If a writer called Someone Somebody were to publish a political satire of the African National Congress administration’s performance since 1999, such a publication would quite probably be ridiculed as being a travesty of the truth. It’s easy to imagine the responses from literary critics: <i>Let Them Eat Beetroot</i> exceeds even the most generous liberalities formally accorded to works of satire"…
Making a difference is something Djuma Game Reserve in Limpopo has given fresh meaning to, and in particular, what’s different about Djuma is its people. People such as Solly Sithole, who is only too happy to go spider-hunting instead of Big Five spotting. "I love my job," he says proudly. "And I love that what I do helps to support my community. Tourism is very important to us all."
African National Congress Youth League members believe an attack on their president, Fikile Mbalula, by his deputy, Reuben Mohlaloga, is part of a larger strategy to discredit the league because it does not back Thabo Mbeki for another term as ANC leader. Mohlaloga this week apologised for writing an article attacking Mbalula’s call for the next South African president to double as party leader.
A R250-million pension and social grants payout tender, thought to benefit the African National Congress and senior officials in the Limpopo government, has been set aside by the Pretoria High Court. The tender was awarded to Cash Paymaster Services in late 2002, with its contract commencing in March 2003.
A revolutionary discussion document presented at an Inkatha Freedom Party national parliamentary caucus has called for "fundamental changes" to the party’s identity and leadership to stem voter decline and ensure the party’s survival. The document has angered party president Mangosuthu Buthelezi to such an extent that he recalled all copies after the meeting.
The African National Congress in the Free State says it has been vindicated after police confirmed that the murder of former provincial head of policy Noby Ngombane was not politically motivated. The statement followed the appearance in court on Thursday of the brother and sister of Nokwanda Ngombane — Noby Ngombane’s wife — in connection with the murder.
A R1-billion crude oil tender — one of South Africa’s largest ever — went to African National Congress-linked company Imvume Management after an extraordinary series of interventions that suggest the tender was rigged. Last week we showed how the ruling party helped secure Iraqi oil allocations for its corporate pet, Imvume Management. This week we reveal how a tainted tender won Imvume the right to supply Iraqi crude to the South African state.
This week’s acquisition by SABMiller of Columbia’s Grupo Empresarial Bavaria adds another chapter to the story of a South African company that taught the world’s brewers a lesson. SABMiller took to the world stage by listing in London in March 1999. In the period since, the company’s share price has appreciated by 144% to Wednesday’s close of 968 pence (R112,47).
Union investment giant the South African Clothing and Textile Workers Union’s (Sactwu) R2-billion interests are so vast and sprawling that it is no surprise to find some unlikely properties in its portfolio. One is South Africa’s most successful rugby team, the Blou Bulle. The Bulls’ skills with the rugby ball have not been matched with financial prowess and so over the years outside interests, so to speak, came to own it.
Swazi civil servants took to the streets this week in a strike organised by the national association of civil servants, who were demanding a 4% wage increase as well as housing allowances. This follows strikes by teachers and nurses which have taken place in the past few weeks. The Swaziland government maintains that its wage bill is already eating deep into its pockets.