A Nepalese United Nations peacekeeper died overnight from injuries he sustained in an attack in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s troubled region of Ituri, the UN mission announced on Friday. His death brings to 18 the number of UN peacekeepers killed in the central African country since the UN mission was deployed there in 1999.
MPs will, after all, get a chance to quiz state-owned oil company PetroSA about the circumstances of its double payment of R15-million for oil condensate arranged by Sandi Majali’s Imvume Management, and Imvume’s subsequent R11-million donation to the African National Congress.
The African National Congress Youth League’s extravagant anniversary bash last year has landed the ruling party’s youth wing in financial hot water. Papers before the Johannesburg High Court reveal that the youth league is struggling to settle debts resulting from the celebration.
Councils cannot finger sinister or ”third” forces for protests against the slow housing and service provision, and must shoulder some of the blame, says Western Cape minister for local government and housing Marius Fransman.
The British and Irish Lions kick off what coach Clive Woodward calls ”the last great rugby tour” on Saturday with a match more important than the strength of their opponents suggest. Bay of Plenty, hosting the match at Rotorua, is among the weakest of New Zealand’s first division sides and wouldn’t normally be expected to tax a Lions team that includes as many as 12 test players.
When buying a car, few people are fortunate enough to pay cash. After your house, it is probably your biggest financial commitment and a big-ticket item on your budget. Before you start pounding the showrooms or flipping through the AutoTrader, you need to know exactly how much you can afford.
Vodacom, in partnership with United Kingdom-based virtual network operator Virgin Group, late on Thursday confirmed their intention to launch a joint bid for a major shareholding in mobile operator V-Mobile Nigeria. The partners said their intention is to bring together their extensive expertise in the mobile telephony market.
The most ominous thing about the judicial censorship of a report in this newspaper last week is the virtual silence that has been the response from the African National Congress. Asked by a weekend newspaper for comment, Smuts Ngonyama, head of the ANC presidency, declined to say anything. He didn’t even duck behind one of the usual threadbare excuses of the ANC.
Deputy President Jacob Zuma faces two choices: either he steps down from the Cabinet or the African National Congress will have to decide his fate at its national general council at the end of the month. Zuma’s image has been tainted by the trial of Schabir Shaik where the latter was found guilty of corruption and fraud this week.
CNN’s founder, Ted Turner, has accused the news channel of dumbing down by devoting too much airtime to what he termed ”pervert of the day” at the expense of serious news. Turner told staff at a celebration of CNN’s 25th anniversary that he had tried to create a channel that would eschew the ”trivial news” liked by local stations in favour of international coverage.