Angella Johnson and Stuart Hess Crime fighting in South Africa is being hampered by a 22 479-person staff shortage in the South African Police Service, according to a study carried out by the SAPS. Research conducted by the police human resources division found that the ideal national headcount for the SAPS to function effectively should […]

Concessions by former Vlakplaas commander Eugene de Kock have serious implications for former Security Force officers and Cabinet ministers, reports Stefaans BrUmmer AFTER 18 months in the dock, former Vlakplaas hitsquad commander Eugene de Kock has conceded his involvement in some of the 121 charges against him. The charges include murder, attempted murder, fraud and […]

Kevin Watkins FIVE years into an economic reform programme that was supposed to transform Zimbabwe into Africa’s answer to the Asian “tiger” economies, Edith Chido is still waiting to see the miracle unfold in Epworth, a dusty settlement a few kilometres from the capital Harare. “They speak of the Enhanced Structural Adjustment Programme (Esap) on […]

South Africa’s giant port authority, under new directorship, faces up to the growing pressures of burgeoning trade, writes Lynda Loxton Newly appointed Portnet executive director Sipho Nyawo had an unusual brainstorming session in Cape Town this week to help him map out what should be done to the giant port authority to meet the needs […]

Tebello Radebe Do not unbundle or break up South African conglomerates; rather hit them with heavy fines if they abuse their power, says a United States specialist. “Breaking up a monopolist does not necessarily create competition. A small economy might not be able to support a large number of competitors in an industry which requires […]

Bank chiefs condemn `blatant misinformation’ in a confidential report, writes Madeleine Wackernagel The Reserve Bank has hit back at accusations of racism, brought by Cosatu at last week’s bank collusion hearings and based on a confidential report by CS First Boston. Says deputy governor, Dr Timothy Thahane: “I took up my appointment in April, some […]

Lynda Loxton Amid signs of slower economic growth and continued lower inflation, Sanlam this week launched a gilt unit trust to provide mainly institutional investors with an alternative to equities. Senior portfolio manager Kobus Louw told a media briefing that the upsurge in share prices after South Africa’s re-entry into the world economy had just […]

Mungo Soggot THE petrol price is expected to drop 8c/litre from Wednesday in the wake of a stable rand for most of last month and a softening in international fuel prices. Motorists would have enjoyed a 9,5c a litre decrease, but it is understood Transport Minister Mac Maharaj has taken advantage of the favourable fall […]

No one prospered more than the Suharto clan as Indonesia escaped from grinding poverty, writes Paul Hunt FOUR government ministers mingled in a crowd of thousands at the launch in Jakarta of the Cakra and Nanngala, characters in the Ramayana epic whose names now adorn two sleek saloon cars. Organisers laid on models, traditional puppet […]