THE country’s trade surplus fell to R1,76-billion ($279-million) in January from R3,56-billion ($565-million) in December, according to Customs and Excise figures released on Tuesday. Imports fell to R11,8-billion in January from R12,1-billion in December. Exports fell to R13,56-billion from R15,66-billion. Economists said that even though the surplus has narrowed compared to December, it is a […]

NAMIBIA’s Ongopolo Mining has agreed to acquire troubled copper miner Tsumeb Corporation which fell into liquidation nearly two years ago, Tsumeb’s creditors said on Tuesday. “This compromise, which was accepted by 99,9 of the creditors, will be submitted to court and the sanction date will be [March 10],” liquidator Des Mathews said. Mathews said all […]

FINANCE Minister Trevor Manuel has reduced interest rates on outstanding tax, excise duties and VAT, with effect from March 1. The South African Revenue Service said in a statement on Tuesday that interest charged on tax not paid by the prescribed date of payment will fall from 14,5% to 13% a year. The interest rate […]

SUSPECTED Wemmer Pan serial killer Cedric Maupa Maake was found guilty of five counts of murder, five counts of rape, four of armed robbery, two of attempted murder and two of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition in the Johannesburg High Court on Tuesday. Judge Geraldine Borchers is still to deliver judgment on a […]

JUDGMENT continues in the Johannesburg High Court on Tuesday for alleged serial killer, Cedric Maake, who faces 133 charges, including 35 of murder, 28 of attempted murder and 16 of rape. He has pleaded not guilty. The crimes were allegedly committed between April 1996 and December 1997. Maake, from La Rochelle near Wemmer Pan, allegedly […]

THE United States has denied it is moving to ease its policy toward Libya, and says a Washington Post report to that effect is incorrect. State Department spokesman James Rubin said restrictions on US citizens traveling to Libya remain in place and that permission being granted for the Libyan UN ambassador to visit Washington earlier […]

ANGLO American Platinum (Amplats) said on Monday that it will hold talks later in the day with the National Union of Mineworkers to end a strike by NUM members at the Rustenburg precious metals refinery. Around 50 NUM members have picketed the refinery as part of their demands for a 12% pay rise and a […]

FABRICE ‘Akwa’ Maieco scored a hat-trick as Angola upset the Olympic football ambitions of Zimbabwe with a 4-2 win in Luanda at the weekend. Nigeria snatched a dramatic 1-0 victory over Uganda in Lagos in another Group A match and the stage is set for a thrilling finish next month with Zimbabwe, Nigeria and Angola […]

IN the latest in a series of family killings, a 38-year-old man has shot dead his ex-wife and her future parents-in-law in North West province. This is the fourth such killing in just over a week. Police are still searching for the man, who was already facing murder charges but was free on bail when […]

AUSTRIAN Airlines will next month suspend its bi-weekly flights to Cape Town. Swiss Air stopped flights to Cape Town in October and Air France suspended its flights to the city in March last year. Cape Town International Airport manager Amien Nieftagodien said the Austrian Airlines announcement is disappointing. However, Virgin Airlines had recently scheduled flights […]