MUNGO SOGGOT, Johannesburg | Thursday 4.50pm. KOBUS van Zyl, the former general manager of the strategic fuel fund, says he will challenge in court the fund’s decision to fire him this week – 20 months after he was suspended. Van Zyl was axed by an internal disciplinary panel on Monday after being found guilty on […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Harare | Thursday 9.30am. THE Zimbabwean army has been deployed in Harare townships following violence on Wednesday that developed from protests over petrol price rises. Zimbabwean state television news has shown heavily armed soldiers conducting foot patrols. It is believed the troops were requested by police struggling to contain the violence. Meanwhile, protest […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Thursday 3.45pm. WHITE right-wing farmers are joining a growing black vigilante group in a bid to deal with the crime plaguing South Africa, a Johannesburg daily reported on Thursday. The group, called Mapogo a Mathamaga, was Thursday due to launch a new branch in Ventersdorp, west of Johannesburg, a bastion of […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Thursday 1.30pm. JOMO Cosmos and Moroka Swallows deadlocked to a 2-2 draw in their Castle Premier League match at the George Goch Stadium on Wednesday. The match was replayed on Wednesday after Swallows players were struck by lightning during the first clash between the the sides a fortnight ago and the […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Wednesday 11.00am. THE Independent Broadcasting Authority on Tuesday hit out at newly-launched free-to-air television station, e.tv, accusing it of contravening up to seven of its licence conditions in its first seven days of broadcasting. According to the long-delayed IBA report, e.tv flouted its African language requirements, and failed to broadcast any […]

SIZWE samaYENDE, Messina | Wednesday 1.30pm. Northern Province farmers and police are set to defend themselves on charges of systematic abuse of labourers in the province during a two-day Human Rights Commission hearing beginning in Messina’s Agricultural Hall on Wednesday. The hearings are a continuation of damning testimony from labourers heard before the commission in […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT and AFP, Harare | Wednesday 10.45pm. THE violence that erupted on the streets of the Zimbabwean capital Harare on Wednesday morning had subsided by the afternoon, although buses and minibus taxis satyed off the roads for fear of coming under attack by protesters boycotting public transport after fare increases. Wednesday’s rioting and boycott […]

ROB DAVIES, Johannesburg | Wednesday 10.10am. STATISTICS on the incidence of serious crime for the period between January and June 1998 released by the South African Police Service’s Crime Information Management Centre in Parliament on Tuesday shows that violent crime has increased in South Africa, with farm attacks in particular shooting through the roof. Attacks […]

MIKE METELITS, Johannesburg | Wednesday 11.20am. LOCAL markets opened stronger on Wednesday, as Asian exchanges registered strong gains and Nedbank cut prime lending rates. Other commercial banks are likely to follow suit, leading to higher liquidity in the marketplace. The all share joined in the general global cheer, picking up 48 points to 6007 at […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Wednesday 4.30pm. THE mini-league phase of the African Champions League reaches a climax this weekend with four clubs chasing places in the two-leg final. Hearts of Oak from Ghana must win by at least two goals away to Dynamos of Zimbabwe in Group A to prevent the Harare club becoming the […]