Unless Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang releases a full report on the deaths of babies in Eastern Cape’s Frere Hospital within the next 24 hours, the Democratic Alliance (DA) will take constitutional steps against her, the party warned on Wednesday. The DA’s health spokesperson, Mike Waters, said the party’s previous attempts to get the minister to release the report drew a blank.
New club record signing Darren Bent opened his account for Tottenham Hotspur as the English club won a second match on their South Africa tour, beating Orlando Pirates 2-1 in Cape Town on Tuesday. Bent, who joined Spurs for £16,5-million from Charlton, opened the scoring with a 12th minute strike.
Eddie Jones is enjoying his present ”consultation period” with Jake White’s Springboks — but the former Wallaby coach has stressed that he is not in South Africa to coach the national team, he is simply here to ”exchange ideas”. Jones — who coached the Queensland Reds during the 2007 Super 14 — raised a few eyebrows when he turned up at training in full Bok kit.
Johannesburg beat rival bids from Cape Town and Durban to host the international broadcast centre for the 2010 Soccer World Cup. Government spokesperson Themba Maseko said the tournament’s organising committee recommended Johannesburg, which is part of South Africa’s industrial and business heartland.
Former national cricketer Garth le Roux had acted openly and honestly in all the transactions over which he now faces fraud charges, his advocate told Cape Town’s Wynberg Regional Court on Monday. Le Roux and his accountant, Deon van Heerden, are seeking a discharge at the end of the state’s case on the 48 counts of fraud they both face.
South Africa’s rampant crime is a major threat to the growth of the country’s tourism industry, Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Marthinus Van Schalkwyk said on Monday. Speaking at a conference, Van Schalkwyk said crime is one of the main factors preventing potential tourists from visiting the country.
President Thabo Mbeki has urged unemployed South Africans to create their own job opportunities through the setting up of small businesses. Addressing Lwandle community members near Cape Town at a presidential imbizo on Saturday, Mbeki told the unemployed to utilise the several business support programmes which the government had set up for their benefit.
It was bad-tempered and it was close, but the Blue Bulls held off Western Province to win 26-17 in a Absa Currie Cup rugby match at Newlands on Saturday. A dubious decision by the television official allowing a Derick Kuün try when it appeared as if he had lost the ball forward.
South Africa’s national selectors have stayed true to their word and named a predictable and experienced squad of 30 players to feature at this year’s World Cup tournament. National coach Jake White named 14 backs and 16 forwards with the squad being a good blend of youth and experience.
The South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) has welcomed a recent Supreme Court of Appeal judgment that, it says, effectively makes the sub-judice rule outdated. ”This means that recourse to this legal excuse to avoid public discussion of an issue — a favourite ploy of politicians — is no longer valid, and those using it can be called to account,” Sanef said on Friday.
The government’s reluctance to allocate adequate resources towards the fight against substance abuse has contributed to the sharp increase in drug-related crimes in the country, Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille said on Friday. Writing in her weekly newsletter, Zille blamed the fuelling of substance abuse in provinces such as the Western Cape on state inaction.
Getting all South Africans to agree on how to tackle affirmative action and build a non-racial society was one of the bigger challenges facing the country, President Thabo Mbeki said on Friday. He said the problem was ”we cannot get everyone to sing from the same hymn sheet on the important question of how to build a non-racial South Africa”.
The African National Congress (ANC) has expressed disquiet at rumours reflected in a documentary on President Thabo Mbeki linking him to the 1993 assassination of South African Communist Party leader Chris Hani. ”The suggestions, made without any reference to any evidence in any form, are deeply hurtful and patently irresponsible,” the ANC said on Thursday.
A woman who allegedly sent rude SMSs to politician Patricia de Lille — and then refused to appear in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court — was sent for psychiatric observation on Thursday. Lara Johnstone (40) is charged with crimen injuria, and prosecuting authorities are yet to decide whether to add intimidation to the charges.
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Nelson Mandela’s 89th birthday was celebrated on Wednesday with a charity match in which an African XI drew 3-3 with a Rest of the World team. Mandela, who has dedicated his life to the promotion of human rights and democracy, was honoured by the ”90 Minutes for Mandela” all-star game.
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Playing soccer, often clandestinely and using rolled-up rags for balls, raised the spirits of South African political activists jailed on Robben Island over three decades ago. Now the former prisoners’ experiences will give hope to millions in a new movie.
A joint working group under the chairpersonship of President Thabo Mbeki has concluded that the targets set by the Growth and Development Summit four years ago have been 90% fulfilled. A figure of 4,2% is outstanding and 5,8% could be described as work in progress. The group met at the Union Buildings on Tuesday.
Strong anti-government sentiment was evident at a housing protest outside Parliament’s main gate in Cape Town on Tuesday. Residents of the city’s problem-ridden N2 Gateway housing project had marched on the institution to bring their grievances about high rentals and poor construction to the attention of Housing Minister Lindiwe Sisulu.
The Department of Home Affairs on Tuesday rejected the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) call for the government to set up refugee camps for Zimbabweans fleeing their country. Cleo Mosana, spokesperson for Home Affairs Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, accused the official opposition party of exploiting the Zimbabwean situation for publicity.
Most South African women prefer their men hairless, at least when it comes to body hair, according to a survey released on Tuesday by Dutch shaving product manufacturer Royal Philips Electronics. The Philips Bodygroom Survey also found over half of the men who had taken part ”admitted to attempting to trim, shave or wax” their body hair.
The National Prosecution Authority’s decision to prosecute apartheid-era minister of law and order Adriaan Vlok must not be seen as a witch-hunt, the South African Human Rights Commission said on Tuesday. Vlok, former police chief Johann van der Merwe and three former high-ranking police officers will appear in court for attempted murder next month.
Communities affected by the building of another runway at OR Tambo International Airport outside Johannesburg are to be kept fully informed about progress, according to Transport Minister Jeff Radebe. The aim, he said in reply to a written parliamentary question on Tuesday, is to allay fears and misconceptions.
Matric pupils at about 50 schools in the Western Cape are yet to write their mid-year exams because of the recent teachers’ strike, provincial education minister Cameron Dugmore said on Monday. ”Although various schools have been affected differently by the recent public-service strike, I am most concerned about matric learners,” he said.
The way affirmative action is being implemented in South Africa is to be discussed between President Thabo Mbeki and the main opposition party in Parliament, the Democratic Alliance (DA). Anchen Dreyer, who speaks for the DA on labour issues, said on Monday that when the president answered a parliamentary question last month, he agreed to meet them for such discussions.
Allegations that German vitamin salesperson Matthias Rath is practising as a doctor in South Africa are a ”lie”, his lawyers said on Friday. A lawyer from the firm representing Rath, Zolile Gajana, said in a statement issued on Friday he wanted to respond to ”defamatory statements” made by the Democratic Alliance (DA) about Rath.
Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille has accused the government of again washing its hands of responsibility and abetting Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe’s ”survival programme”. Writing in her weekly newsletter on the DA website on Friday, Zille also urged increased international pressure on Mugabe.
The Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) says it cannot take action against German vitamin salesman Matthias Rath. This follows a complaint by the Democratic Alliance complaint on Thursday that Rath had reopened offices in Cape Town offering products promising the natural control of HIV/Aids.
Najwa Petersen was refused bail by the Cape Town Regional Court on Thursday because her history of suicide attempts showed she was a danger to herself. She is to go on trial in February with Abdoer Emjedi, Waheed Hassen and Jefferson Snyders, charged with the murder of Petersen’s husband, internationally known entertainer Taliep.
The Institute for Democracy in South Africa (Idasa) on Thursday recommitted itself to working for democracy throughout Africa. On the anniversary of the Dakar conference, the organisation is celebrating 20 years of democracy-building by affirming its commitment to work not only in South Africa, but in other parts of Africa.
South Africa remains one of only two countries in the world to offer life policies for people with HIV/Aids, the Life Offices’ Association (LOA) said on Wednesday. Three of South Africa’s biggest life-insurance companies were the first to introduce life policies for people with HIV/Aids in 2001, with The Netherlands following suit only last year, a statement said.
The state on Wednesday urged the Wynberg Regional Court to refuse bail for slain entertainer Taliep Petersen’s widow, Najwa, as well as for one of the three co-accused in the murder, Abdoer Emjedi. Najwa’s own family handed to the court a petition in which the community demanded she remain in custody.
The Democratic Alliance has asked Justice Minister Brigitte Mabandla what she is doing to resolve the issue of Judge John Hlophe. The DA said it had noted with great concern Hlophe’s continued ”obvious contempt” for judicial process, spokesperson Tertius Delport said in a statement.