The JSE was weaker at midday on Monday with the profit taking that began on Friday continuing, following the bourse’s phenomenal run — which took it to successive record highs — the previous week. Being a Monday, and with no fresh news to draw buyers into the market, volumes were light.
In front of a capacity crowd at Mafikeng’s Mmabatho Stadium, Kaizer Chiefs beat defending Vodacom Challenge champions AS Vita of the Democratic Republic of Congo 6-5 in a penalty shootout after playing to a 1-1 draw on Sunday afternoon. AS Vita were leading 1-0 at the break.
Argentina upset Australia on grass to reach the semifinals of the Davis Cup on Sunday, and was joined by Russia, Slovakia and Croatia. Argentina beat the 28-time Davis Cup winner 4-1 in Sydney, Australia. Russia beat France to qualify for the semifinals for the first time since winning their only title in 2002.
As Lance Armstrong prepared for what may be hardest stage of the Tour de France, the widow of a friend and teammate killed in a crash a decade ago told him to go for the win. That was the only thing that didn’t work out for Armstrong on Sunday, which he called ”a perfect day”.
Newly elected Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba on Sunday extended the olive branch to the country’s white Afrikaners, but warned that an unwillingness to share land in the arid country ”could spark a revolution”. Pohamba became the first head of state since Namibian independence in 1990 to attend a church service of the Dutch Reformed Church.
Mozambique’s economic growth is expected to slow but remain robust over the medium term, according to Standard Bank economist Robert Bunyi’s mid-year guage of the country. Real gross domestic product growth is expected to slow over the next few years as construction activity related to large-scale projects winds down.
The 2005 season started with dreams of golf’s ”Big Five” fighting it out for the Majors. After three of them, reality has been restored. It’s back to the ”Big One” and the rest are reduced to scrambling for the crumbs. Tiger Woods won the Masters, could not putt to save his life but still came second in the US Open, and won the British Open with a stunning display of controlled golf.
The African National Congress on Sunday extended its ”warmest wishes and congratulations” to former president Nelson Mandela on his 87th birthday.
Embattled Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has appealed to South Africa for a loan of several hundred million rands to buy fuel, food, seed, and fertiliser. According to media reports, the World Bank and International Monetary Fund are preparing to call in Zimbabwe’s debt of R4,5-billion next week.
Gabriel Gomez scored the deciding goal in a penalty kick shootout here on Sunday to advance Panama past South Africa into the Concacaf Gold Cup football tournament semifinals. Panama and South Africa played to a 1-1 draw after two extra 15-minute sessions and the quarterfinal was decided in a shootout, which Panama won 5-3 to advance.