Finally, Anglo American struck back last week — briefing journalists and editors on the risk imbroglio between President Thabo Mbeki and its CEO, Tony Trahar.
It was a mild strike. The company downplayed its global reach and ambition, painting itself as more proudly South African than Venter trailers and boerewors. It’s going to take more than a charm offensive to heal the rift between the government and big business.
A few months ago new Absa CEO, Steve Booysen, predicted that the bank would look at buying an African bank every year for the foreseeable future as part of its future strategy. The proposed Barclays deal to take a 50,1% stake in Absa may leapfrog this bold prediction, as a tie-up with Barclays would give Absa a huge leg-up on the continent and representation in a number of African countries.
Simmering tension in Kenya’s coalition government has exploded into open hostility with war-talk and vicious, personal attacks. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) — a "partner" in the ruling National Rainbow Coalition (Narc) — last week confirmed its intention to abandon the coalition "in time" to fight its erstwhile allies in the 2007 election.
<i>Fahrenheit 451</i> was a Ray Bradbury science fiction classic novel that was turned into a futuristic (well, futuristic in those days) movie in 1966 by the great French New Wave director Francois Truffaut. And of course, by his choice of title for his new documentary, Michale Moore inevitably invites comparison with the earlier work and his <i>Fahrenheit 9/11</i>.
Despite the recent teachers’ strike, things have gone well for Naledi Pandor, the Minister of Education. But surely her predecessors will have told Pandor that dragons, far more fierce than some vice-chancellors, lurk in the gloomy waters around South Africa’s universities. After 10 years of "torrid government interference" in universities, Peter Vale offers six of the best to the new Minister of Education.
Tony Blair is not exactly the Madonna of British politics, constantly reinventing himself. He may have grown older and greyer, but otherwise he has remained remarkably consistent. As he told the Labour conference in Brighton in south-east England: ”I don’t think as a human being, as a family man, I’ve changed at all.” Yet last week he announced the shift: ”I have changed as a leader.”
South Africa A snatched a thrilling four-run victory in the third and final Standard Bank one-day cricket match at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Sunday, to win the series 3-0. New Zealand A, on 272 for four after 47 overs, appeared to have victory in sight, but South Africa A struck back in the last three overs to have the visitors all out for 292, with five balls in hand.
World number two Ernie Els and Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn have finally rid themselves of the golfing demons that threatened to derail their careers. Els did it by winning the -million WGC American Express Championship on Sunday. Two weeks ago Els’ mind was also in turmoil. His golf game was great but he wasn’t winning.
Golden Arrows continued to be a hoodoo team for Bush Bucks when they beat them 1-0 in a lacklustre Castle Premiership match in East London on Sunday. The first half was goalless, but the first half was a ding dong battle with both teams playing with plenty of purpose.
Substitute Dennis Lota headed home a late goal as Moroka Swallows registered a hard-earned but well-deserved 1-0 victory over Silver Stars in their Castle Premier League encounter at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Sunday. There was no score at half-time.