After almost 10 years Servcon, the low-cost housing finance venture between the government and banks, which, controversially, could evict bond defaulters, will cease to exist. This week Minister of Housing Lindiwe Sisulu announced that Servcon’s mandate, which expires at the end of March next year, would not be renewed. ”Servcon is already wrapping up business,” she said.
Thirteen Harrismith residents allegedly involved in last year’s protest against their local council face sedition charges. Several lawyers described the charge as ”very serious”, adding that it could carry a minimum sentence of 15 years under the Criminal Procedures Act. The charge has prompted complaints that the state is out to intimidate protesters.
More than 80% of black South Africans don’t think Bob’s their uncle — in fact, they think Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe is not doing a terribly good job. Clearly five years of the government’s ”quiet diplomacy” have not succeeded in selling the softly-softly approach.
Flamboyant Mpumalanga politician Steve Mabona’s surprise resignation two weeks ago came after the African National Congress repeatedly grilled him on truancy. Legislature records indicate that Mabona has missed 78% of legislature and portfolio committee sittings in the past 14 months, failing to arrive at 57 of 73 meetings he was meant to attend.
Kagiso Media announced yesterday afternoon that it has bought into radio stations Kaya FM, P4 Cape Town and P4 Durban. The deal saw Kagiso Media team up with Makana Investment Corporation and Tiso Radio to form a new consortium in the South African radio environment, Makana Radio Communication.
President Bingu wa Mutharika of Malawi on Wednesday fired his education and human resources minister for, among other things, spending 2 165 000 kwacha (about R10 800) of public funds on his wedding. The Anti-Corruption Bureau arrested Yusuf Mwawa, who has also been relieved of his responsibility as leader of government business in the National Assembly, on Tuesday.
The last of the <i>Star Wars</i> sextuplets has arrived on international cinema screens, and those of us who’ve waited most of our lives for this moment are delirious with joy. We want to sing it from the mountain top, we want to write it in the sky. Free at last, we want to cry. Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we’re free at last!
Striking workers at the parts distribution centre of Volkswagen South Africa at Roodekop have rejected a proposal by the company over outsourcing, demanding job security for workers. Sixty-nine members of the National Union of Metalworkers went on strike two weeks ago, demanding an end to the outsourcing of VW’s packing department at Roodekop, in Alberton on Gauteng’s East Rand.
Declining food production in Southern Africa has shifted the region’s focus to improving small-scale farmers’ access to agricultural inputs like fertilisers. Fertilisers account for one-third of the increase in cereal production worldwide, and 50% of the increase in India’s grain production, but most of Southern Africa’s 20-million farmers are applying too little fertilisers for the effects to be felt.
About 50 South African small-scale agricultural producers and exporters that carry the internationally-recognised FairTrade label last weekend formed a local chapter and joined the African FairTrade Network. FairTrade is an independent global consumer label that provides a better deal for small-scale producers and workers in developing countries.