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/ 22 January 2004
The proposed acquisition of media group New Africa Investments Limited (Nail) by the Tiso consortium comes before the Competition Tribunal next Wednesday, January 28. The rationale for selling Nail’s shares is that its shares have traded below its net asset value.
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/ 20 January 2004
After poor summer rainfall, a favourable rain-producing weather system is developing, the South African Weather Service said on Tuesday. The key areas that could receive decent rain in the next week are the North West, Gauteng and Free State provinces, with heavy falls possible in places.
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/ 16 January 2004
The bulk of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress’ supporters are unemployed while 94% of them are black, according to the results of a Markinor poll. Similarly, nearly 80% of Inkatha Freedom Party supporters are jobless. The poll was conducted among 3 500 respondents nationwide late last year and was commissioned by the South African Broadcasting Corporation.
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/ 15 January 2004
The African National Congress in Gauteng said on Thursday it will take its election campaign to white areas to ensure it increases its support. The provincial party’s head of elections, Paul Mashatile, spoke confidently about the province’s achievement since 1994, saying: ”Gauteng is a better place to live in now.”
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/ 14 January 2004
Yfm DJ Fana "Khabzela" Khaba died of an Aids-related disease on Wednesday at the Johannesburg General hospital. On May 16 last year, Khabzela had — in a move that had surprised the nation — announced his HIV-status on air during a mid-morning radio show.
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/ 14 January 2004
Despite scepticism from the Democratic Alliance and the New National Party, the Gauteng education department said it was confident that it would be able to accommodate all new pupils registering this year. ”Parents still seeking late admissions will not be turned away,” said Thebe Mohatle, departmental spokesperson.
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/ 13 January 2004
The Freedom Front Plus (FF+) on Tuesday appealed to Minister of Education Kader Asmal to see to it that provincial education departments do not put pressure on Afrikaans medium schools to change their language policy to make provision for a few English pupils.
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/ 13 January 2004
The Gauteng government stands to recover in excess of R200-million from unscrupulous developers and contractors in its probe into corruption in housing development, the provincial housing department said on Tuesday. Until March last year about 20 projects were investigated, involving more than 2 400 acts of fraud.
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/ 13 January 2004
Describing his first undercover visit to The Ranch, police Inspector Stewart Griffiths said a lap dancer removed her clothing and ”waved her pelvic region in your face actually so close sometimes you could smell it”. On the second visit he had to rescue a recently married colleague who had reluctantly agreed to elicit sex from a prostitute as part of his police duties.
‘They are just after my assets’
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/ 12 January 2004
Andrew Lionel Phillips, facing charges relating to operating three alleged brothels in Johannesburg’s northern suburbs, appeared in the city’s regional court on Monday. ”I have been singled out because the Asset Forfeiture Unit identified me as a source of sizeable assets,” Phillips said.
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/ 12 January 2004
One Gauteng newspaper put it best when its billboards read ”New Year in Hellbrow”. It was not a spelling mistake but a clever pun referring to the lawlessness that happens in the Johannesburg inner-city suburb of Hillbrow.
Members of the public wishing to comment on the planned demolition of certain Johannesburg inner city buildings to make way for the Gauteng provincial government precinct should do so by February 4. The government plans to pull down these buildings to make way for a public square.
The Competition Commission has referred the large merger in which the Tiso Consortium proposes to acquire all of the issued share capital currently held by the minority shareholders in New Africa Investments Limited to the Competition Tribunal for adjudication.
South Africa’s Department of Transport has reiterated its appeal to motorists to reduce their speed on national roads in anticipation of traffic exodus at the end of the holidays, government news agency BuaNews reported on Monday.
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/ 30 December 2003
South Africa’s 2003 national matriculation pass rate has improved by 4,4% to a total of 73,3%, Education Minister Kader Asmal announced on Tuesday, up from 68,9% in 2002, 61,7% in 2001 and only 48,9% in 1999. Asmal said the results ”clearly show that the tide has turned” for South Africa’s education system.
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/ 24 December 2003
As the government announced additional drought relief measures on Tuesday, hopes remained dim for substantial rains in the near future. A comprehensive drought mitigation programme has been put in place following an urgent meeting called on Monday, the Ministry of Provincial and Local Government said.
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/ 19 December 2003
The Democratic Alliance on Friday criticised President Thabo Mbeki for his continued stance of ”appeasement” towards Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe. However, Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town Njongonkulu Ndungane took an opposite view and congratulated Mbeki on his new initiative.
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/ 15 December 2003
Boosted largely by ongoing expansion of the harbour and a number of major businesses in the area, the residential property market in Richards Bay in KwaZulu-Natal is experiencing strong demand, according to Pam Golding Properties. Growth has resulted in an influx of new employees and a constant stream of contractors.
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/ 9 December 2003
Senior police management should take notice of some disquieting perceptions among police reservists contained in newly compiled research, as the South African Police Service (SAPS) considers making more use of reservists. The research delves into the impressions of active police reservists and their role in the SAPS.
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/ 5 December 2003
Faced with extinction, a small KwaZulu-Natal town has transformed itself into a wildlife reserve. The tourist industry is growing and the local population has embraced the promise of a long-term economic future. More visitors and investors already live and walk among the wildebeest and other game.
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/ 2 December 2003
There is a rape every 26 seconds in South Africa. A woman is murdered by her partner every six days in Gauteng. The costs of ineffective policing and prosecution are too high. The person who assaulted and kidnapped me was never arrested, writes Charlene Smith.
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/ 27 November 2003
A new fixed-cost wireless broadband internet service will be launched on January next year. In just six weeks, South African internet users will be able to connect at high speed to the internet without a physical telephone-line connection. Sentech on Thursday announced plans to deploy the new services, starting in Gauteng.
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/ 25 November 2003
The South African economy grew by 1,1% in the third quarter of this year, Statistics SA reported on Tuesday. It said this compared to real annualised growth rates of 0,9% in the first quarter (revised from 1,5%) and 0,5% in the second one (revised from 1,1%).
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/ 25 November 2003
The road transportation business in Southern Africa is fraught with obstacles. It is a risky profession characterised by trucks getting hijacked at gunpoint, and a high incidence of HIV infection among workers. However, industry players say it is also providing opportunities for promoting black empowerment.
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/ 20 November 2003
On Thursday Gauteng provincial transport minister Khabisi Mosunkutu announced further measures by his department to bring traffic and road-safety offenders to book. Six trucking companies, ”notorious” for violating the Road Traffic Act, have been summoned to appear before investigators.
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/ 20 November 2003
South African technology company Sentech on Thursday announced plans to roll out its wireless broadband services to consumers and businesses. Users will not need a physical connection to use the internet. Wireless broadband internet access becomes commercially available from the end of January 2004.
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/ 17 November 2003
Household expenditure in South Africa will rise from R279,1-billion in 1993 to an expected R673,4-billion this year, the University of South Africa’s Bureau of Market Research said on Monday. African households are expected to have the largest share in total household expenditure of the four population groups in 2003.
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/ 13 November 2003
Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa on Thursday tabled the province’s second annual HIV/Aids report in the region’s Legislature, saying: ”Care for people living with HIV/Aids places an extraordinary load on health care services. This is expected to peak around 2010, with maximum impact on acute care in hospitals.”
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/ 12 November 2003
Chris Hani-Baragwanath hospital is in a financial crisis because of a lack of a cost-allocation system and cost-monitoring measures, according to a National Labour and Economic Development Institute report released on Wednesday. ”There is high duplication of duties, wastage, corruption and theft at the hospital,” a researcher said.
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/ 12 November 2003
The ruling African National Congress (ANC) has won two municipal by-elections – in the Western Cape at Breede River/Robertson municipality and at Dealesville in the Free State unopposed — while the official opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) has won a seat at Phillipstown in the Northern Cape unopposed.
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/ 10 November 2003
Minister of Health Manto Tshabalala-Msimang’s lemon, garlic and olive-oil diet for people with HIV/Aids has been given a firm thumbs-down by the South African Medical Journal. The editorial of the latest issue of the journal says there is currently no convincing evidence that these foods alter the course of the disease.
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/ 7 November 2003
Hundreds of students used burning tyres to barricade the entrance to the Technikon Northern Gauteng in Soshanguve on Friday to demand the release of four students who were arrested earlier in the day.