apart Barry Streek The situation in two more municipalities – Stilfontein in the North-West and Noupoort in the Northern Cape – has reached such critical proportions that, in terms of the Constitution, the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) will have to intervene next week. This follows NCOP interventions in Butterworth in the Eastern Cape, Oogies […]

Bheki Makhubu A powerful clique of young political activists has emerged in Swaziland, challenging the country’s authoritarian system and threatening to disrupt King MswatiIII’s rule. A group of MPs in the Swazi House of Assembly recently almost proposed a vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Sibusiso Dlamini whose government has had a bumpy ride […]

THREE of the Vodacom Tour’s top professionals will take part in this week’s Russian Open on the European Challenge Tour schedule. South Africans Hennie Otto and Steve van Vuuren, and Zimbabwean Marc Cayeux will tee it up in Thursday’s first round of this popular 72-hole event, to be played at the scenic Moscow Country Club. […]

WINGER Joe Roff was dropped on Thursday as selectors made three changes to the Wallabies for the Bledisloe Cup Test against New Zealand here on August 28. Selectors also resisted the temptation to rush back key players, skipper John Eales and flyhalf Stephen Larkham. Coach Rod Macqueen said selectors considered both Eales and Larkham after […]

MALAWIAN President Bakili Muluzi is furious over the fact that phone lines to his Sanjika Palace were cut when thieves stole cables from a main telephone exchange. Speaking at an airport news conference on his return on Thursday from a summit of southern African leaders in Maputo — from where he had been unable to […]

AN INQUIRY into suspended Home Affairs director-general Albert Mokoena over allegations of misuse of state resources for private purposes began in Johannesburg on Thursday. Mokoena is facing charges of misconduct following an investigation by the Public Administration department, SABC TV news reported. The investigation follows a series of reports carried in a Sunday newspaper which […]

FAMILIES of the victims of the 1988 Lockerbie bombing may watch the trial of the two Libyan suspects in television centres in Britain and the United States, the chief prosecutor said on Thursday. Lord Advocate Lord Hardie said, after meeting victims’ families to discuss the trial, that one or two centres will be set up […]

KENYAN cricket authorities have named outspoken all-rounder Maurice Odumbe as national team captain to replace Asif Karim who retired last month. Odumbe captained Kenya to the 1996 World Cup, but was then removed after snubbing a call-up in 1997 for a New Zealand tour of Kenya. He was reprimanded and fined for criticising the country’s […]

ELEVEN African leaders met in Johannesburg on Thursday to discuss the tuberculosis epidemic that is rapidly becoming a crisis on the continent. SABC TV reports that the meeting was held to build foundations with South African health experts and form integrated relationships with all African leaders to fight the “biggest killer in Africa”. TB infection […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Thursday 6.00pm WEDNESDAY’S firm gains on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange were all but wiped out on Thursday as a tumbling gold price hit the gold board. By close of trade the all share index had dipped 1,14% — knocked by the all gold index which lost 4,59% and the price of […]