Cape Town | Thursday THE South African cabinet on Wednesday approved a law change that will allow government to monitor cell phone conversations, but seemed set to clash with phone companies over who will cover the cost of tapping. Government communications chief Joel Netshitenze said cabinet approved the tabling of the bill in parliament because […]

DAVID LE PAGE, Johannesburg | Thursday JUDGE Willem Heath’s resignation from the judiciary was accepted by cabinet on Wednesday, but the cabinet decision was communicated to him via the press, rather than directly. The decision leaves him without any pension after 13 years service as a judge. Heath has headed the Special Investigating Unit, which […]

Johannesburg | Thursday A PRISONER was killed and a man linked to an Israeli mafia organisation in South Africa was wounded when a gunman attacked a police van taking them to court on Wednesday, a police representative said. Senior Superintendent Chris Wilken said Lior Saadt and four other awaiting trial prisoners were travelling to the […]

MATTHEW BURBIDGE, Johannesburg | Thursday AS the big guns gather in Pretoria to probe alleged corruption in South Africas controversial arms acquisition deal, a small group of people on Thursday huddled in front of a run-down hospital in Johannesburg to protest military spending. Asked how a small group could ever hope to influence the governments […]

SOUTH Africa’s Public Enterprises minister on Wednesday confirmed the former chief executive of the national airline was paid a $28-million salary, saying government never approved the amount. Jeff Radebe said the chief of South Africa’s giant public utility Transnet, also did not have the authority to enter into an employment contract with Coleman Andrews, hired […]

THE South African Human Rights Commission on Monday launched a 12-month survey into the human rights situation in farming communities. ”Reports of farmer brutality towards their employees, shocking employment and living conditions, massive child labour and the continued murders of farmers have dominated the country’s agriculture and created perceptions of a deeply troubled sector,” commission […]

FORTUNE hunters in South Africa will be able to dig for gold coins next month on a farm where about 16,000 coins have been found and thousands more could be left, a local official said on Tuesday. “The dig will be a proper gold rush on a first come, first serve basis, no claims will […]

PRICES of fuel in Zimbabwe shot up on Tuesday by between 51% and 82%, state television reported. Petrol went up by 74% to $1.38 while diesel rose over 67% to $1.20, with aviation fuel seeing the biggest rise, up over 82% to $1.03. The state-owned National Oil Company of Zimbabwe (NOZCIM) blamed the increases on […]