Some of the women sat at a wooden table littered with documents. Others hovered near a computer learning how to write a press release, or traded gossip over weak tea. It could almost be a PTA meeting or a ladies’ social circle — but for the tragedy that haunts this room. All of these women lost relatives in last September’s Beslan school massacre.
The Chamber of Mines told the representative unions for the gold mining sector on Tuesday that the sector was experiencing its worst crisis for the past 44 years. Three unions — Solidarity, the National Union of Mineworkers and the United Association of South Africa — have started talks with the chamber regarding wages and other conditions of employment.
South African motor trade sales rose by 23,2% year-on-year in March 2005 to R18 308-billion compared with those for March 2004, Statistics South Africa reported on Tuesday. However, the seasonally adjusted motor trade sales for the first quarter of 2005 decreased by 0,3% compared with the previous quarter.
South Africa’s Cell C said on Tuesday that it has extended its international roaming partnerships to 287 telecommunications operators worldwide. With global roaming, Cell C subscribers will be able to communicate on their cellphones while visiting certain destinations — including Australia, Brazil, India, Lesotho, Nigeria, Spain, the UK and the United States.
Nearly 100 refugees from various African countries are being detained in Zimbabwe as part of an ongoing police blitz in illegal housing, a newspaper reported on Tuesday. ”Operation Restore Order”, backed by President Robert Mugabe, is believed to have left an estimated 200 000 people homeless and bread supplies scarce.
An 87-year-old Australian man fought off an intruder with his shoe after being attacked in his home, reports said on Tuesday. ”I took the bloody shoe off and thumped him,” semi-retired horse trainer Johnny Oswin was quoted as saying by the Australian Associated Press.
Sweden’s SaabTech and South African-based Avitronics have taken the next step in their co-operation to form a joint business unit — Saab Avitronics — which will start operating on July 1, it was announced on Tuesday. This new entity comprises 1 250 employees in two countries.
Absa and Barclays appear confident that they will get the necessary shareholder support for Barclays to acquire the 60% stake it is seeking in the South African bank. Absa shareholders on Monday voted overwhelmingly in favour of a scheme proposed by Barclays to acquire 32% of all Absa ordinary shares.
In Steel Valley, residents say cats are born without heads, a piglet had sexual organs growing out of its anus, and a cow born hermaphrodite had to be put down. Vegetables grow in strange shapes and even the rats are ill. These alleged monstrosities, have prompted diehard residents of Vanderbijlpark, launch fresh legal action against South Africa’s steel giant, Mittal Steel.
South African Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Marthinus van Schalkwyk dismissed reports that Zimbabwe’s Gona-re-Zhou National Park — which forms part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park across sections of South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique — has been plagued by a huge amount of poaching.