A century ago, ostrich plumes were South Africa’s most valuable export after gold, diamonds and wool. The outbreak of World War I and the advent of the motor car — which made fancy-feathered hats impractical — snapped the trend in flight. Today, ostrich feathers and other luxury goods such as ostrich leather and meat are making a global comeback, one that faces new threats.
Government is poised to start preparing the public and business sector to deal with climate change, which is expected to have a major impact on South Africa’s economy over the next few decades. Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk said the effect of climate change on maize production alone would have massive knock-on effects.
Foreign and South African media are going for dramatic value in the Zimbabwean elections at the expense of context
South African President Thabo Mbeki and Côte d’Ivoire leaders were expected to put the finishing touches on proposals to restart the peace process in the troubled West African nation at a final day of talks on Wednesday. Mbeki opened the talks on Sunday with Gbagbo and four other key players in Côte d’Ivoire.
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Government is to take further action to ensure that employers comply substantively with the Employment Equity Act, Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana announced on Tuesday. He said that those opposed to the act could shout as much as they wanted to but that employment equity was here to stay.
Poor infection control at dental, maternity and paediatric facilities is possibly contributing to the spread of HIV/Aids, statistics showed on Tuesday. The findings were in a study commissioned by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, conducted by the Human Sciences Research Council and released at an international Aids conference in Cape Town.
Videos posted on the Internet on Tuesday showed militants purported to belong to al-Qaeda’s ally in Iraq beheading a man said to be an Iraqi security force member and another group carrying out the execution-style killing of a reported informer. The video also showed the black banner of the group, which is headed by wanted Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
Syrian soldiers hauling missiles and radar equipment headed home on Tuesday ahead of their country’s planned military withdrawal from Lebanon by the end of the month. A United Nations envoy met Lebanese officials to monitor the progress of the pullout.