THE Malawi parliament has passed a controversial bill which strips lawmakers of their seats if they defect to other parties or declare themselves independent, a parliamentary representative said on Wednesday. Roderick Mlonya said the bill, passed on Tuesday, was met with strong protest from the opposition Alliance For Democracy (AFORD). The bill stipulates that when […]
Cape Town | Thursday A RULING by the New York Supreme Court allowing South Africa to use the Internet domain name southafrica.com sets a precedent “for other countries who want their name back,” Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri said on Wednesday. The court on Monday dismissed an application for an interdict from Seattle-based internet company Virtual […]
POLICE in northern Tanzania were holding 17 people on Wednesday and had seized nine tonnes of marijuana, state-owned radio Tanzania reported on Wednesday. Quoting regional police commander Paul Ntobi in Mara, the radio said that the suspects were arrested in four villages, following a swoop launched after a tip-off by local citizens. Ntobi said some […]
Pretoria | Wednesday SOUTH African Trade and Industry Minister Alec Erwin denied on Tuesday that the government deliberately misled the public about the cost of a multi-billion dollar strategic defence package. Speaking at a public hearing into alleged corruption into the $5.5-billion deal, Erwin defended an original cost estimation in 1998 that put the price […]
EVELYN LEOPOLD, United Nations | Thursday WITH red ribbons emblazoning the New York skyline, the first high-level UN Aids conference opens next week, attended by 180 nations, many from nations hardest hit by the killer disease. Louise Frechette, the UN deputy secretary-general, said governments, aid bodies and UN agencies had been more active than expected […]
South African stocks struggled higher in thin midday trade on Monday, helped by gains in the bourse’s biggest counter Anglo American Plc, traders said. The all-share index was 0.09 percent higher at 9,169.2 points by 1030 GMT, after dipping briefly lower in opening trade. – Reuters
SWEDISH aerospace group Saab said on Monday it would sign a joint venture with South African electronics group Grintek that would boost their combined sales by $25-40 million immediately. Saab will own 49 percent and Grintek 51 percent of the new unit, Saab Chief Executive Bengt Halse told a news conference on the sidelines of […]
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THE European Union has finally disbursed six million euros (seven million dollars) on Tuesday to finance part of Zambia’s upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections due late this year. The EU had initially withheld the money from the Zambian government on grounds that it was not happy with the government’s record. “Given the crucial importance of […]
THE South African military will try to recruit 10,000 youths a year on a voluntary basis, Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota told parliament on Tuesday after ruling out conscription. “Ensuring constant access to high quality personnel is a challenge for any defence force. Consequently we are recommending to the country the introduction of a service system,” […]