Marthinus van Schalkwyk, the Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister, could be called to testify for the state in the Roodefontein corruption trial which resumes next Monday. Former Western Cape premier Peter Marais and former development planning MEC David Malatsi are accused of taking hundreds of thousands of rands in bribes to smooth the way for provincial approval of a gold estate at Plettenberg Bay.
Residents in many parts of Johannesburg began the week with yet another power failure. Auckland Park, Melville, Fordsburg, Selby, Parktown, Lenasia, Eldorado Park, Sophiatown, Claremont and Northcliff were some of the suburbs without power, according to a City Power call centre employee.
It took minutes to demote Lieutenant Commander Winston Kolonzi before he was told to salute and quick-march out of the court martial at the Cape Town Castle. The charge: he had been absent without leave (Awol) for a day. But the <i>M&G</i> has found that retribution for offences in the army is seen as unequal.
Most Asian and Pacific governments are investing large amounts of money to ensure their citizens and companies have an affordable chance at broadband, or high-speed internet, International Data Corporation (IDC) said in a report on Monday. Revenues from broadband access are forecast to reach -billion in 2008 for the region excluding Japan, IDC said, with a 16% annual growth rate between now and then.
Cash-strapped Zimbabwe has bought 12 fighter jets and 100 military vehicles from China, the opposition shadow defence minister Giles Mutsekwa said on Sunday. The cost of the equipment has not been disclosed but Mutsekwa estimated the deal at around -million.
Zimbabwe’s inflation at 448%
Kenyan president Mwai Kibaki was on Sunday to declare a national disaster following the death in recent weeks of more than 80 people from contaminated maize. The continued threat from the rotten maize was highlighted over the weekend when 28 bags of the foodstuff were impounded at a girls’ school in eastern Kenya.
A New Zealand couple had an unexpected visitor from space at the weekend when a 1,3kg meteorite crashed into their living room shortly before breakfast. The meteorite came through the roof of Phil and Brenda Archer’s house in the Auckland suburb of Ellerslie at 9.30am on Saturday morning.
Saddam Hussein must either be released from custody by June 30 or charged if the United States and the new Iraqi government are to conform to international law, the International Committee of the Red Cross said on Sunday night. Nada Doumani, a spokesperson for the ICRC, said: ”The United States defines Saddam Hussein as a prisoner of war. At the end of an occupation PoWs have to be released provided they have no penal charges against them.”
More than two billion people could be at risk of flood devastation by 2050, according to new research. One billion people are already at risk from the kind of floods that might occur every 100 years. But with global warming, that number could double in two generations, according to United Nations University researchers.
The recent announcement by the New National Party that it has adopted the Freedom Charter and intends to work closely with the African National Congress is significant to South African politics, and not a historic event, like many people erroneously assert. A historic event is something much more profound.