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/ 25 February 2005

Obituary: Raymond Mhlaba

Raymond Mhlaba, who has died aged 85, dedicated his formidable talents to the struggle against apartheid. A member of the Rivonia group with Nelson Mandela, he was sentenced to life imprisonment, but emerged to take office in 1994 after South Africa’s first democratic elections.

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/ 25 February 2005

Raymond Mhlaba ‘died satisfied’

African National Congress stalwart Raymond Mhlaba died satisfied, Deputy President Jacob Zuma said at the struggle veteran’s memorial service in Pretoria on Thursday evening. ”He died satisfied that we are on course and are still committed to meeting the minimum demands of our people as stated in the [Freedom] Charter,” Zuma said.

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/ 25 February 2005

Ailing Pope has throat surgery

Pope John Paul II on Thursday night underwent successful surgery to his windpipe after being rushed to hospital for the second time in a month with what the Vatican described as ”acute” respiratory difficulties. His spokesperson, Joaquin Navarro-Valls, said the 30-minute tracheotomy ”was performed and completed positively”.

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/ 25 February 2005

Prison move for convicted Libyan

The Libyan secret agent convicted of the Lockerbie bombing was moved on Thursday from his specially constructed ”Gadaffi’s cafe” cell to Greenock prison where he will be free to mix with other inmates. Abdel Baset al-Megrahi has been in Barlinnie prison, Glasgow, since 2002, following his conviction in January 2001 of the murder of 270 people.

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/ 25 February 2005

A lot more than a mere journey

Kate, in her mid-50s and married several times begins to feel a change, begins to care less about the material world and, in an attempt to prove this to herself, burns "several hundred-dollar bills just to demonstrate to herself that these items were not the God/Goddess of her life"

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/ 25 February 2005

A better party for all

Two apparently unrelated pieces of news came up last week. In one of these, much was being made about the extravagant parties and celebrations that have become a regular feature of political life these days. The day after his State of the Nation address, President Thabo Mbeki threw a celebratory lunch-time banquet for no less than 1 500 guests.

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/ 25 February 2005

Shaik hanging by a thread called Zuma

Schabir Shaik’s defence is hanging by a thread — albeit a substantial thread named Jacob Zuma. As Shaik began testifying in his defence in the fraud and corruption trial in Durban this week, it became increasingly clear that crucial aspects of his evidence rely on Deputy President Jacob Zuma for corroboration.

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/ 25 February 2005

Zuma not on trial, supporters insist

Damaging though it may appear to onlookers, this week’s evidence in the Schabir Shaik trial does not seem to have shaken Deputy President Jacob Zuma’s supporters in the African National Congress-led alliance. Some still insist the trial is a smear campaign to discredit Zuma and thwart his bid for the presidency, while others maintain a wait-and-see attitude.