The future of the New National Party (NNP) lies in strengthening its ties with the African National Congress (ANC), the party announced following a federal council meeting in Centurion on Saturday. The NNP and ANC have agreed to ”strengthen and deepen the relationship of cooperation between the two parties”, NNP leader Marthinus van Schalkwyk told reporters.
Iraq’s new prime minister gave his first televised address to the nation on Friday and insisted that the premature withdrawal of multinational forces from the country ”would be a major disaster”. The warning from Ayad Allawi came as the number of American soldiers killed in combat since last year’s invasion reached 600.
A claustrophobic aircraft passenger consumed liquor with a tranquilliser before causing mayhem on an South African Airways flight from Johannesburg to Cape Town, the Bellville Magistrate’s Court heard on Friday. Defence counsel Charles Simon told the court his client, Colin Barnett (29) of Milnerton near Cape Town, consumed the liquor and tranquilliser because of his fear of flying.
The affair of the mystery donor Hans that has plagued the Democratic Alliance for two years was ”100% unsatisfactory”, Democratic Alliance spokesperson Helen Zille said on Friday. She was speaking on Cape Talk radio after the announcement earlier in the day of a secret settlement with the trustees of fraudster Jurgen Harksen’s estate.
Snails and clams thought to be extinct two million years ago have been discovered living on cold water coral reefs which are being destroyed by fishermen using heavy trawl gear to drag the ocean bed. A campaign to save the reefs and ban destructive trawling was launched on Friday by the United Nations environment director, Klaus Töpfer. He said it was vital they were researched before it was too late.
Renegade troops began withdrawing from the Democratic Republic of Congo’s flashpoint city of Bukavu on Friday but violent protests shook the capital, Kinshasa, for a second day. United Nations peacekeepers moved to retake control of Bukavu, a strategic eastern city bordering Rwanda, as the dissident troops quit central districts scarred by looting and fighting.
UN peacekeepers take DRC town
A huge operation to tackle the world’s worst unfolding humanitarian crisis will swing into action today following a warning that up to 300 000 people in Sudan could die within months even if essential aid gets through. The United Nations will launch a 90-day emergency programme after securing promises of funds from the US and other countries at a conference in Geneva.
The Pope on Friday subjected George Bush to a very public, relentlessly critical assessment of the United States administration’s performance in Iraq, attacking ”deplorable” abuses of prisoners and calling for an international solution to the country’s crisis.
Bafana Bafana captain Mbulelo ”OJ” Mabizela was the toast of the Free State capital on Saturday when his brace earned his team a hard fought 2-1 win over a gallant Cape Verde in the opening 2006 World Cup Group 2 qualifier played at Vodacom Park. Bafana led 1-0 at half-time.
Paul Johannes Meyer, who allegedly murdered his ex-wife and two daughters, aged four and nine, at the Robertsham hotel south of Johannesburg on Thursday and also allegedly killed four people in Albertville on Wednesday, shot himself and died in Kroonstad, Free State police reported on Friday.