One of the major issues holding up the announcement of South Africa’s much-delayed taxi recapitalisation programme is an assessment of the costs of the subsidy scheme, which applies to the purchase of the envisaged new 18- and 35-seater taxis. The government has for five years been struggling to implement the programme.
Public Protector Lawrence Mushwana is studying media reports and footage from the South African Broadcasting Corporation in which comments about his office were allegedly made by National Director of Public Prosecutions Bulelani Ngcuka and former justice minister Penuell Maduna.
‘Internecine warfare’
Public protector a ‘liar’ and ‘sad case’
The Western Cape’s head of housing has had his employment contract suspended following an internal investigation into alleged malpractices and irregularities within the department, the MEC for housing said on Sunday. The audit was completed in March this year and brought to light underspending of R144-million in the delivery of housing during the 2003/04 financial year.
The rise of ”modern individualism” had helped destroy the family values that were the foundation of society, Deputy President Jacob Zuma said in Cape Town on Friday. He was addressing the annual ceremonial opening of the National House of Traditional Leaders.
Taking his cue from President Thabo Mbeki, Western Cape Premier Ebrahim Rasool — while delivering his maiden premier’s speech in the provincial legislature — committed his government to implementing 20 ”measurable actions” within the next 100 days, including training 515 new railway police.
South Africa’s public protector has rapped the National Director of Public Prosecutions Bulelani Ngcuka over the knuckles for announcing last year that Deputy President Jacob Zuma would not be charged. Ngcuka had issued a press statement on August 23 last year which said that there was ”a prima facie case of corruption” against Zuma but that he would not be prosecuted.
New Minister of Education Naledi Pandor has acknowledged that it going to take a little longer than the end of the financial year to ensure that there is no longer a school pupil learning under a tree. She was referring to President Thabo Mbeki’s promise that the problem will be eradicated by the end of the financial year.
The South African government is looking into ways of cushioning the anticipated price rises for petrol and diesel in June, Minister of Science and Technology Mosibudi Mangena said on Friday. Given the sharp increases in the global price of oil, the retail price of petrol will need to rise by 38 cents a litre on June 2.
South Africa’s nine major cities have not fully recognised the importance of ”systematically” managing built-up areas and critical stresses have been placed on natural resources, the first State of the Cities report warns. The report brings together detailed empirical data about the country’s nine largest cities.
National Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi may have been "grandstanding" when he told Parliament’s safety and security portfolio committee that several al-Qaeda operatives were arrested in South Africa ahead of the April 14 elections, the Democratic Alliance said on Thursday.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?ao=66946">SA arrests lead to al-Qaeda: Selebi</a>
South African Minister of Health Manto Tshabalala-Msimang took aim on Thursday at doctors for holding protests against legislation regulating their dispensing of medicines. Doctors marched on Parliament earlier this year in protest. About 500 doctors — of about 8Â 500 involved — have completed dispensing courses and obtained licences.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?ao=66984">’Hey Manto, get off drugs'</a>
The City of Cape Town unveiled details of its 2004/05 budget on Wednesday, hailed by some as a complete paradigm shift. The 12,8-billion budget is a six percent increase on last year’s budget of R10,6-billion. ”The breakthrough budget… is [one that is] balanced, that is sound and based on the principles of sustainability and investment in our medium-and long-term future,” said city Mayor Nomaindia Mfeketo.
South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma — facilitator of the Burundi peace process — on Tuesday welcomed the United Nations Security Council’s resolution to deploy 5 650 military personnel and 120 civilian police in Burundi for an initial period of six months, beginning from June 1.
Setting aside parts of Cape Town’s controversial new municipal rates system will prove ”catastrophic”, the city’s legal counsel argued in the Cape High Court on Tuesday. The Rates Action Group has challenged the validity of the city’s sewerage and refuse charges, which are linked to the market value of a ratepayer’s property.
Long-serving Pick ‘n Pay director and disabled rights champion Martin Rosen, who was also managing director for group enterprises, has retired from the group after 33 years with the company. Pick ‘n Pay said Rosen, who was also a member of the chairperson’s executive committee, started at Pick ‘n Pay in 1971 as a trainee manager.
Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang has vigorously rejected a claim that her department is delaying distribution of donor money to fight Aids. Richard Feacham, director of the Global Fund to Fight Aids, TB and Malaria, made the claim this week, saying his organisation might look at other distribution mechanisms than the central government.
Alluvial and marine diamond mining group Trans Hex has no plans to reduce jobs at its mining operations across South Africa, Namibia and Angola despite pressure on its earnings stemming from the strong exchange rate of the rand against the United States dollar, according to deputy chairperson Bernard van Rooyen.
South Africa’s Minister of Provincial and Local Government, Sydney Mufamadi, says R5,9-billion has been spent on rural upliftment nodes and R4,2-billion on their urban counterparts in the past financial year. The upliftment involves the provision of housing, free basic service delivery as well as food security and land restitution.
New Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Marthinus van Schalkwyk says he has no doubt that the decision to cull Table Mountain’s alien tahrs is the right thing to do. ”I think it’s the right thing to do. We have to protect Table Mountain as one of our heritage sites,” he said in Cape Town on Monday.
New South African Minister of Transport Jeff Radebe, speaking on Monday at a media briefing, has pledged an institutional change of public transport and a review of the subsidy system applying to rail and buses. This includes the possibility of extending a state subsidy to taxis.
Large Durban taxi protest dispersed
Nine people were injured at Brenda Fassie’s funeral at the Langa stadium in Cape Town on Saturday when fans surged into the VIP area where Fassie’s body lay in a gold-coloured coffin. Three had to be taken to hospital and the remaining six fans were treated at the scene.
The new Social Security Agency, which the government hopes will improve delivery of social grants, will cost R300-million to set up. Briefing the media in Cape Town on Thursday, Minister of Social Development Zola Skweyiya said although his department has improved access to grants, there are weaknesses in administration and delivery.
The Cape Town Anti-War Coalition (ATC) called on the South African government on Thursday to expel the Israeli ambassador as well as cut all trade and diplomatic ties with Israel, which it accuses of "ethic cleansing". The ATC will be supporting a protest before the gates of Parliament on Friday.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?ao=66642">More die as Israeli army marches on</a>
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?ao=66608">SA govt condemns Israeli incursion</a>
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/pd.asp?ao=66598">Israeli tanks fire on peaceful protest</a>
Departmental budget votes are scheduled to dominate the next few weeks of parliamentary activity following the official opening of Parliament by President Thabo Mbeki — and the delivery of the State of the Nation address — on Friday. The State of the Nation address will be debated next week.
Manager of the Table Mountain National Park Brett Myrdal has received death threats in the wake of the park’s decision to shoot the Himalayan tahrs on the mountain. Park spokesperson Fiona Kalk confirmed on Thursday that Myrdal was threatened on Wednesday that ”if one single tahr is murdered, you will be next”.
Although the consensus view among economists and financial-market participants is that interest rates in South Africa will rise in the second half of 2004 in reaction to expected higher inflation, there is a case to be made for the possibility of the next move in interest rates being down rather than up, according to a Sanlam economist.
The International Wildlife Trust which offered to help pay for the relocation of Table Mountain’s Himalayan tahrs says the decision to shoot them is ”an absolute disgrace”. The Marchig Animal Welfare Trust said some time ago it would help fund the animals’ removal to a private game reserve if a permit for their relocation was obtained.
Key opposition parties in the South African Parliament are expecting President Thabo Mbeki not to divert too much from his State of the Nation address delivered in February when he reopens the newly elected Parliament on Friday. A Democratic Alliance spokesperson said "he probably won’t mention HIV/Aids or escalating crime levels".
The vuvuzela, the braying trumpet which has become an ubiquitous symbol of South African soccer, will in future be fully trademarked to prevent its inventor being ripped off, SAB-Miller said on Wednesday. The beer company will give entrepreneur Neil van Schalkwyk legal and mentoring aid.
The thorny issue of the Table Mountain tahrs may be headed for court again following a threat by the National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) to seek an urgent interdict. NSPCA executive director Marcelle Meredith labelled South African National Parks’ decision to cull the goat-like creatures "maverick slaughter".
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?ao=66496">Tahrs to die a ‘slow death'</a>
Newly appointed Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Marthinus van Schalkwyk is to visit the Eastern Cape’s Pondoland coast to assess the impact a plan to mine titanium from sand dunes will have on the area, known for its biodiversity and scenic beauty.
The New National Party’s federal council is to meet in three weeks — on Saturday June 5 — to assess the party’s future after its poor showing in the national and provincial elections. A newspaper report on Tuesday said the Free State region of the party will motivate that the party should disband.