Sasol and the leaders of three major South African labour unions on Monday signed a ”groundbreaking” charter in Johannesburg to improve safety within the company. According to Philip Buys, general secretary of Solidarity, 14 people have been killed and more than 300 injured at Sasol plants over the past 18 months.
The Constitutional Court ruling on Monday that the Minister of Safety and Security was liable for the rape of a woman by three policemen was ”extremely positive”, the attorney for the rape victim said on Monday. The court said the policemen bore a statutory and constitutional duty to prevent crime and protect the members of the public — a duty which also rested on their employer.
It will take a huge effort to stop Roger Federer’s momentum on grass as the Swiss standout bids for a third straight Wimbledon title. That’s the thought of old pro John McEnroe, three times a holder at the All England Club. ”As far as Roger — if he plays well, there’s no way he’s going to lose,” he said.
Britain’s Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown on Sunday night called on the rich countries of the West to match words with action as he hailed pledges by the G7 on debt, aid and trade as a major breakthrough in Britain’s campaign for Africa.
Anglo Zimele, Anglo American’s empowerment initiative, has acquired a 10% stake in Specialised Rubber and Industrial worth R2,5-million, Anglo Zimele said on Monday. The company manufactures a diverse range of rubber and industrial products, including flexible metallic hoses, for the mining, industrial and materials handling sectors.
Ethiopian police have arrested more than 3Â 000 opposition supporters in a crackdown following deadly clashes last week during protests over alleged election fraud, a human rights group said on Monday. An official at the capital’s only morgue said the death toll from election-related violence now stands at 36.
Relief and joy were etched on the faces of women who were among the first Western Cape prisoners to be released on Monday as part of the government’s remission of sentence programmes. ”Ek is te bly. Ek wil net by die huis kom. Dis al. [I am so happy. I just want to go home. That’s all],” said Dorieca Demas from Bishop Lavis.
With 12 months to go until the 2006 World Cup, football fans will have an early taste of what to expect when the Confederations Cup starts in Germany on Wednesday. For Germany coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s team and the World Cup organising committee the competition serves as a dress rehearsal for the main event.
Patricia de Lille’s Independent Democrats (ID) party announced on Monday that Democratic Alliance (DA) councillor Mervyn Cirota had resigned from the official opposition to join the ID. Cirota said the DA had created the perception that its policies were ”separate and contrary to the ideals of the majority of South Africans”.
The United States has imposed sanctions on Israel after a dispute over Israel’s sale of drones — unmanned aerial vehicles — to China, according to news reports. The US has suspended co-operation on several development projects and frozen delivery of night-vision equipment.