It may just be the scariest job in politics, but someone is going to have to say yes when President Thabo Mbeki asks him or her to take over Jacob Zuma’s office at the Union Buildings. Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota and Finance Minister Trevor Manuel, both former leaders of the United Democratic Front, are among the leading candidates for the most dangerous job in politics.
Aeroporti di Roman, the Italian-headquartered company that operates airports across the globe, is set to divest its stake in the Airports Company South Africa (Acsa), having seen the value of its stake increase from R1,2-billion to R3-billion since 1998. AdR paid R819-million for a 20% stake in 1998, valuing Acsa, which operates 10 airports in South Africa, at just more than R4-billion.
MTN’s share price plunged nearly 10% this week, devaluing the company by more than R7,6-billion, as investors punished the company for sitting on their money. MTN released spectacular annual results as expected late last week, much like the results Telkom released days before.
Ailing defence parastatal Denel faces major restructuring under its new CEO, Shaun Liebenberg, including the possible sale of strategic equity stakes in some of its key businesses. Swedish firm Saab, which manufactures the South African Airforce’s new Gripen jets, is interested in acquiring a strategic equity stake in Denel’s aerospace division.
Hundreds of employers marched in Durban’s Gale Street this week, alongside their workers this time. More than 700 of these small employers countrywide face jail terms and having their assets seized because the organised industry, the National Bargaining Council (NBC), representing 1 100 employers, is bringing compliance action, which threatens their survival, against them.
Considering Apple Computers only has about 3% of the global computer market, it punches way above its weight. Fresh from its triumphant switch to Intel for its processors, Apple is collaborating with Nokia to develop a Web browser for the phone-maker’s range of Internet-enabled smartphones, launched recently in Helsinki.
"Ambitious men get sick if they think their chances are ruined, I’m telling you, I’m not ambitious," an apparently relaxed Jacob Zuma told the <i>Mail & Guardian</i> this week. In the first full interview he has given since his dismissal as deputy president, Zuma spoke about the Schabir Shaik judgement, the divided state of the African National Congress and his new job as a full-time ANC official.
International condemnation of the violence that followed the May 15 parliamentary election in Ethiopia took on new force this week, with news that Britain had suspended -million in aid to the East African country. These funds will be put on hold until Ethiopia’s fraught political climate improves.
Premiership clubs, led by the European champions Liverpool, were three of the top four earners in last season’s Champions League, though Manchester United were not among them. Uefa revealed this week reveal that Liverpool generated £20,5-million from tele-vision and media revenues, as well as performance bonuses.
It wasn’t supposed to happen in the new South Africa, the country of Nelson Mandela that in the 1990s came to symbolise hope, resilience and the ”long walk to freedom”, an indelible inspiration to the entire world. No, it wasn’t supposed to happen anymore, preventing a newspaper from publishing a story about potential lawbreaking by the powers that be.