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/ 9 September 2005

Media gagged again

For the second time in recent months, a high court judge has issued a broad gagging order on the media preventing them from reporting information already in their possession. Johannesburg High Court Judge Francois Malan ordered environmental group Earthlife Africa not to disseminate documents about potential business risks involved in producing pebble-bed modular reactors.

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/ 9 September 2005

Rugby MD refuses to take leave

South African Rugby managing director Johan Prinsloo has defied an order by SA Rugby Union vice-president Mike Stofile to go on leave following accusations of sexual harassment against him. ”Mike does not have the power to do that,” Prinsloo said on Thursday. ”I think he may have been advised incorrectly.”

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/ 9 September 2005

Iraq rebuilding under threat as US runs out of money

Key rebuilding projects in Iraq are grinding to a halt because United States money is running out and security has diverted funds intended for electricity, water and sanitation, according to US officials. Plans to overhaul the country’s infrastructure have been downsized, postponed or abandoned because the -billion budget approved by Congress has been dwarfed by the scale of the task.

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/ 9 September 2005

SABC spokesperson resigns

South African Broadcasting Corporation spokesperson Paul Setsetse resigned on Thursday, citing a ”personal reason” for his decision to leave the corporation, the broadcaster said. Setsetse was suspended a few weeks ago after he issued a factually incorrect statement regarding why the broadcaster had not aired the heckling of Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka at a National Women’s Day rally in Newcastle.

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/ 9 September 2005

Bridging divides in Darling

Something of a blueprint for festivals for the performing arts in South Africa may well be in the bud and emerging, along with the annual spree of wild flowers up the West Coast. The community of Darling is hosting its second Voorkamer fest. If that word conjures up those dour, lifeless front rooms, with the sombre ticking of a grandfather clock, then you’re in for a surprise.

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/ 9 September 2005

What if the alliance splits?

A top leadership team from the African National Congress, South African Communist Party and Congress of South African Trade Unions has been assembled to try to ensure that Saturday’s crucial national executive committee meeting is a "talk-out" rather than a "shoot-out".

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/ 9 September 2005

Conspiracy or lobbying?

When does political lobbying against an opponent become a political conspiracy? Put differently, if we accept that President Thabo Mbeki is opposed to Jacob Zuma succeeding him, is there evidence to suggest that he has improperly intervened to make sure Zuma is not the next president?

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/ 9 September 2005

Ministry of over-investment

Minister of Minerals and Energy Lindiwe Hendricks threw up her hands at escalating fuel prices, saying there was nothing the government could do. But administered prices, those set by regulation, make up a large part of the fuel price and the evidence is that the government has been doing a poor job in keeping price increases in line with inflation.