<b>CDs of the week:</b>
Michelle Branch: <i>Hotel Paper</i> and Jewel: <i>0304</i>
Two respected female singer-songwriters have released new albums, and with Women’s Day on August 9, it’s a good time to examine their different approaches, writes Riaan Wolmarans.
The number of applicants from Zimbabwe who applied for refugee status in South Africa rose dramatically between 2001 and 2002, according to Home Affairs Minister Mangosuthu Buthelezi.
The economy has grown on average by 2,7% over the past decade. At this rate unemployment will remain pegged at 29% by 2014. Yet if 5% growth can be achieved unemployment will be halved.
About 1 800 children have been removed from the Masiphumelele school — formerly known as People’s Power secondary — in Khayelitsha, and the Western Cape Department of Education has closed the school.
The African National Congress leadership rallied behind Deputy President Jacob Zuma this week, forcing National Director of Public Prosecutions Bulelani Ngcuka to admit that the Scorpions may have been too aggressive in their approach to investigations.
A Liberian political party on Friday attacked South African President Thabo Mbeki for his ”uncooperative behaviour and counterproductive attitude toward the resolution of the Liberian crisis”.
In a replay of expectations for the June South African Reserve Bank’s (SARB) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting, most South African economists expect a 100 basis points cut, but equally, many are hoping for more when the MPC makes its decision known on August 14.
The Steel, Engineering Industry Federation of South Africa (Seifsa) on Thursday said it was pleased to announce that the negotiations with trade unions to finalise wage increases and conditions of employment in the industry, for the two-year period from July 1 2003, to June 30 2005, were concluded at a meeting held earlier in the day.
The number of warrants of arrest issued for maintenance defaulters dropped from 61 499 in 2000 for all nine provinces in South Africa to 53 531 in 2001, according to figures released to Parliament by Justice Minister Penuell Maduna.
Warning health labels on liquor products is still a matter of discussion by the liquor industry and the practicalities of introducing these labels was part of this consultation process, says South African Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang.