A post template

No image available
/ 21 September 2005

To drive or not to drive?

On October 20, Gauteng motorists will have to ask themselves: Do I leave my car behind for one day? Car-Free Day, an initiative from the Gauteng department of transport, challenges motorists to take responsibility for their driving habits. ”We encourage people to … travel with public transport,” a departmental spokesperson said.

No image available
/ 21 September 2005

‘War against crime far from won’

There is no reason for the government to feel complacent about crime, as it is clear the war against crime is far from won, the Democratic Alliance said on Tuesday. The annual crime statistics — for the 2004/05 financial year — were released in Pretoria on Tuesday. The statistics reveal an average drop of 5% to 6% in most categories of crime, but also show increases in others.

No image available
/ 21 September 2005

Airline, union meet to avert strike

Nationwide Airline officials were meeting leaders of the trade union Solidarity on Wednesday to avert a potentially costly strike, the company and union said. ”We believe that there will be a settlement,” said Peter Griffiths, the airline’s financial director, speaking before the 3pm meeting.

No image available
/ 21 September 2005

Rita turns into monster hurricane

Powerful Hurricane Rita was upgraded to a category-four storm early on Wednesday as it roared into the oil-rich Gulf of Mexico, packing winds of 217kph, the Miami-based National Hurricane Centre said. The centre added that ”some additional strengthening is possible during the next 24 hours”.

No image available
/ 21 September 2005

Sixty-five arrested in demarcation protest

Roads leading in and out of Mpumalanga’s Moutse area were reopened on Wednesday following a protest over demarcations, police said. Earlier, residents of Moutse threatened to set the local magistrate’s court alight if people arrested on charges of public violence on Tuesday were not released from custody.

No image available
/ 21 September 2005

EU still battling to end Turkey stand-off

European Union diplomats hammered out a new accord on Turkey on Wednesday, overcoming last-minute objections from Cyprus, but the bloc is still battling to clear the way for membership talks with Ankara next month. While progress was made, clear strains remained over whether the vast Muslim state can ever join the bloc, with Austria notably demanding that Turkey be offered an alternative to EU entry.

No image available
/ 21 September 2005

Nigerian rebels threaten oil wells

Nigerian separatist militants warned foreign workers to flee the Niger Delta on Wednesday as they threatened to retaliate for the arrest of their leader by attacking oil wells and pipelines. The leader of the banned Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force, Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo Asari, was ”invited for questioning” in Abuja on Tuesday.

No image available
/ 21 September 2005

Swedes curious about partners’ SMSs

Two-thirds of Swedes secretly read their partner’s cellphone SMSs, in particular when he or she nips off to the loo, a study published on Wednesday showed. Sixty-four percent of those questioned by mobile portal Halebop for Swedish operator TeliaSonera said they read their partners’ SMSs purely out of curiosity.