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The song Awulethu Umshini Wam (Bring Me My Machine [Gun]) echoed through Pritchard Street on Monday morning as policemen unpacked riot shields ahead of Jacob Zuma’s Johannesburg High Court rape judgement. Supporters held aloft handmade model rifles and sang the controversial song in the cold morning air.
Real Madrid’s Zinedine Zidane scored on his final appearence at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium but visitors Villarreal soured his goodbye party by holding the Spanish giants to 3-3 draw on Sunday. It was a bittersweet finale for the French legend and three-time World Player of the Year, who did not have one of the better games of his career despite his crucial goal which brought Real level to 2-2 just after the hour.
Minister of Public Works Stella Sigcau has died at Durban’s St Augustine hospital, ministerial spokesperson Lucky Mochalibane said on Monday. He said Sigcau (69), who was appointed minister of public enterprises in the first post-apartheid government in 1994, died of a recurring heart problem on Sunday.
South African captain Graeme Smith was delighted with his team’s four-wicket victory over New Zealand in the third Castle Lager Test at the Wanderers on Sunday, but cautioned that South Africa still had work to do. South Africa wrapped up the win an hour after tea on the third day, with Shaun Pollock hitting the winning runs.
Listed South African media group Naspers has acquired 30% of the leading Brazil media company Abril SA for a cash consideration of $422-million. This transaction gives Naspers a stake in the growing Brazilian media market through a leading enterprise, the company said on Monday.
Toyota’s new Rav 4 doesn’t quite slot into the cross-over market that recently released soft-roaders are targeting, but it is nonetheless a capable city vehicle and a comfortable bundu-basher. The current range of crossover SUVs were undoubtedly inspired by the Rav 4, which was first launched in 1994.
"The all-new Mazda MX-5 is designed by those clever Japanese folk who make everything seem so simple. Given that Gauteng is permanently dogged by rain clouds, I wasn’t given much opportunity to drive with the top down, but when I could, taking the roof down and putting it back up was simple," writes Sukasha Singh.
Competition has become fierce in the entry-level sedan market, with Tata’s Indica and Indigo, Hyundai’s Atos, Kia’s Picanto and the Chevrolet Spark all taking huge chunks of market share away from their long-established opposition. Of these , the Corsa is by far the most modern package, and stands the best chance of survival.
Where three players have for years been used to taking 95% of half-ton bakkie sales, the rules have suddenly changed. The arrival of Fiat and Proton’s small pickups has caused a moderate stir, and Ford, General Motors and Nissan will in future all have to work harder for smaller slices of the growing sub-one-ton pie.
HIV/Aids organisations in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, have warned people to be on the lookout for individuals selling fake anti-retrovirals (ARVs). Doctors have been shown ARV capsules filled with maize meal, bought by unsuspecting members of the public at prices far lower than the market rate.