It seems incredible that a government with a majority of 161, in its eighth year of office, and facing the disciplines of an imminent election, can simultaneously provoke one of the largest House of Commons revolts of its period in office and inflame MPs of all parties by procedural incompetence. Yet this is the double whammy that Labour inflicted on itself in a torrid five hours last week.
Evidence of cheating at 10 Mpumalanga schools prompted examination controlling body Umalusi to direct that the matric results of more than 2?300 pupils be withheld pending an investigation.
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Once again the shortcomings of the Natal Sharks were cruelly exposed at the Absa Stadium on Saturday as they slid to a second successive Vodacom Super 12 defeat against the Waratahs of New South Wales going down 36-13. The visitors led 16-13 at the break.
Arts and Culture Minister Pallo Jordan paid tribute to Professor Mazisi Kunene in Durban, the winner of the SA National Laureate Prize, for his role in the preservation of African literature and history through poetry. Kunene went to exile as an ANC political activist after completing his Master’s Degree.
South Africa’s favourable balance sheet offered an opportunity for boldness in the economy, President Thabo Mbeki said on Saturday. ”Let’s move forward faster… let’s perform better, because we’ve got the basis to perform better,” he said after a meeting of a high-level government-convened International Investment Council.
Traditional Zulu Indunas (leaders) and thousands of their followers marched through Durban city centre on Saturday calling for their roles to be recognised and legitimised in the KwaZulu-Natal constitution. ”The Zulus are ready for marching and taking to the streets, not for war” said one of the Indunas, Nkosinathi Mkhize.
The southern hemisphere comfortably defeated the northern hemisphere 54-19 in the International Rugby Board (IRB) Rugby Aid tsunami fundraiser at Twickenham on Saturday. The south outscored their opponents eight tries to three with New Zealand fly-half Andrew Mehrtens landing all six of his conversion attempts.
The Hurricanes maintained their unbeaten record in the 2005 Vodacom Super 12 with a polished 45-32 victory over the Cats at Ellis Park on Friday night. The Hurricanes ran in six tries to four for the Cats as the home team was left with much food for thought for the rest of the season.
Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad on Saturday announced a staggered withdrawal of his troops from the Lebanon in a historic move that ends three decades of military presence. Assad said troops would withdraw first to the eastern Bekaa area of the country and then to the Syria-Lebanon border.