Ships have been put on alert after an iceberg was spotted floating off St Francis Bay in the Eastern Cape, the Cape Argus reported on Tuesday. The large white mass, said to be about 35 nautical miles offshore, is estimated to be 25m long and 20m high. It was reported by a single vessel, the Ntini, which was sailing in the area on Monday night.
The battle for the leadership of the African National Congress (ANC) is becoming ever dirtier and fuelled by paranoia in the final weeks before delegates vote for the as-yet undeclared candidates. The challenge on the surface appears a straight contest between incumbent Thabo Mbeki and ANC deputy president Jacob Zuma.
France upset the odds in dramatic style to come from behind and beat tournament favourites New Zealand 20-18 in the World Cup quarterfinal at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday. For the All Blacks, 13-0 up as early as the 30th minute, defeat was arguably as devastating as their equally unexpected 43-31 loss to France in the 1999 World Cup semifinal at Twickenham.
Forsaking high office in order to build the organisation should be the highest honour for members of the African National Congress (ANC), said the ruling party’s national treasurer Mendi Msimang on Saturday. ”Election to high office in the ANC should not be regarded as a stepping stone to government position or the accumulation of wealth,” he said.
Lewis Hamilton’s bid to become Formula One’s first rookie world champion remained on track on Friday after stewards cleared him of blame for a collision in Japan last weekend. ”No penalty is imposed upon him,” they said in a statement. The 22-year-old McLaren driver met stewards at the Chinese Grand Prix to review video footage of a collision during the rain-soaked Fuji race.
Statements attributed to the chairperson of the African National Congress (ANC) in Limpopo, Sello Moloto, were on Friday described as reckless, immature and childish by the ANC Youth League (ANCYL). The ANCYL said Moloto was incorrigible and had become an embarrassment and a political liability.
Acting National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Mokotedi Mpshe has taken steps to cancel both an arrest and search warrant for police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi. The National Prosecuting Authority said in a statement it would like ”to clarify the status of the arrest and search warrants”.
Boeremag accused Mike du Toit on Thursday told the Pretoria High Court he did not trust the state or police because he believed they were controlled by former terrorists. Du Toit, a Herstigte Nasionale Party supporter, said not only did he and many others distrust the police, he also believed the African National Congress government was behind farm attacks and murders.
The Mo Ibrahim Foundation was launched in October 2006 to promote good governance in Africa with the support of world leaders, including Nelson Mandela, Alpha Konaré, Bill Clinton and Tony Blair. On October 22 2007, the foundation will announce the winner of the world’s biggest prize, the Mo Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership, to be awarded to a former African executive head of state.
Zimbabwe set out Wednesday to demonstrate that Western economic sanctions were hurting ordinary people, the poor and even the unborn. In its first detailed policy statement on sanctions, the central bank disputed claims from Britain and the United States that their ”targeted sanctions” — like travel bans on top officials — did not hurt most Zimbabweans.