The total number of liquidations increased by 1,1% year-on-year (y/y) to 265 in May 2005 after rising by 14,3% y/y to 279 in April 2005, Statistics South Africa said on Thursday. The comparisons are distorted to a certain extent by the fact that Easter this year took place in March compared with April last year.
South Africa’s April 2005 leading economic indicator, which is compiled by the South African Reserve Bank (SARB), rose by 1,8% month-on-month (m/m) after a 1% m/m increase in March, but was still below the December 2004 level. Economists generally see four or more consecutive monthly declines as a warning signal of weaker growth ahead.
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Members of the Congress of SA Trade Unions will be asked to help pay for former deputy president Jacob Zuma’s legal costs, Cosatu said on Wednesday. Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said at a press conference in Johannesburg that members would not be forced to contribute to funds for this purpose.
The All Blacks say they have adopted a ”we’re second, they’re first” mentality to avoid over-confidence going into the second rugby Test against the British and Irish Lions here on Saturday. After demolishing the Lions 21-3 in the first Test, the All Blacks have every reason to feel confident of wrapping up the three-Test series in the second match.
An extraordinary United States mission to whack a passing comet may indirectly provide a windfall for guardians monitoring any space rocks that could hit Earth. The Nasa probe Deep Impact is to eject a 372kg projectile that on Monday is scheduled to smack into Comet Tempel 1 as the heavenly wanderer flies past Earth at a great distance.
Leading Democrats on Wednesday reacted angrily to President George Bush’s address to the nation, accusing him of ”exploiting the sacred ground” of September 11 by attempting to link the Iraq war with the terrorist attacks. In his prime-time speech at Fort Bragg military base, the president mentioned September 11 five times in 30 minutes.
Pop stars and poverty in Africa will share centre stage on Saturday at the Live 8 mega-concerts, but doubts remain over whether the biggest music show on earth will be enough to spur world leaders into action. ”It is the biggest and best concert the world has ever seen,” said Oliver Buston, European director of Data (Debt, Aids, Trade, Africa).
That’s quite a cast Wimbledon came up with for the men’s semifinals: top-ranked Roger Federer, number two Lleyton Hewitt, number three Andy Roddick and … Thomas Johansson? The oldest player still in the tournament, Johansson is also the most obscure.
Israeli troops ejected dozens of Jewish protesters from a building in Gaza on Wednesday, as anger at the planned withdrawal from the territory intensified. About 30 protesters were arrested after they seized a house near the Gush Katif settlement in the Gaza Strip
Zimbabwean doctors are threatening to down tools. They don’t want money but fuel. About 300 junior doctors countrywide face this predicament. They are classified as special services but complain that they are not getting the preferential treatment their jobs demand.