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/ 5 February 2007

Last-chance Iraq security operation appears ready

Violence raked Baghdad on Monday as an Iraqi general took charge of the security operation in the capital and Iraqi police and soldiers manned new roadblocks — initial steps indicating the start of the long-anticipated joint operation with American forces to curb sectarian bloodshed. But bombers, gunmen and mortar teams appeared undaunted.

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/ 5 February 2007

Balancing act

When President Thabo Mbeki attacked environmental processes for being too slow last year, many environmentalists were outraged. After a Cabinet lekgotla, Mbeki said environmental legis­lation was causing development delays and had contributed to “a quite considerable slowing down of economic activity”.

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/ 31 January 2007

Govt considers tougher line on BEE non-compliance

Black economic empowerment (BEE) legislation could be amended to compel companies to adhere to codes of good practice, Parliament’s trade and industry portfolio committee heard on Wednesday. ”The Act does not empower us to take action against a company that refuses to recognise the codes,” Trade and Industry Department chief director Polo Hadebe said.

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/ 31 January 2007

SA December trade balance swings into surplus

South Africa’s trade balance swung into surplus in December from a R10,5-billion deficit the previous month, official data showed on Wednesday. The surplus was far better than a Reuters survey forecast of a R2-billion deficit in December, although the data is volatile and unpredictable and December is traditionally a low import month.

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/ 29 January 2007

Finance Ministry calls for tips for Trevor

The Finance Ministry has invited all South Africans to send their tips to the "Tips for Trevor" campaign about what they would like to see included in next month’s national budget. According to the ministry’s spokesperson, Lindani Mbunyuza, the campaign is run throughout the year and the tips received assist the minister in understanding public sentiment.