OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Sunday 2.00PM. ORLANDO Pirates took their place in the quarterfinals of the Rothmans Cup soccer competition when they drew 1-1 with Bloemfontein Celtic at the First National Bank Stadium, winning 5-1 on aggregate. Celtic’s chances were remmote from the start, after being 3-0 down on aggregate from their first round defeat […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Kisangani | Friday 9.00pm. REBELS fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo have refuted the government’s claim that it has recaptured the town of Lubutu, which lies on the main route between tow rebel strongholds. Rebel-run Radio Bukavu said at the weekend that forces opposing President Laurent Kabila still controlled Lubutu, about 360km […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Grande Baie | Sunday 8.00PM. THE Southern African Development Community’s annual summit opened in Grand Baie in northern Mauritius on Sunday afternoon, with the opening addresses focusing on economic issues and regional conflict. President Nelson Mandela, who chairs SADC, expressed deep distress at the re-emergence of violent conflict in Angola. “We have great […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Maputo | Sunday 7.00PM. FOREIGN affairs official Robert McBride who has been detained in Mozambique since March is expected to be released on Monday. Mc Bride’s lawyer, Jose Nascimento, said McBride was die to be released on Friday, but the process was being held up by paperwork. He said the release would not […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Maseru | Sunday 7.30PM. FOLLOWING lengthy talks with local Lesotho parties on Sunday, the South African Defence Minister Joe Modise said there is still some way to go to find a solution. Modise flew to Lesotho following Friday night’s mutiny in the armed forces, where junior officers rounded up their seniors, among them […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Cairo | Sunday 8.30PM. THE Arab League, attempting to negotiate a way for the Lockerbie trial to go ahead, has proposed that Libya and the Netherlands sign a pre-trial agreement spelling out details surrounding the prosecution of Libyan suspects. Arab League chief Esmat Abdel Meguid has held separate meetings with the British ambassador […]

The faces of apartheid’s feared security police were on display at the truth commission this week, writes David Beresford They are unlikely combatants, but long-time adversaries; the almost theatrical figure of the lawyer George Bizos and the stocky, hawk-faced former police commander, General Johan Coetzee. They have faced each other on previous occasions across the […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Thursday 11.00pm. DELEGATES from the six countries discussing a ceasefire in the Democratic Republic of Congo have adjourned their meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, saying they are expecting “other parties” to join the talks on Friday. Sources at the conference would not say who the “other parties” might be. The meeting […]

Andy Capostagno Rugby The Currie Cup originated in Kimberley and there is every chance that this year it is going back there. For Griqualand West, under the coaching of Andre Markgraaff, have progressed this season from worthy underdogs to pedigree contenders; you might say that the rough diamonds have been cut and polished, although their […]

Ferial Haffajee speaks to visiting Asian-American author Ruth Ozeki Ruth Ozeki is so like her lead character, Jane Takagi-Little, that I call her “Jane” several times in the course of our interview. She doesn’t mind the gaffe, adding that her best friend refers to the character as “Ruth”. Takagi-Little, the narrator of the novel My […]