The cost of the recent floods in South Africa has reached an estimated R2,5-billion and is still rising, Public Works Minister Stella Sigcau said on Thursday. The figure only accounts for the cost of reconstruction work, and did not include costs of a social nature, like food, she said. “Now we have to find the […]

PRESIDENT Thabo Mbeki has indicated that South Africa will help rebuild East Timor after the territory’s 24-year independence battle. Speaking after meeting veteran East Timorese resistance leader Xanana Gusmao in Pretoria, Mbeki said SA assistance will include diplomatic pressure to stop the arming and training of anti-independence militia. Gusmao said East Timor needs not only […]

CAPE Town rescue workers are hoping to resume their search on Wednesday afternoon for the body of an unidentified man whose car plunged over Chapman’s Peak Drive early on Tuesday. The motorist crashed through a security gate on the Noordhoek side of the drive at about 3am on Wednesday. The road has been closed to […]

SABC chief executive of news Enoch Sithole resigned from his position, SABC chairman Vincent Maphai announced on Tuesday. Sithole had asked to be relieved of his duties at the end of April. Sithole’s resignation comes after strong speculation that Sithole was to resign because of internal power plays within the SABC following findings of irregularities […]

FORMER All Black prop Brad Johnstone, currently coaching Italy in the Six Nations, said on Wednesday that the rugby played in the Six Nations is not on par with that seen in the Super 12 championship. Johnstone, who coached Fifi to the World Cup quarter-finals before signing an initial two-year contract with the Italians said, […]

SUPERSPORT United came a close second to Moroka Swallows in their Premier League match at the Caledonian Stadium on Wednesday night. Swallows notched up a 3-2 win after neither team could score in the first half. The pitch was far from satisfactory, being slippery and wet after heavy rain during the day. Supersport drew first […]

SWAZILAND’s civil service union has vowed to fight government plans to shed about 5500 workers as part of its economic reform programme. The government calls them “daily-paid workers”, and says they must go to cut a bloated civil service that swallows more than 40% of state expenditure. But union president Elliot Mkhatshwa said on Wednesday […]

FIVE armed men took crime to new lows on Tuesday, boarding a Japanese trawler in Cape Town harbour and making off with a safe containing some $30000. Police spokeswoman Nina Kirsten said the men pistol-whipped a security guard aboard the Wakashio Maru before midnight, vandalised the bridge and master’s cabin, and removed the safe, then […]

LOUIS Vosloo has been included in South Africa’s Davis Cup squad for their tie against Belarus on April 7 after initially failing to make the squad. Vosloo was put in as a reserve in case Grant Stafford could not play, but is now fully part of the eight-man. Vosloo will join the team in Minsk […]

HURRICANES lock Dion Waller has been axed from the side that will play the Auckland Blues on Friday due to poor discipline. Coach Graham Mourie initially said Waller was left out of the starting line-up because of a rotation, but later said he is concerned about the amount of penalties Waller gives away. Apart from […]