Donwald Pressly

Education remains the largest category of expenditure in this year’s South African Budget, at 23.2% of non-interest spending in 2003/04. However, health, welfare and housing will continue to grow more strong, reflecting the broadening of social service priorities, according to the Budget review.

Legislation to allow defection for South African Members of Parliament and members of the nine provincial legislatures got the nod in the national assembly this evening, by 300 votes to 41 of 400 MPs

South African employers of domestic workers — estimated to number about a million — have been warned of stiff penalties for non-compliance with the looming deadline for the implementation of unemployment insurance.

South African ministers on Thursday denied that the ruling African National Congress (ANC) was deliberately ignoring the main opposition party in Zimbabwe — the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

Home Affairs Minister Mangosuthu Buthelezi says it is saddening that foreign countries appeared to be more concerned about the war on HIV/Aids than some local representatives, and he pointed to the country’s own president as an example.

Controversial African National Congress MP Johnny de Lange has apologised to members of the joint rules committee for making remarks about the parliamentary presiding officers.

Controversial African National Congress MP Johnny de Lange ruffled political feathers in his own party today when he accused the presiding officers of parliament of pushing their own budget agendas.

Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri has set up a second national operator committee to manage the process after the recent rejection of two bidders.

Deputy South African Foreign Affairs Minister Aziz Pahad today refused to condemn the treason trial of Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, indicating that the law must take its course.

The special adviser to Home Affairs Minister Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Dr Mario Oriano-Ambrosini, said today that there was nothing inappropriate about his relationship with Cape Town millionaire businessman Cyril Kern.

The South African government has confirmed that it has received a request to assist in an investigation into alleged irregular funding by a South African citizen of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s election campaign.

The Inkatha Freedom Party has called its national council together tomorrow evening in Durban to discuss the issue of dissolving the KwaZulu Natal legislature in order to force an election in the province.

Parliament’s intelligence committee has quietly given the green light to legislation that could send shock waves through the private telecommunications industry. The Electronic Communications Security (Pty) Ltd Bill gives the state sweeping powers.

In a new twist in the saga of the former home affairs director general Billy Masethla, the auditor general has found that the extension of his contract for a year to June 20 was invalid. The report places a huge question mark over the legality of thousands of administrative actions Masetlha performed.

The parliamentary committee that must recommend a candidate to fill the shoes of the retiring Public Protector Selby Baqwa is widely expected to pick either a land claims judge or a University of Transkei law professor.

Minister of Labour Membathisi Mdladlana beamed as he announced the new wage regime that will come into effect on November 1 setting minimum pay levels for South Africa’s 1,2 million domestic workers — and promising "a new beginning for our mothers at home".

The reshuffle of the provincial cabinet by the Inkatha Freedom Party KwaZulu Natal Premier Lionel Mtshali was described this afternoon by the African National Congress as "unilateral".

A total of 1 781 foreign visitors or tourists were seriously injured in road accidents in eight of South Africa’s nine provinces in the 12-month period ended March and a further 364 died in this time, according to Transport Minister Dullah Omar.

Inkatha Freedom Party leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi this week refused a request by the African National Congress for his party to reappoint two ANC KwaZulu Natal ministers axed last week.