Cutting the costs of bad debt is high on the agenda of the telecommunication giant Telkom, reports Karen Telecommunications giant Telkom plans to implement a new strategy to stem the millions of rands lost each year through bad debt. Last year, the company wrote off 2,1 percent of its R9,6-billion turnover to bad debt — […]

One of the more refreshing aspects of the new South Africa is the sight of government bureaucrats being called to account. Johnny de Lange’s justice committee this week gave a particularly vivid demonstration of the contribution parliamentary oversight can make to good governance with its hearings on the offices of the The highlight of the […]

Molefe Matlou WORKERS at the remote Vametco mine, which produces vanadium on the outskirts of Brits in the North West Province, say they and their kin in surrounding rural settlements are being poisoned by the mine, and that 10 former workers have already died. “We heard of workers dying, children and old people becoming ill […]

Justin Pearce THE Department of Foreign Affairs insists that South Africa this week became a world leader in the move away from the use of landmines — but human rights activists are outraged at the government’s failure to support an outright ban on these weapons. South Africa’s position came as a surprise to many who […]

SOCCER: Lungile Madywabe EMBATTLED, directionless, em-broiled in a players’ pay dispute, disagreement about the ownership of the team, and trophyless for many seasons. Orlando Pirates have now shed this dark past to emerge with pride and dignity, to carry the hopes of many in South Africa. It is just over two years since Irvin Khoza […]

A lack of regulation has allowed some training colleges to charge high fees for worthless qualifications, writes Jack Rampou LOOPHOLES in the training industry allow private colleges to charge high fees for courses that are not recognised as qualifications by most employers or the National Training Board. In the past, there were tax incentives for […]

Outside Johannesburg, Cecil John Rhodes is conquering the Matabele all over again. JUSTIN PEARCE visited the set of the BBC mini-series OUTSIDE the old petrol station near Lanseria airport, they’re making Matabele shields. Fifty shield-shaped plywood cut-outs are spread out on the grass, and four men armed with industrial spraypaint equipment advance to give them […]

SOCCER: Lungile Madywabe ONLY two of the 11 foreign-based South African internationals will be available for selection when the locals take on Mozambique in a friendly at the FNB stadium on Saturday. Doctor Khumalo of Ferrocarril Oeste in Argentina and Augustine Makalakalane, who plays for first division FC Zurich in Switzerland, are the only two […]

Ann Eveleth A WOODEN ladder fashioned from tree branches leans across the trunk of the old gum tree where the lifeless bodies of Vitalis Mthembu and Muzikawubanga Sitholi dangled until the police arrived on Wednesday last The branch above bears no scars from the ordeal, but three rivulets of dried blood down a rock shaded […]

Annicia Reddiar STEPHEN Corry’s efforts to convince his men — former Umkhonto weSizwe soldiers, now employees of his security firm — to trust and work with the police were dealt a blow this week when one of the firm’s vans was allegedly stripped of parts by crooked policemen. The van was recovered by the flying […]