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/ 2 September 2007
Businessman Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday said he has no interest in joining the African National Congress presidential succession race — this after the Sunday Times reported that Ramaphosa had joined the race. ”I have no interest in standing for this position,” he said in a statement.
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/ 1 September 2007
After all the drama of the court cases that preceded it, the floor-crossing window got off to a low-key start on Saturday. The only excitement was provided by a senior African Christian Democratic Party politician in the Western Cape, Johan Kriel, who accompanied his move to the Democratic Alliance (DA) with a blistering attack on ACDP leader, Kenneth Meshoe.
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/ 1 September 2007
A number of local councillors and one member of a provincial legislature have crossed over to the Democratic Alliance (DA) since the floor-crossing window opened at midnight, DA federal chairperson James Selfe said on Saturday. ”There is a steady trickle of people to us, but it’s a trickle, not a flood, and that’s as we anticipated it,” he said.
It is credible that Azanian People’s Organisation’s (Azapo) president Mosibudi Mangena is too busy to hand over his gun, despite leading a campaign against guns, said Azapo on Friday. ”As a president of the party … with such [a] busy schedule, not having had time to hand over his gun as yet is not [an] inconceivable and unreasonable excuse,” it said.
A major IT company employed the Gauteng finance minister’s daughter as it awaited the outcome of two tenders from an agency answerable to him.
The Nelson Mandela Bay metropolitan area is grappling with an increasing number of tuberculosis (TB) cases, with about 250 new patients being admitted to the Livingstone and Dora Nginza hospitals each month. In addition to this, over 200 new multidrug-resistant TB patients are transported from throughout the province to the Jose Pearson Hospital in Bethelsdorp each month.
The retail price of all grades of petrol will fall by 10 cents per litre from Wednesday September 1, the Department of Minerals and Energy announced on Friday. This follows a 15 cents fall on August 1 and an eight cents decrease on July 4.
After meting out a severe tongue-lashing over the behaviour of the state attorney and director general of justice’s offices on Thursday, the Constitutional Court said it wanted to issue an order making them accountable for their work. ”I have a deep intolerance for state officials who are paid to do their work and don’t do it,” said Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke.
Johannesburg Hospital closed seven theatres in July but is treating the same number of cases with a focus on complex medical care, the hospital’s CEO said on Thursday. ”The allegations that cases are being cancelled are not true for the tertiary cases. What is true is that those cases which are inappropriate are being referred elsewhere,” said Sagie Pillay.
The Johannesburg High Court granted an interdict to the Gauteng education department on Wednesday forbidding the Congress of South African Students (Cosas) from intimidating pupils, the department confirmed. Spokesperson Kate Bapela said that under the interdict the organisation may not threaten, disrupt or frustrate teaching or learning.
The South African Constitution allows for the freedom of expression and for ordinary citizens’ participation in government by raising concerns in the form of petitions and protest marches. However, protests are being "censored" by government authorities, says the Freedom of Expression Network.
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The Supreme Court of Appeal reserved judgement on Monday in an appeal about the validity of search-and-seizure warrants served on a former attorney of African National Congress deputy president Jacob Zuma. The counsel for the state conceded that the warrants against attorney Julie Mahomed were not justified.
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The state conceded on Monday that a search-and-seizure warrant served on Julie Mahomed, a former attorney for Jacob Zuma, was invalid. It submitted in the Supreme Court of Appeal that even if ”an unlawful search and seizure” took place, other relevant aspects must be taken into account to preserve the seized material.
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The legal battle between former deputy president Jacob Zuma and South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) will continue this week in the Bloemfontein Supreme Court of Appeal. Security will be tight at the court where the state will on consecutive days argue in three search-and-seizure appeal hearings related to investigations against Zuma.
In a dramatic finale at the Spar Women’s Hockey Interprovincial Tournament, Western Province (WP) retained their title when they defeated Southern Gauteng on sudden-death penalty strokes at the Hartleyvale Astro in Cape Town on Saturday. The finalists were locked at 2-2 in regulation time.
Gauteng police raided a counterfeit DVD syndicate and found approximately R10-million-worth of DVDs and equipment in a flat in Winchester Hills, south of Johannesburg, on Saturday. Three South African women and a man from Pakistan were arrested in the flat after an anonymous tip-off was sent to a media company’s crime line.
The Gauteng branch of the South African National Civic Organisation’s (Sanco) request for an investigation into the Sunday Times editor was ”legitimate”, the national leadership said on Friday. This conflicted with an earlier statement by a Sanco national executive committee member who rejected the provincial body’s call for a probe.
Gauteng education minister Angie Motshekga said on Friday she had no knowledge of any investigation of her by the Auditor General. She was reacting to reports that she was being investigated by the Auditor General for possible tender irregularities. ”I do not know of any investigation by the AG against me,” she said.
The national office of the South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) on Friday rejected a request by the organisation’s Gauteng branch to investigate Sunday Times editor Mondli Makhanya. It said the call came from a group that exists parallel to the official provincial Sanco structure in Gauteng
The new number-plate system proposed for Gauteng was given a thumbs-up by the Committee for Active Road Safety on Friday. Provincial minister for public transport, roads and works Ignatius Jacobs announced in his budget speech this year that all vehicle owners would have to change their number plates from January 1 2008.
A new energy-saving initiative, targeting Johannesburg businesses and homes, has begun. Launched by Talk Radio 702 presenter Jenny Crwys-Williams, the Power to the People campaign urges Johannesburg residents to save energy and protect the environment.
The decision on whether to toll Gauteng’s main highways will be announced later this year, the Department of Transport said on Wednesday. Beeld newspaper reported that motorists would be charged 50c per kilometre to use the main highways in Gauteng if it was decided to toll the roads.
A man appeared in the Pretoria Commercial Crimes Court on Wednesday accused of certifying defective condoms in exchange for cash, said Gauteng police. Sphiwe Fikizolo faces charges of fraud and corruption. Police spokesperson Captain Percy Morokane said Fikizolo’s case was postponed to August 23 and he was released on R2 000 bail.
What remains of Pretoria is a ”cadastral area” registered in the deeds registry as a township, the City of Tshwane metropolitan council said on Wednesday in answer to a notice of motion of an urgent application for a ciourt interdict against the pending change of Pretoria’s name on road signs to Tshwane.
If it were up to Minister of Arts and Culture Pallo Jordan, the potential of South Africa’s music industry would be felt all over the world. His strong belief in the cultural sector was shared with those present at the opening of the Moshito Music Conference and Exhibition 2007 at MuseuMAfricA in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
The number of foreign tourists visiting South Africa has grown by 10% ahead of Tourism Month in September, Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk said on Tuesday. ”South Africa is following the global trend with a rise in travel and tourism to our country. Overall foreign arrivals grew by 10% from January to May 2007,” he said.
Reigning champions Western Province (WP) and co-favourites Southern Gauteng both won their opening games at the Spar Women’s Interprovincial Tournament being played at the Hartleyvale Astro in Cape Town on Monday. WP showed their pedigree with a 3-1 win over Northerns, while Southerns beat KwaZulu-Natal 3-0.
Four national government departments owe the Gauteng health department more than R43-million for patients treated at hospitals, the department said on Monday. Spokesperson Zanele Mngadi said the provincial department is in talks with the affected national departments for payment.
African National Congress (ANC) presidential contender Tokyo Sexwale criticised the current state of the ANC on Friday at an ANC Youth League fund-raising dinner, saying it is marked by ”character assassinations, smear campaigns, mudslinging, whispering campaigns and rumour-mongering”.
The Social Construction gig at the Gem Bioscope in Kensington is the place to be this weekend, writes Lloyd Gedye.
The Gauteng provincial government on Wednesday launched watchdog committees in a bid to ensure accountability from municipalities. The municipal public accounts committees, the equivalent of Parliament’s standing committee on public accounts, will examine the financial statements of municipalities and their entities.
A notice of motion indicating an urgent application for an interdict will be brought against the pending change of Pretoria’s name on road signs to Tshwane. The notice of motion was filed by the Freedom Front Plus and one of its councillors on the City of Tshwane municipality as well as Afriforum.