A SOUTHWEST Nigerian state has dismissed more than 5 000 staff, or one quarter of its workforce, to pay for an increase in salaries. The government of Osun State said those dismissed had either already reached retirement age or had a bad record of service. The decision to cut the workforce was taken after the […]

A CONDOM for women has gone on trial in Rwanda as a measure to fight sexually transmitted diseases after similar tests in neighbouring Uganda proved relatively successful. The condom, introduced by Population Services International (PSI), a US-based organisation, consists of a fine polyurethane membrane that covers all of the user’s genitalia. The condom usually sells […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Cape Town | Thursday SPEEDING magistrates are in a special class of their own, the Knysna Magistrates’ Court decided this week – finding a magistrate not guilty because he was speeding to get to court. According to a report in the Cape Argus, regional magistrate Marius Fourie was trapped at 129km/h in an […]

THE Namibian government and the De Beers corporation are to set up a new company to mine diamonds offshore. The new company, De Beers Marine Namibia, would immediately acquire four South African ships, the government and De Beers said in a joint statement. The new company would be owned 70% by De Beers and 30% […]

THE Angolan parliament has overwhelmingly approved a general amnesty law embracing both the activities of the rebel UNITA movement and petty crime, official sources reported. The amnesty follows a declaration by Angolan leader President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos on November 10 of a nationwide pardon to mark 25 years of the country’s independence. The leaders […]

DUMISANE LUBISI, LUNGA MASUKU and KHANYISILE MAEPA, Mbabane | Thursday THE blockade of Swaziland’s international borders by pro-democracy and union activists this week has failed to disrupt the small kingdom’s economy or cross-border traffic. The protestors, from Swaziland, South African and Mozambique, have threatened to block all commercial traffic into landlocked Swaziland for three days […]

CHOLERA infections in an epidemic sweeping through eastern South Africa have topped the 6000 mark as authorities reported more rivers bearing the disease following heavy rains. The toll, in KwaZulu-Natal, hit 6078 this week, with 35 deaths. Rural communities not already infected are at risk because of their dependence on river water and poor sanitation. […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Thursday SOUTH Africa’s judiciary gets its first chance to address the constitutionality of hate speech in a case that went before the Johannesburg High Court this week. The Islamic Unity Convention (IUC) lodged an application with the court to set aside a decision by the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) after complaints […]

BELGIUM’S regional Flanders government has handed over a donation of R1m to former president Nelson Mandela to help South Africa’s Aids orphans. Mandela, in a statement, said the money would be used for Project Goelama (Tswana for nurturing and protecting the young), a Nelson Mandela Childrens’ Fund HIV/AIDS programme for orphans. The visiting Minister-President of […]

A FULL bench of the Cape High Court has reserved judgment in the application for amnesty launched this week by Clive Derby-Lewis and Janusz Walus, for the assassination seven years ago of South African Communist Party leader Chris Hani. Judge president John Hlophe said judgment would be given within the next couple of weeks. Earlier, […]