After taking a breather on Wednesday, the JSE Securities Exchange resumed its push to record highs on Thursday when strength in heavyweight dual-listed stocks offshore encouraged futures related buying locally. By 12.05pm, the all share index was up 0,52% at 13 526,2 after earlier reaching a highest ever 13 557,19.
Striking truck drivers rejected a new pay offer from the Road Freight Employers’ Association (RFEA) on Thursday, but talks are continuing. After lengthy discussions with the South African Transport and Allied Workers’ Union, the RFEA offered 7% on basic salaries — not 10% as demanded by drivers.
Lamontville Golden Arrows shoved Bush Bucks closer to relegation when they trounced them 3-1 in a Castle Premiership encounter played at King Zwelithini Stadium on Wednesday afternoon. The home side led 1-0 at interval thanks to a strike by Papi Zothwane, who converted a pinpoint cross ball from Mabhuti Khanyeza in the third minute.
Moroka Swallows kept their unbeaten record intact this season at the Rand Stadium when they scored a 1-0 win over disappointing Silver Stars in a scrappy Castle Premiership clash on Wednesday. Swallows led 1-0 at half-time. To make matter worse for the Limpopo-based Premier Soccer League club, Stars missed a penalty in the 58th minute.
A smile spread across the face of South African captain Kevin Curren when the name of his number-one player, Wesley Moodie, was drawn first on Wednesday for the Euro-African zone group-one Davis Cup tie against Germany in Johannesburg. The tie will be played at the indoor tennis arena at Ellis Park from Friday to Sunday.
Minister of Sport and Recreation Makhenkesi Stofile on Wednesday said he wants to see racial transformation in sport completed by 2010. ”We would have been there if we did what we had to do since 1992,” Stofile told reporters in Cape Town, lamenting the slow pace of transformation since apartheid ended in the early 1990s.
Bloemfontein Celtic scored one of their best victories thus far when they defeated Castle Premiership leaders Orlando Pirates 1-0 in a pulsating clash played at the Free State Stadium on Wednesday night. The foundations for the win were laid by Celtic’s uncompromising defence. It was a gutsy display and the home side earned their three points the hard way.
Dynamos dropped two valuable points when they drew 0-0 against the relegation-threatened Manning Rangers in their Castle Premiership match played at Giyani Stadium on Wednesday night. Dynamos demonstrated some elements of character from the opening minutes of the encounter but the Durbanites were equal to the task.
World number two Lleyton Hewitt will lead Australia’s Davis Cup first-round tennis tie against 144th-ranked Austrian Alexander Peya on grass in Sydney on Friday. Australia’s second singles player, Wayne Arthurs, who won his first career ATP Tour final in Arizona last weekend, will take on Austria’s number-one player, Jurgen Melzer, on Friday.
Michael Schumacher confirmed on Thursday that he has had several approaches from formula-one rivals McLaren to quit world champions Ferrari. The dominant seven-times world champion — the past five of them with Ferrari — said McLaren boss Ron Dennis in 2000 tried to get him to join the British team, but the 36-year-old German ace said he was happy where he was.