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/ 23 February 2006

DA says it will ‘turn on the lights’

The Democratic Alliance will ”turn on the lights” and pressurise Eskom and the government to get their act together regarding the current spate of electricity outages, party leader Tony Leon promised on Thursday. He said in this election the old slogan ”Power to the people” has taken on new meaning.

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/ 23 February 2006

Khutsong: Life amid violent protests

When a primary-school teacher in the troubled Khutsong township asked her grade-one students what the word ”demarcation” means, one pupil answered: ”They want to move us somewhere poor.” The children think it’s ”just a game” to provoke the police by throwing stones and burning tyres in the streets, says the teacher.

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/ 23 February 2006

India bird-flu town sealed off

Health officials sealed off an Indian town hit by bird flu for a week-long ”quarantine” on Thursday as immediate fears began easing that the deadly virus may have spread to humans. Checkpoints were set up on all roads in and out of the town of Navapur and trains passed through its station without stopping.

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/ 23 February 2006

Small town, big pylons: Tulbagh vs Eskom

The historic town of Tulbagh is anxiously waiting to see if Eskom goes ahead with a proposed power line to supplement the electricity needs of the Western Cape. ”We are watching developments [in Cape Town] with concern,” said John Veschini, property developer and secretary to the Tulbagh Action Committee, on Thursday.

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/ 23 February 2006

Pretoria court postpones ANC hoax e-mail case

The Pretoria Magistrate’s Court has postponed the case against an IT consultant accused of withholding information about hoax e-mails mentioning senior African National Congress officials. The state and defence had agreed to postpone the case for both parties ”to discuss the status of the case”, chief prosecutor Matric Luphondo said.

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/ 23 February 2006

Thaba Nchu residents need schools and houses

Better houses, toilets, helping grandparents with school fees and voting for the African National Congress were the topics Thaba Nchu residents discussed with President Thabo Mbeki on Thursday. The president was visiting the town as part of the ANC’s door-to-door campaign for the local government elections.