Transnet management gave notice that it would press ahead with its decision to dispose of non-core business units and announced its appointment of Standard Bank as its transaction adviser. It also announced that Metrorail would be transferred into the South African Rail Commuter Corporation under the Department of Transport by way of sale agreement.
Jacob Zuma’s core supporters still believe that, with his accuser’s crediÂbility in doubt, he will go on to clear himself of rape charges and re-establish his chances of becoming the next African National Congress president. And they stress that Zuma’s deepening woes do not necessarily strengthen President Thabo Mbeki’s position, because grassroots ANC members hold Mbeki responsible for engineering them.
Having experienced a disastrous harvest last year — the worst in a decade, according to the United Nations World Food Programme — Malawi now appears set to improve its food situation.Agriculture officials were earlier this week reported as saying that a maize harvest of 2,4-million tonnes was expected shortly, thanks in part to good rains that had ended months of drought.
Volkswagen (VW), Europe’s biggest carmaker, gave a warning recently to its 100Â 000 German employees that they would have to accept thousands of job losses and several plant closures if the group was to survive. Linking his own future to that of the company, the chief executive Bernd Pischetsrieder and his fellow directors bluntly told staff that VW was doomed.
George Bush’s explanation of his volte-face over a proposed Iran-India gas pipeline project appeared slightly disingenuous. ”Our beef with Iran is not the pipeline,” the United States president said recently after withdrawing previous objections and giving the go-ahead to Washington’s new friends in Delhi.
”Does Thabo Mbeki want to be president for a third time? Does he?” shouted a furious Esther Lunga, a member of the crowd that gathered outside the Johannesburg High Court on Monday in solidarity with Jacob Zuma as his rape trial began. ”Well tell him we are sick of him, tell him that! Tell him we still believe JZ will be president!”
In the arid fields of southern Afghanistan, farmers in rags tend to green shoots pushing up through the brown earth: the precious crop is opium, illegal and considered against Islam. But, the men explain, they have no choice. ”Without opium, we wouldn’t be able to feed our families,” says one.
Swaziland’s oldest opposition group, the Ngwane National Liberatory Congress, will register as a political party to test the kingdom’s controversial new Constitution. The new basic law, endorsed by King Mswati III earlier this year, makes provision for freedom of assembly, but remains mum on whether it is legal for political parties to contest seats in Parliament.
The Pan-Africanist Congress has scuppered an opposition pact to control Cape Town involving seven smaller opposition parties and the Democratic Alliance — out of frustration over haggling for positions. On Thursday the DA was ready to table the opposition party deal at its top executive structure and prepare to trade its mayoral candidate Helen Zille for control of the city it lost in the October 2002 defection period.
Despite about 800 service delivery protests held across the country and an election boycott in Khutsong, the African National Congress has emerged from the municipal elections having consolidated its already firm hold on local government, with no stay-aways to speak of (other than Khutsong).