The lion murder trial in the Phalaborwa Circuit Court was delayed on Tuesday while a pathologist examined the blood-soaked clothing of the dead man, Nelson Chisale. Dr Leon Wagner, head of the medical faculty at the University of the Free State, was flown up to give evidence in the defence of one of the accused, Mark Scott-Crossley.
By the time this column is published, tens of thousands of people globally, would have made their way to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for February’s Black History Month celebrations. Some historians may muse that these pilgrims have probably gone in search of the biblical Ark of the Covenant. According to the Kebra Nagast, the Ark was secretly moved from Israel to Ethiopia by King Menyelik I, the son of King Solomon.
World number one Lindsay Davenport launched into a criticism of Wimbledon on Monday, the day that equal prize money for women was unexpectedly announced at a Middle East tournament. Dubai is only the third tournament on the world circuit that has equal prize money — the others are the US Open and the Australian Open.
Athletics South Africa on Tuesday announced that athletes Isaiah Nkuna (Gauteng North) and Francois Coertze (Free State) have been reinstated for competition after serving a two-year ban for an anti-doping control violation in 2003. Athletics South Africa also announced that Innis Viviers has once again tested positive for a banned substance.
Premiership champions Arsenal suffered a serious blow on the eve of their fifth-round FA Cup replay with Championship outfit Sheffield United with the news that leading striker Thierry Henry had been ruled out with an Achilles injury. Dennis Bergkamp, Jose-Antonio Reyes and Robin van Persie are all suspended for the clash.
Rik de Voest is only flying into South Africa on Tuesday but his late arrival is good news for captain Kevin Curren. De Voest will join Wayne Ferreira, Wesley Moodie and Jeff Coetzee for this weekend’s Euro/Africa zone group-one Davis Cup tie against Germany, to be played at the Standard Bank Arena.
South African oil and chemicals group Sasol on Tuesday touched a fresh high on the continued strength in the dollar oil price and a weaker rand, brokers said. At 11am, Sasol’s shares were quoted at R146,60 on the JSE Securities Exchange, up 60 cents or 0,4% from its previous close. Earlier, Sasol touched R147,50.
Zimbabwe must sort out its political problems if it hopes to meet the Southern African Development Community’s (SADC) regional economic integration targets, Reserve Bank Governor Tito Mboweni warned on Monday. He was addressing journalists in Cape Town after a meeting between SADC central banks and representatives of the European Central Bank.
Britain is offering up to 30 training places at some of its most famous museums to help young South African curators hone their skills, British Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell announced on Monday. The R3,3-million scheme — which will run for three years, is being paid for by the British government under a partnership with the South African Department of Arts and Culture.
Venus Williams lost in the first round for the first time in four years when she was upset by Silvia Farina Elia of Italy 7-5, 7-6 (6) in the Dubai Women’s Open on Monday. Williams’ previous first-round defeat was at the 2001 French Open to Barbara Schett. Williams also lost her first match at Moscow in October 2002 to Magdalena Maleeva but after a first-round bye.