Japan operated for decades with a social covenant similar to those of many other Asian countries – accepting wealth in exchange for tolerating political iniquities. As a result, Japan, one of the world’s most honest societies, had one of the most corrupt political systems. That social contract became frayed when Japan’s economic “bubble” came under […]

FRIDAY, 2.30PM: ERNIE ELS is among four players who are within one shot of overnight leader American Phil Mickelson in the second round of the Nedbank Million Dollar Golf Challenge on the Gary Player Country Club golf course at Sun City on Friday. Germany’s Bernhard Langer, Jesper Parnevik of Switzerland and USPGA champion Davis Love […]

Andy Duffy The man who led the militant group People Against Gangsterism and Drugs (Pagad) through 18 months of brutal conflict with Cape Flats gangsters has broken ranks with the organisation. Aslam Toefy, who quit as Pagad’s national co-ordinator last month, says it is time to stop marching on drug dealers’ houses and to start […]

Ferial Haffajee Kagiso Media has pulled the plug on a fledgling publication with 19 employees left jobless before Christmas. Staff charge that the two month old publication, Local Government Chronicle, had great potential to attract advertising. Last week’s edition, which was axed just prior to publication, showed advertising bookings of over R70 000. But Kagiso […]

THURSDAY, 9.30AM NEW passenger car sales in November crashed 29% against the same month last year, according to latest figures published by the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of SA. Local car makers sold 16 605 new passenger cars in November, the lowest number since 1991 and nearly a third fewer than the 23 677 […]

THURSDAY, 10.00AM: WINNIE Madikizela-Mandela finally took the stand at the truth commission on Thursday, arriving surrounded by bodyguards after a bomb threat against her on Wednesday night. Read our full report on today’s hearings, updated throughout the day. Madikizela-Mandela told the hearing that she first heard about the death of teenage activist Stompie Seipei when […]

THURSDAY, 10.30PM CLAIMS by the Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union that some of the 1 480 farms recently designated by the government for redistribution to landless peasants are among the country’s most highly utilised and productive farms were on Thursday dismissed by the Minister of Land and Agriculture. Farms designated were either derelict or under-utilised land, […]

THURSDAY, 10.00AM: SANLAM MD Desmond Smith on Wednesday made the shock announcement of his immediate early retirement, apparently over “differences of emphasis” over the group’s strategic direction. When he was appointed to head the operations of the country’s second biggest life assurer four years ago, Smith was the group’s youngest-ever MD, and the first non-Afrikaner. […]

WEDNESDAY, 11.00PM ZIMBABWE’s Stock market continued its downward trend on Wednesday when it recorded yet another sharp loss, shedding 281 points to close at 8 384. Although the market remained active, it was weak, with declines in the share prices of most counters. The Harare bourse has been on a free fall for the past […]