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/ 27 November 2007

ANC Women’s League backs Zuma

The African National Congress’s (ANC) Women’s League late on Monday nominated deputy leader Jacob Zuma as its candidate to head up the organisation, the South African Broadcasting Corporation reported. Their backing for Zuma for the top job comes after the ANC Youth League on Friday also nominated Zuma.

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/ 26 November 2007

Govt declares Highveld regions air-pollution hot spots

The Highveld regions of eastern Gauteng and western Mpumalanga, including towns such as Witbank, Standerton and Boksburg, have been declared air-pollution hot spots. ”There is little doubt that people living and working in these areas do not enjoy air quality that is not harmful to their health and well-being,” the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism said on Monday.

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/ 26 November 2007

Absa injects money to cut housing backlog

Absa and the National Housing Finance Corporation (NHFC) on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding to speed up the provision of housing in several provinces. Absa has committed R2,6-billion for the building of 100 000 units by 2010. The bank has also committed an additional R150-million for project preparations.

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/ 26 November 2007

Women’s League to ‘speak for itself’

The African National Congress Women’s League is to finalise its nominations for the party’s leadership on Monday. Earlier, it was reported that the women’s league favoured Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma. The league, however, refuted this saying it would ”speak for itself” once it had consolidated the provincial nominations.

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/ 25 November 2007

Fight begins for the soul of SA

On December 16, delegates to the 52nd national conference of the African National Congress will meet in Polokwane to decide if President Thabo Mbeki should have a third term as party president and, with it, power over the party’s MPs. In the meantime, every day brings more intrigue in the succession race.

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/ 20 November 2007

World Cup may cost billions more

Projected costs for South Africa’s preparations to host the 2010 Soccer World Cup could be up to 20% higher due to factors such as rising steel and cement prices, Deputy Finance Minister Jabu Moleketi said on Tuesday. Officials in the host cities have delivered cost escalations between R2,8-billion and R3,4-billion above budget.

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/ 16 November 2007

No ride in the park

Like cyclists all over South Africa, members of the Lethabo Cycling Club in Soweto are gearing up for the annual Pick ‘n Pay 94.7 Cycle Challenge that will hit Johannesburg streets on Sunday. But, unlike other cyclists, they will take on much more than the road when they join about 25 000 others for one of the country’s major bicycle races.

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/ 15 November 2007

Matatiele residents march on Maritzburg

Matatiele residents were set to march through Pietermaritzburg on Thursday to the KwaZulu-Natal legislature in protest over their incorporation into the Eastern Cape. Matatiele-Maluti Mass Action Organising Committee chairperson Mandla Galo said that at least 45 minibus taxis had transported residents to Pietermaritzburg.

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/ 13 November 2007

Mashaba retains title with killer blow

Thomas ”Merciless” Mashaba showed no mercy to retain his IBO world featherweight title with a ninth-round tko victory over the United States’s two-time former champion Eric Aiken on the Lords of the Ring boxing bill at Emperors Palace on Monday night. Also, Cassius Baloyi gained a narrow revenge victory over Gairy St Clair.

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/ 12 November 2007

SA poverty levels double in a decade

Severe poverty levels in South Africa have doubled in the last 10 years, the South African Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR) said on Monday. A survey released by the SAIRR this month showed that poverty in the country increased ”dramatically” between 1996 and 2005, said researcher Marius Roodt.

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/ 8 November 2007

Zuma’s future hinges on NPA’s next move

With just more than a month to the African National Congress presidential election, Jacob Zuma will be waiting to see whether the National Prosecuting Authority will recharge him for corruption. Court rulings on Thursday clarified the status of searches and documents related to the investigation against him concerning alleged corruption in the arms deal.

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/ 6 November 2007

Violent crime claims heavy toll among police

More South African police officers were killed in the 11 years since the end of apartheid than in the previous period, a new study that highlights one of the world’s highest crime rates showed on Tuesday. The South African Institute of Race Relations said 1 894 police officers were killed between 1995 and 2005.

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/ 6 November 2007

It’s a record — officially

Athletics South Africa (ASA) has ratified four new national records following a meeting of the ASA executive board last Saturday. Louw Smith of Boland province clocked 13,73 seconds to set a new South Africa junior men’s 110m hurdles record. He achieved this landmark on April 13.

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/ 6 November 2007

Loxion kulcha: Soweto TV takes the lead

The only fixed-line telephone for the first community television station in South Africa to get a year-long broadcasting licence is hidden away in an outdoor broadcasting van for fear of freeloading by staff and guests. When you call the station let it ring for a long time, publicist Deon Botha advises.

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/ 5 November 2007

Patient shot dead, employee wounded at Bara

A gunman shot and wounded an employee and killed a patient at Chris Hani-Baragwanath Hospital on Monday afternoon, Gauteng police said. The man entered the hospital during visiting hours at about 3.45pm and opened fire, said Captain Phillemon Khorombi. ”He shot a 52-year-old female employee and a male patient aged 35.”

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/ 5 November 2007

Grisly find in carrier bag

A woman’s body was found in a carrier bag that was left with a Johannesburg street vendor by an unknown man on Monday, Gauteng police said. Spokesperson Superintendent Eugene Opperman said a man left a carrier bag with a vendor on the corner of Pritchard and Goud streets.