Social Development Minister Zola Skweyiya will hold urgent talks with the chief executives of the big South African banks in a bid to end fraud in the distribution of social grants, his office said on Wednesday. In the past, Skweyiya had said government lost no less than R1,5-billion per annum due to fraud and corruption in social grants.
Zimbabwe’s HIV/Aids prevalence rate has declined from 24,6% two years ago to 21,3%, due to greater Aids awareness and changed sexual behaviour, according to a new study quoted in the state-run daily, The Herald. Zimbabwe is one of the countries hardest hit with at least 3 000 people dying weekly from Aids-related illness.
The SABC will be allowed to broadcast regional television programmes on two stations in official languages other than English, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) announced on Wednesday. Icasa chairman Mandla Langa said SABC 4 would broadcast in Setswana, Sesotho, Sepedi and TshiVenda, Xitsonga and Afrikaans.
Chile sent cargo planes with medicine and tents to a northern Andean region rocked by an earthquake that killed at least 11 people, including a family of six buried by a landslide. The quake measured 7,9 on the Richter scale — the world’s third-strongest since the quake that set off the Asian tsunami in December.
The World Bank’s board of directors has approved a project to manage groundwater and drought in the Southern African region to be executed by the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the bank announced on Wednesday. The Groundwater and Drought Management project will cost ,5-million.
The South African property market has entered an extended phase of stability, according to the latest First National Bank Residential Property Barometer. Although overall market activity has decreased, activity in the middle-lower end of the market is not decreasing at the same rate as the upper-end, research shows.
At least seven people have been killed this week in attacks near Burundi’s capital by the country’s lone remaining rebel group as efforts continue to cement a shaky tentative truce, the army said on Wednesday. Two civilians, two government soldiers and three fighters from the rebel National Liberation Forces were killed.
The African National Congress National Working Committee is to soon make public its decision on what action will be taken against Members of Parliament who have already been found guilty of defrauding parliament. Eight MPs have plea-bargained in the so-called "Travelgate" scam — involving the misuse of travel vouchers provided to Members of Parliament.
Margaret Thatcher, who led Britain’s Conservative Party to three election wins via a combination of unshakeable will and iron discipline, has delivered a stark, if brief, message to her old organisation: ”Get on with it”. In a rare foray into contemporary politics, Thatcher issued the call at a celebration of the 30th anniversary of her accession as party leader.
Sources within the Johnnic Communications media stable have confirmed that Business Day editor Peter Bruce has terminated the column of controversial commentator David Gleason. Bruce’s decision is attributed to the columnist’s refusal -– after repeated requests -– to ”stop writing political pieces”.