WEDNESDAY, 4.15PM: FINANCE Minster Trevor Manuel on Wednesday confirmed reports that the Strategic Fuel Fund sold off “the bulk” of South Africa’s strategic oil reserves on government instruction, but denied that the money was sneaked into the Budget to boost revenue. “It is important to put to bed any notion that we [sold off the […]
WEDNESDAY, 3.30PM: THE National Assembly on Wednesday named the three candidates appointed to the Independent Broadcasting Authority’s council as Libby Lloyd, Nadia Bulbulia, and Lumko Mtimde. The committee resorted to a vote after failing to reach a consensus. The recommendation will now be passed to the National Assembly for verification before it lands on President […]
TUESDAY, 12.45PM: AGRICULTURAL unions said on Monday they believe racial attacks on farms are escalating following the murder of two farmers in two days. Police disagree, however. Investigative ask unit spokesman Superintendent Martin Aylward said although the weekend “was a bit tough”, the police are confident that they are winning the battle against people “taking […]
TUESDAY, 12.00NOON: STRIKING transport workers on Tuesday marched from the Johannesburg Library Gardens to the offices of the National Bargaining Council in Braamfontein, on the second day of national transport workers’ strike. Talks between unions and the Road Freight Employers’ Association on wages and subsistence allowances broke down last week, and seven unions are involved […]
MONDAY, 12.30PM: THE Coastal sharks ended the ACT Brumbies’ record of two seasons without a home loss on Saturday, when they slashed into the Australians with a 41-23 victory in their Super-12 match at the Bruce Stadium in Canberra. Sharks coach Ian McIntosh, who is arguably the most experienced coach in the Super-12, showed his […]
MONDAY, 3.30PM: JACQUES KALLIS scored his 11th first-class century in a SuperSport Series match against Northerns at Centurion Park on Sunday, four days before the start of the first Test against Sri Lanka at Newlands in Cape Town on Thursday. Kallis was dismissed by Nelson on 111, and HD Ackerman, unbeaten on 95, was looking […]
MONDAY, 3.30PM: GOVERNMENT is planning to set specific inflation targets to guide the South African Reserve Bank toward a more clearly defined goal, despite the opinion of Reserve Bank governor Chris Stals that South Africa is not ready for such a move. Stals said he supports the idea of inflation targets set by the government, […]
Robert Kirby: Loose Cannon Gnaw on this dainty bone if you will. “The unfair labour practice provisions and provisions against dismissal for arbitrary reasons and unfair dismissal for incapacity should provide some protection.” Or what about this plum, in reply to the question: What is sexual harassment? “The imposition of unwanted conduct of a sexual […]
Ronald Suresh Roberts THE HOUSE GUN by Nadine Gordimer (David Philip, R99,95) PARADISE by Toni Morrison (Chatto & Windus, R110) ‘Little illegal niggers with guns and no home training need to be in jail,” says a black resident of a blacks-only town, in Toni Morrison’s Paradise. Conversely, in Nadine Gordimer’s The House Gun, young white […]
IN BRIEF LESOTHO PM IN HOSPITAL LESOTHO Prime Minister Ntsu Mokhehle, 79, was admitted to the Morningside clinic in Johannesburg on Thursday afternoon. The nature of his illness is unknown, but Mokhehle has been ill for some time. Mokhehle declared himself unavailable for Lesotho’s May 23 elections because of ill health and old age. He […]