Swashbuckling miner and financier Brett Kebble has lost control of his empire, and the future looks bleak for the network of empowerment companies he has cobbled together. A Western Areas spokesperson confirmed on Wednesday that Kebble was forced by his shareholders and bankers to relinquish control of JCI, the citadel at the heart of his family’s beseiged empire, stepping down as CEO.
The government, having identified import parity pricing as a prime economic evil, is turning a blind eye to this practice in the fuel industry, which is making spectacular profits on rampant oil prices.President Thabo Mbeki has been leading the charge against import parity pricing.
The legal noose being used to lasso Jacob Zuma appears to be tightening as the Scorpions’ investigation widens to include Zuma benefactors other than Schabir Shaik — centrally influential businessman Jürgen Kögl, Durban tycoon Vivian Reddy and prominent Mpumulanga businesswoman Nora Fakude-Nkuna.
Faced with D-Day on September 23 when the International Monetary Fund may expel Zimbabwe, the government put on a brave front, claiming that because South Africa and the IMF had approached it to take a loan, Harare would not accede to political conditions attached to the bail-out.
A prominent group of Iraqi women who backed the United States-British invasion recently met the American ambassador in an effort to pressure the politicians drawing up Iraq’s constitution not to limit women’s rights. Western feminist groups and some Iraqi women activists fear that Islamic law, if enshrined as a main source of legislation, will be used to restrict their rights.
If Independent Democrats deputy leader Themba Sono reverts to the Democratic Alliance, as suspected, the latest colour-change by this political chameleon should surprise no one. Sono is currently away in Australia on Gauteng legislature business and is expected back on Wednesday.
It turns out that Jews do expel Jews after all, and without the descent into anarchy predicted by leaders of Israel’s once indulged settlers. Following dire warnings that the forced removal of 8 000 settlers from the Gaza Strip and northern West Bank would provoke civil war, opponents of the pullout have been left reeling by its speed and relative ease.
”Be careful what you wish for; you might get it.” The old adage has never seemed more apt in the light of the ironies thrown up by the Jacob Zuma saga. It is trite to observe that Zuma, who once asked for nothing more than his day in court, is now looking less happy about the state’s legitimate attempt to make his day a tough one by building the strongest case possible.
Ten people burnt to death on Friday in Abuja, Nigeria, when the bus in which they were travelling was hit by drunken motorist, causing the vehicle to catch fire. The 10 had just finished work at a hotel and were travelling to a settlement on the outskirt of Abuja in a staff bus when a car rammed into the bus.
Smaller parties are set to take the major battering when the two-week defection window opens next Wednesday for members of the National Assembly and provincial legislatures. The parties most like to suffer defections are the United Democratic Movement, the Inkatha Freedom Party and the Independent Democrats.