SPECULATION of a partial merger between two of South Africa’s biggest information technology firms pushed the IT index up sharply on Monday despite lingering Y2K fears. Under speculation are Comparex Holdings Ltd and Dimension Data Holdings Ltd (Didata). The Business Day reported on Monday that the announcement of talks by both companies has fuelled speculation […]
SARAH BULLEN, Cape Town | Tuesday 4.45pm GOLD ignited markets on Tuesday boosting the Johannesburg Stock Exchange as the all gold index climbed 5,15% as the bullion price shot up over $16 to trade at over $320 an ounce. The rise in gold injected a firmer undertone into the market boosting equity, currency and bond […]
AN American tourist claims he was thrown into a filthy holding cell full of dagga smokers at the Newcastle Magistrate’s Court last week because of a misunderstanding over a bill. Dean Michaels (40) said on Friday: “Nearly all of them were smoking dagga, or rolling something in the corner. I could not believe the smell.” […]
CAPE TOWN is preparing to put on a millennium party for 200000 foreigners expected to flock to the city for festivities that include watching the sun set on 1999 from the top of Table Mountain. The tourist industry says the rush has already made it hard to find a plane ticket to Cape Town or […]
AT least one man was shot dead and two injured when gunfire broke out during an attempted eviction of squatters in Lawley, south of Johannesburg on Monday. Vaal police could not confirm reports that a second man had died in hospital after the shooting. According to police, A crowd of about 600 people confronted and […]
CONGO’s government and the Norwegian cement group Scancem have signed an agreement to renew production in the central African country. The Brazzaville government and the Norwegian company, which had withdrawn in 1996, on Thursday signed the deal to set up a new firm, Les Ciments du Congo, which will take the assets of the former […]
DESMOND DAVIES, London | Tuesday 3.00pm FOUR European organisations have launched a campaign to highlight how illegal sales of diamonds have been fuelling wars in Africa. The diamond centres of London, Antwerp, New York and Milan are being specifically targeted by the organisations. Diamonds from Angola, Sierra Leone and Liberia are being used by rebel […]
THE first summit of heads of state and government of the European Union and Africa will be held next April 3 to 4 in Cairo, an EU source said Friday. The summit will be held under the Portuguese EU rotating presidency that begins in January. Africa is alone among the world’s great regions in not […]
A SINGAPORE Airline flight carrying a consignment of wild animals bound for a Chinese safari park left as scheduled on Tuesday, a spokesman for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said. NSPCA executive director Marcelle French said all 167 animals being exported by controversial game exporter Riccardo Ghiazza had been declared […]
THE Johannesburg Stock Exchange has put off plans to introduce a second company in its pilot project to phase out paper-based transactions after trades in an initial test company exceeded planned volumes due to a resurgent bullion. Harmony Gold piloted the JSE’s project to move to paperless trading last week with the conversion of its […]