avoiding load-shedding blackouts ”by the skin of its teeth”.
Captain Brian Lara says the West Indies will continue to experiment against underwhelming Zimbabwe in the seven-match limited overs cricket series, including game five on Wednesday. ”I think it is a situation of everybody getting a game,” said Lara, whose side has a comfortable 3-0 lead. ”We still want to make sure we have the right players and we have everybody peaking at the right time.”
The delay in the government’s Oilgate probe is adversely affecting the business of African National Congress-backed Imvume Management, the company said on Tuesday.
The constitutionality of military regulations guiding labour aspects were the main focus of an appeal hearing in Bloemfontein on Tuesday. The Supreme Court of Appeal was hearing argument in three cases between the SA National Defence Union, (Sandu) and the SA National Defence Force about the labour rights of soldiers.
The United States softened its hardline position on providing aid to the Hamas-controlled Palestinian Authority on Tuesday night in the face of a catastrophe which threatens to leave thousands of people in Gaza and the West Bank short of cash, food, medicines and petrol.