THURSDAY, 3.00PM LAURENT KABILA, self-proclaimed president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire), was due to be officially inaugurated as head of state on Thursday. In terms of a 15-point constitutional decree signed by Kabila on Wednesday, he will assume full executive, legislative and military powers until a new constitution is adopted. None […]
THURSDAY, 5.30PM FORMER Zimbabwe president Canaan Banana has been fired from his voluntary, part-time teaching post at the University of Zimbabwe in Harare. University authorities on Thursday confirmed that Banana, 61, a methodist priest and professor of religious studies, classics, and philosophy, was discharged and had already vacated his office in the arts faculty, where […]
THURSDAY, 5.00PM NORTH-WEST provincial auditor general Bryant Madliwa on Thursday released a report detailing hundreds of millions of rands in unauthorised spending, irregularities in expenses claims, missing vouchers and large-scale theft. The report on the auditor general’s investigation shows that the provincial premier’s office alone was unable to produce documentation to support R3,5-million in spending. […]
THURSDAY, 3.30PM AN African National Congress security guard on Thursday told the Shell House inquest that he heard one of his colleagues firing an AK-47 rifle at a crowd of advancing marchers after their commander gave an order to open fire. The Johannesburg High Court inquest, presided over by Judge Robert Nugent, is probing the […]
WEDNESDAY, 12.00NOON LATEST inflation figures from the Central Statistical Service shows the consumer price index pushing double figures in April, at 9,9%, its highest since topping 10% in June 1995. April inflation showed a 0,3 percentage point increase over the 9,6% in March to give a month-on-month increase of 0,9%, seasonally adjusted to 0,6%. This […]
THURSDAY, 10.00AM A LOCAL consortium involved in a bid for a licence to operate a casino on the banks of the Vaal river has sold a 50% stake in the venture to a Malaysain company for R350-million. The Nokeng Consortium, made up of women’s empowerment groups Business Ventures 2000 and Khanya Women 2000, and the […]
THURSDAY, 10.00AM: NORTH-WEST bulldozed their way through Tongan ranks in their rugby clash at Olen Park in Potchefstroom on Wednesday night, winning 46-6 in freezing cold weather. The Tongans, who have been on a winning streak against Namibia and Zimbabwe for the past two weeks, only managed to get two penalites, both by Gustavo Tonga. […]
WEDNESDAY, 11.30AM AN American trade delegation visting South Africa has warned parliament that US pharmaceutical companies will freeze investment in SA over planned legislation to cut the cost of drugs to consumers by relaxing restrictions on generic medicines. The Medicines and Related Substances Control Amendment Bill aims to encourage the use of cheaper generic drugs […]
WEDNESDAY, 2.30PM PARLIAMENT’S finance committee on Wednesday recommended that Public Protector Selby Baqwa investigate financial irregulairites in the Independent Broadcasting Authority with a view to possible prosecutions. In its report on the auditor general’s special investigation of the IBA, the committee added that hotel costs and daily allowances paid to councillors when they stayed in […]
WEDNESDAY, 11.30AM TENSIONS are running high at the Amandebult section of the Amplats mine near Rustenburg, where 5 000 workers have been on strike since Monday, and and four people, including a manager, are under investigation for torture. There have been repeated clashes between the National Union of Mineworkers and a populist faction called the […]