Black economic empowerment companies (BEE) have improved their share of spending by Old Mutual Properties on outsourced services for buildings in the company’s portfolios to 56% in 2004, according to Richard Murphy, head of the facilities management division.
South African Parliamentary Speaker Frene Ginwala hinted on Friday that she might not take up a senior post with the Pan African Parliament if the seat is given to South Africa. She said she personally believed that a seat or leadership of an international institution should not be placed in one country.
Six lions’ traumatic and disorganised journey to South Africa from Spain will be reported to the South African Veterinary Council, the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) said on Tuesday. The society said the six animals were transported in inadequate crates.
”More than 170 designers showed their collections as part of the 2004 London Fashion Week recently. I asked four to tell me about their favourite cities.” Isabel Choat quizzed four London designers about where to shop, eat and stay in the world’s trendy spots.
Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa has promised to speed up the issuing of valid taxi permits after facing a crowd of protesting taxi drivers in Johannesburg on Monday. In the meantime, those with temporary permits would not have their vehicles impounded except when they are found to be unroadworthy.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/pd.asp?ao=32340">Call for official’s sacking</a>
Several thousand National Taxi Alliance members have converged on the offices of Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa, reportedly demanding the sacking of provincial minister of transport Khabisi Mosunkutu. Police said about 5Â 000 protesters marched to Shilowa’s offices in Johannesburg.
About 138 people, most of them illegal immigrants, were arrested during an anti-crime operation in Johannesburg on Friday morning, police reported. Inspector Dennis Adriao said at least 130 of those detained were illegal immigrants. About 30 of these were identified as suspects in cases including rape, armed robbery and murder.
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Not all prisoners are happy about the Constitutional Court’s decision to allow them to vote in the April 14 election, the Department of Correctional Services said on Thursday. ”There are quite a number of inmates who are there under different names to those which they are known outside,” a spokesperson said.
Special Report: Elections 2004
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/ 28 February 2004
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The name of former African National Congress Women’s League president Winnie Madikizela-Mandela does not appear on the party’s list of candidates for Parliament, released on Friday. Former ANC chief whip Tony Yengeni, convicted of fraud last year, is also not on the list.
Elections 2004 special report
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/ 27 February 2004
Ekurhuleni metro police chief Robert McBride said on Friday the objections to his appointment last year were unfair. McBride, a former political activist and former death-row inmate, was appointed to the position by the Ekurhuleni metropolitian council despite objections by the Democratic Alliance.
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/ 26 February 2004
At first glance, Israel’s planned 700km wall and fence on its Eastern flank seems defensible, as it will undoubtedly reduce suicide bombings on Israeli territory. Under closer scrutiny, it emerges as a gross injustice that is justifiably condemned in much of the world, and even by some Israelis.
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/ 25 February 2004
Justice Minister Penuell Maduna is expected to spend some time in hospital after being injured in a car accident, the Sandton Medi-Clinic indicated on Wednesday. ”We do not expect him to be discharged soon,” spokesperson Vicky Nash said.
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/ 24 February 2004
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More than 20-million people have registered for the April election, an increase of 14,7% in the number of registrations since 1999, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) announced on Tuesday. The voters’ roll shows that 17% of all eligible voters are between the ages of 18 and 25, and 44% are younger than 35.
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/ 24 February 2004
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The Democratic Alliance in the Western Cape on Tuesday challenged the New National Party/African National Congress alliance to say who it would nominate as the individual parties’ premier candidates. The DA unveiled its provincial election manifesto and named its candidates for provincial and national legislatures.
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/ 22 February 2004
‘You’re just so… pretty.’ This is a line which is key to the love story at the heart of Monster, a line whispered by Christina Ricci’s character to Charlize Theron, the odds-on favourite for Best Actress Oscar thanks to her portrayal of serial killer Aileen Wuornos.
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/ 19 February 2004
Department of Labour inspectors on Thursday recommended the prosecution of managers of listed retail group Mr Price’s store at the Boulders in Midrand after they denied inspectors access to documentation and prevented them from interviewing staff.
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/ 16 February 2004
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Two political minnows announced on Monday their coming together to contest the general elections, united in their ”fight against moral decay and godless government”. The New Labour Party and the Christian Democratic Party signed their cooperation agreement on Sunday evening, following months of negotiations.
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/ 15 February 2004
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The Democratic Alliance list of candidates for the 2004 election, to be contested on April 14, holds some surprises and a few predictable placements. DA leader Tony Leon predictably heads the Gauteng national list, followed by sitting MPs Ian Davidson, Richard Ntuli, Janet Semple and Chief Whip Douglas Gibson.
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/ 12 February 2004
Limpopo police appealed on Thursday for any direct relatives of sacked worker Nelson Shisane, the man who was allegedly thrown to lions in a labour dispute, to come forward to help them with DNA tests to identify him.
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/ 12 February 2004
The manne clicked last week. The pres chose Minister of Health Manto Tshabalala-Msimang for his Cabinet because of her millinery sense, amply on display at last year’s opening of Parliament. After all, she hasn’t remained in office for her deft handling of the HIV/Aids pandemic or ability to sweet-talk our doctors, nê?
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/ 11 February 2004
Police were battling to get more information on who had castrated a Katlehong man allegedly caught raping a five-year-old girl, East Rand police said on Wednesday. Gauteng provincial safety and liaison minister Nomvula Mokonyane said: ”We cannot allow having people taking the law into their own hands.”
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/ 11 February 2004
"Apart from the snakes, it was great," Mpho Padi said, looking reflective. At 18 life seems huge. Especially when you’ve just had your first real contact with the bush … and the abject poverty of rural Limpopo. A group of teenagers were given a glimpse of what the tourism game is all about.
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/ 6 February 2004
Aids campaigners in South Africa are worried about the apparent lack of progress in implementing a plan to distribute anti-retroviral drugs to millions of people living with the disease. More than 600 people die every day from Aids-related illnesses in South Africa, according to HIV/Aids support groups.
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/ 29 January 2004
More women than men registered to vote during the voter registration drive of January 24 and 25, and 18- to 25-year-olds proved those accusing them of apathy at least partly wrong. The Independent Electoral Commission on Thursday announced the results of the country’s second voter registration weekend.
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/ 27 January 2004
The existing Police Service Act will be completely overhauled by the end of 2004, Mluleki George MP, chairman of the parliamentary committee on safety and security, and Gauteng Safety and Liaison MEC Nomvula Mokonyane, said on Tuesday.
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/ 27 January 2004
The official opposition Democratic Alliance has reacted to what it has called newspaper speculation about the selection of candidates for the upcoming parliamentary and provincial legislature elections. The candidate list was meant to be kept under wraps until changes were made by party leader Tony Leon.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?ao=30185">Top DA brass low on Gauteng list</a>
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/ 26 January 2004
The provisional Gauteng province list for South Africa’s official opposition Democratic Alliance has placed front-benchers in the National Assembly, including shadow finance minister Raenette Taljaard, too low to be re-elected. DA leader Tony Leon is at the top of the list, with Gauteng leader Ian Davidson at number two.
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/ 25 January 2004
Gauteng Health MEC Dr Gwen Ramokgopa encouraged young people to ensure that popular Yfm DJ Fana ”Khabzela” Khaba’s legacy ”lived on by going out in great numbers” to register to vote on Saturday and Sunday. The DJ died from Aids earlier in January.
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/ 25 January 2004
Leaders of all major political parties were out and about, encouraging unregistered citizens to take advantage of the Independent Electoral Commission’s (IEC’s) last voter registration weekend before the election. The voting stations are open from 8am to 5pm on Sunday.
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/ 23 January 2004
Gauteng province has become the first province to switch on to Sentech’s broadband wireless (BBW) high-speed, no-limit internet access via regulated high-powered radio frequency, Sentech announced on Friday. Sentech launched its affordable BBW service, also known as MyWireless, in Gauteng on January 19.
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/ 23 January 2004
Rain over the past few days has helped to ease the drought, but government officials and farmers say much more is needed to break its destructive grip. "The rain was very helpful," said Mike Muller, Director General in the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry. "But it is not nearly enough to break the drought."