South Africa’s AngloGold Ltd has suggested it could cut future dividends to fund capital expenditure. The world’s largest gold mining company is aiming to reduce its debt to around US$950m, but at the same time faces capital expenditure of around $325m annually over the next two years, AngloGold officials told a media and analysts teleconference. […]

ZAMBIA’S Supreme Court has declared founding president Kenneth Kaunda a Zambian citizen, ending a protracted battle that prevented the independence leader from contesting the 1996 general election. Kaunda, 76, ruled the former British colony from independence in 1964 until he was ousted as president by Frederick Chiluba in multi-party elections in 1991. In 1999 Kaunda, […]

JUSTIN ARENSTEIN, Nelspruit | Tuesday MPUMALANGA Province has reiterated its ban on government hospitals issuing AZT or other anti-Aids drugs to rape survivors, despite urgent representations by rape counsellors, church groups and political parties. Health MEC Sibongile Manana said in a statement that the provincial administration had reviewed and reaffirmed its decision not to allow […]

NEARLY 500 people were killed during Ivory Coast’s political and ethnic clashes last week, a local human rights group said. Quoting a police source, the Ivorian Movement for Human Rights (MIDH) said at least 1 000 people had been seriously hurt during mass protests which chased army ruler General Robert Guei from power and political […]

SASOL Chemical Industries is to buy chemical group AECI’s 50% interest in Fedmis Phalaborwa, a manufacturer and seller of phosphoric acid, the companies said this week. The sale is subject to approval by the Competition Commission, AECI and Sasol said in a statement. AECI said the sale was in line with its intention to refocus […]

MARIAM ISA, Cape Town | Tuesday SOUTH African Finance Minister Trevor Manuel has painted a rosy picture for the economy, predicting a sharp pickup in growth and lower inflation, which he said would allow interest rates and taxes to fall once again. ”The underlying economy is strong. That is exceedingly important to understand,” Manuel said […]

ZIMBABWE war veterans’ leader Chenjerai Hunzvi has told a court he suffered injuries to his head, back and legs during the 1970s independence war, as his trial resumed for making fraudulent compensation claims. Hunzvi, a member of parliament for President Robert Mugabe’s ruling ZANU-PF party, is accused of falsely claiming Z$476,265 from the National War […]

NATIONAL Director of Public Prosecution Bulelani Ngcuka and London’s Commissioner of Metropolitan Police John Stevens have produced a formal draft agreement on closer co-operation following last week’s four day visit by members of Scotland Yard to South Africa. They also met with the elite investigation unit, the Scorpions, and SA Police Service senior officers in […]