There should be no rejoicing over the guilty judgement in the trial of businessman Schabir Shaik, despite its vindication of South Africa’s prosecutorial and judicial systems. Deputy President Jacob Zuma may not have been in the dock, but the judgement indirectly indicts him in such a devastating way that it is hard to see how his political career can survive it.
The new Afrikaans Sunday paper Die Wêreld will not be published on Sunday, a senior staffer said. On Wednesday, assistant editor De Wet Potgieter said the paper is in ”dire straits”, but it still has its full complement of staff, its advertisers are staying on and they are positive about the paper’s future.
A crisis? Sure. But which one and whose? As the results sank in on Sunday, the clever men in suits on France’s TV5 reeled off plenty to choose from: a European crisis; a domestic crisis; a crisis of legitimacy; a crisis of institutions. But the real crisis is in Paris. The detail of France’s 55%-45% verdict on the European Union constitution is illuminating.
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Mariano Puerta advanced to a grand-slam semifinal for the first time in his nine-year career on Wednesday by beating fellow Argentine Guillermo Canas 6-2, 3-6, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 at the French Open. Three-time grand-slam champion Justine Henin-Hardenne is the heavy favourite in the women’s final four.
Unidentified men armed with guns and knives attacked villagers in Côte d’Ivoire’s western cocoa-growing area, killing 41 people and injuring 64, officials said on Wednesday. The attack occurred near the town of Duekoue, 400km north-west of the commercial capital, Abidjan.
Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai on Wednesday called for action against a ”tyrannical” urban clean-up campaign that has left thousands destitute and homeless and led to the arrest of about 22 000 people in Harare.
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Judgment in the Schabir Shaik fraud and corruption trial in the
Durban High Court is expected to be completed by midday on Thursday. On Wednesday Judge Hillary Squires adjourned the delivery of his verdict for a second consecutive day.
Staff at Afrikaans Sunday newspaper Die Wêreld have not been paid their salaries for May and unless a white knight is found, the paper will not be published this Sunday. Die Wêreld published its first issue in mid-April and has been moving towards being a fairly traditional tabloid.
In South Africa there is more chance of being caught for a traffic fine than for child rape, the Democratic Alliance said on Wednesday. Speaking during a debate in the National Assembly to mark International Children’s Day, a DA spokesperson said 59 526 crimes against children were reported in the country last year.