CHUENE HAMESE and JUSTIN ARENSTEIN, Pietersburg | Monday SOUTHERN Africa’s tribe of black Jews, which is believed to have fled its Middle Eastern homeland and settled in Venda roughly 1000 years ago, has gathered in Venda to plan the revival of its unique culture. Lemba Cultural Association president Professor Matshaya Razwimaisani Mathivha Seremane confirmed that […]

SWAZILAND’S traditional Prime Minister Dibanisa Mavuso has been fired by King Mswati for violating his duties, including poaching in a royal game park, a brother of the king said. The traditional prime minister is the main advisor to the Queen Mother, who co-rules Swaziland with her son Mswati. Mavuso frequently had the police bring cabinet […]

AN ExxonMobil unit has confirmed reserves of at least 600 million barrels of crude in its Nigerian OPL 209 deepwater block. A company official said Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Ltd completed exploratory drilling in the block, off southeastern Nigeria, at the end of last year. ”We drilled two wells, Era 1 and Era 2. […]

LIBYA has invited international oil companies to take part in joint ventures to upgrade and expand its refining and petrochemical industries, the Middle East Economic Survey (MEES) reported. The authoritative industry newsletter said Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) is seeking bidding from a selected number of companies on joint ventures to build a new refinery […]

STONE-THROWING crowds have demanded that police surrender to them a white farmer accused of dragging a black man to death behind his truck. Farmer Pieter Odendaal, 44, appeared briefly in a Sasolburg court on a charge of murder in connection with the killing of Mosoko Rampuru, 37, who was found dead on his farm late […]

REUTERS, London | Monday MINING giant Anglo American Plc is expected to report a 62% leap in half-year profit, driven by soaring platinum and diamond earnings with the good times forecast to roll on, for now. Mining analysts have forecast Anglo’s headline profit (net profit before exceptionals and goodwill amortisation) to leap to around US$87m […]

PANDEMONIUM broke out in the Cape High Court when the four Franschhoek Pass murderers were each sentenced to two life terms in prison. Relatives of the accused started shouting as the sentences were passed, forcing the judge to raise his voice in an attempt to complete the sentencing of Heinrico Pietersen, 18, Morne Lakay, 23, […]

GROOTE Schuur Hospital’s world-renowned heart transplant unit faces possible closure if a new quota system is introduced forcing the hospital to perform perhaps only five heart transplants a year, the Cape Argus newspaper has reported. This would shut off access to heart transplants – and the consequent chance at a new life – for the […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Harare | Sunday THE ousted leader of Zimbabwe’s war veterans association has been reinstated as the leader of the group that occupied white-owned farms in the run-up to the country’s June elections. Chenjerai “Hitler” Hundzvi was ousted from the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association last weekend after being accused of running the […]