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/ 10 February 2005
There appeared to be a ”conspiracy of silence” between companies, political parties and foreign governments over party funding, the Cape High Court heard on Thursday. ”The most glaring omission in South Africa in relation to electoral processes … is the fact that there are no specific rules around the disclosure of private funding which political parties received,” said advocate John Butler.
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/ 10 February 2005
Diversified mining group Kumba Resources is willing to participate not only in the financing of rail infrastructure but also the operation of the rail system for the transport of its iron ore and coal products, if necessary. If Kumba does get involved in the financing, it will result in an adjustment to the rail tariff it pays, Kumba CEO Dr Con Fauconnier said.
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/ 10 February 2005
Former Eastern Cape agriculture MEC Max Mamase should be criminally charged, the Grahamstown-based Public Service Accountability Monitor (PSAM) said on Wednesday. PSAM director Colm Allan also urged Mamase’s wife, provincial social development MEC Neo Moerane-Mamase, to follow his example and quit.
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/ 9 February 2005
The case between the Institute for Democracy in South Africa (Idasa) and four political parties being heard in court on Thursday seeks to make public the records of donations in excess of R50Â 000 to these parties. Idasa wants the parties to disclose their private donors, the amount involved and conditions under which the donation was made.
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/ 9 February 2005
The commitment of an Afrikaans-medium school to the traditions of the ”volk” came under scrutiny in the Cape High Court on Wednesday. The governing body of Mikro Primary School in Kuilsriver is asking the court to overturn a Western Cape education department ruling that it provide an English-medium class.
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/ 9 February 2005
Couples wanting to marry should be required to undergo a compulsory Aids test before the wedding ceremony, says Inkatha Freedom Party leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi. He was speaking at a Cape Town Press Club luncheon on Wednesday. More has to be done to curb the pandemic, including declaring Aids a notifiable disease, he said.
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/ 9 February 2005
The South African government on Wednesday confirmed it was considering classifying land owners in South Africa in terms of their race and nationality, but said this was being done purely to help it gauge the pace of land reform and the extent of foreign land ownership.
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/ 9 February 2005
Canadian junior miner Platinum Group Metals, or PTM, is hoping to start mining platinum in South Africa within five years, PTM CEO Michael Jones said this week at the Mining Indaba. PTM’s key asset is its joint venture with world number one platinum-miner Anglo Platinum (AngloPlat).
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/ 9 February 2005
The absence of broad-based black ownership of the South African economy may lead to economic insecurity and possibly even political instability, says Inkatha Freedom Party leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi. "I believe that the absence of broad-based black ownership might result in political alienation, economic insecurity and, possibly, even political instability," he said.
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/ 9 February 2005
For the moment, world number one diamond-miner De Beers has no plans to move the venue of its main sight from London where its marketing arm, the Diamond Trading Company, has its headquarters, De Beers group MD Gary Ralfe said on Tuesday.
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/ 8 February 2005
South African government policies are forcing enterprises to move abroad because they do not want the government to dictate to them whom they should choose as business partners in South Africa, says the Freedom Front Plus. The minister of minerals and energy on Monday called on the marketing arm of De Beers to move to Southern Africa.
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/ 8 February 2005
Western Cape education minister Cameron Dugmore and his officials had acted like schoolyard bullies in the Mikro primary-school affair, the Cape High Court heard on Tuesday. Mikro’s governing body is asking the court to overturn the provincial department of education’s instruction to create an English-medium class at the school.
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/ 8 February 2005
The desire of the South African government is that world number one diamond miner De Beers move its marketing arm, the Diamond Trading Company, from its base in London to Southern Africa, South African Minister of Minerals and Energy Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka said on Monday.
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/ 8 February 2005
All-rounder Justin Kemp, who scored a whirlwind 57 in South Africa’s 108 run victory over England in the fourth Standard Bank one-day international at Newlands, said on Monday that he should not be described as the ”new Lance Klusener”.
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/ 8 February 2005
The Democratic Alliance is unconcerned about Zimbabwe’s dismissal of the party’s plans to visit the country on a fact finding mission ahead of Zimbabwe’s March 31 general election, DA Africa spokesperson Joe Seremane said on Monday. Seremane said that anyone who knew Mugabe would not be surprised at this reaction.
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/ 7 February 2005
A Pretoria woman was arrested at Cape Town International airport after allegedly admitting to having swallowed cocaine ”bullets” worth an estimated R1,9-million. The consignment is one of the largest found on one individual at the airport and is the ninth such arrest at the airport over the past few months.
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/ 7 February 2005
The long-awaited report of the Jali commission into corruption and maladministration in prisons could be out by mid-year, commission secretary Charles Frank said on Monday. ”We will do our best but I don’t foresee it being done before the beginning of June,” he said from his office in Durban.
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/ 7 February 2005
The partnerships between De Beers and the governments of diamond-producing countries will be key in transforming the diamond industry going forward, but as the senior partner, the South African government should use its stick "very infrequently" or the company could "disengage", De Beers chairperson Nicky Oppenheimer has cautioned.
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/ 7 February 2005
The South African Bank Note company (SABN) has dismissed reports that its new R20 note has been counterfeited, saying forgers could not possibly match the technology required to produce the currency. ”Even if they managed to get a semblance of accuracy, they would not even get the feel of the paper right,” said SABN managing director Peter Gloster.
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/ 7 February 2005
The likelihood of a 50 basis-point cut in interest rates by the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) stands at about 60%, according to Lehman Brothers economist Tolga Ediz. Commenting in a recent research note, the London-based Ediz said that the choice facing the SARB’s monetary policy committee at its February meeting will not be an easy one.
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/ 7 February 2005
Michael Stich was fully extended on Sunday evening by Mats Wilander, who at the of age 40 years was the ”elder statesman” at the Grand Champions 2005 tournament at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. Meanwhile, Goran Ivanisevic wrapped up the tournament on Sunday night with a victory over Pat Cash.
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/ 7 February 2005
The captain of the South African cricket team, Graeme Smith, said South Africa planned to build on their excellent performance in the last two Standard Bank matches for the remainder of the seven-match series against England. Speaking after South Africa’s 108 run victory at Newlands on Sunday, Smith said they were hungry for success.
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/ 7 February 2005
As 2005 moves well into its first quarter, the residential property market in Cape Town remains buoyant with a particularly strong demand from local buyers, according to Mick Joyce, managing director of Pam Golding Properties’ Western Cape metro region.
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/ 6 February 2005
A polished performance by a determined South African side saw them beat England by 108 runs in the fourth Standard Bank one-day international at Newlands on Sunday, and take a two-one lead in the series. Set a target of 292 runs at nearly six runs a ball, England were always on the back foot.
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/ 6 February 2005
Manning Rangers’ woes continued when they were beaten 2-0 by 10-man Ajax Cape Town in a Castle Premiership encounter played at Chatsworth Stadium on Saturday night. The first goal of this dull match was netted by Thembinkosi Fanteni in the 19th minute, thanks to an excellent cross ball from Kanku Mulekelayi.
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/ 6 February 2005
German Michael Stich regained his winning touch with a 6-4 7-6 (4) win over Australian Pat Cash in Saturday’s opening singles rubber at the Grand Champions 2005 tournament at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. Stich went down to Croatia’s Goran Ivanisevic in his opening gambit on Friday night.
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/ 4 February 2005
President Thabo Mbeki has praised world leaders who were at the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, last month, for committing to be ”part of the generation that eliminates extreme poverty” in Africa and the world. Mbeki led a South African delegation that attended the meeting at the end of January.
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/ 4 February 2005
Portions of South Africa’s media are failing in their role as watchdogs, and seem ”extremely reluctant to bark these days”, Democratic Alliance leader Tony Leon said on Friday. He singled out the South African Broadcasting Corporation for particular criticism, calling it a ”virtual propaganda arm” of the African National Congress.
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/ 4 February 2005
Goran Ivanisevic, the handsome Croatian who has been turning heads since he arrived in the Mother City on Monday, has a chance to record a career ”first” when he plays German Michael Stich in the opening match of the Cape Town Grand Champions 2005 tournament at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on Friday.
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/ 4 February 2005
The Cape Town Container Terminal has delivered on its promise to have a total of 2Â 000 "reefer points" — power points for refrigerated containers — in place by the end of January 2005, ahead of the peak season for exports of fruit from the Western Cape.
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/ 3 February 2005
South Africans interviewed in a survey on education had some disagreeable things to say, with about two-thirds of respondents agreeing education is in crisis and standards are falling. Asked if schools are better today than 10 years ago, 48% agreed, 46% disagreed and 6% did not know.
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/ 3 February 2005
The African National Congress says the so-called "Travelgate" probe into the misuse of MPs’ travel vouchers has been carried out in a "vindictive" and "unplanned" manner. But the official opposition Democratic Alliance says the ruling party wants to "smear the Scorpions" and "obscure the culpability" of MPs.