Gauteng

South Africa’s standing in the international golf rankings is set to rise a notch or two in January next year with the launch of the inaugural Jo’burg Open. A public-sector partnership has rallied round the first staging of the multimillion-rand event, to be hosted at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club from January 11 to 14.

In another deadly weekend on Gauteng’s roads, at least five people were killed in three serious accidents, and two cars caught fire on the busy N1 highway, causing huge traffic jams. A Volkswagen Golf exploded on the N1 while travelling from Roodepoort to Pretoria on Saturday night, ER24 said.

Fifty-two Zimbabweans were arrested in the last two weeks in connection with armed robberies in Gauteng, police said on Tuesday. Superintendent Fanie Molapo of the special investigations unit said most of the robbers targeted Pick ‘n Pay and Spar supermarkets. On Saturday, a Zimbabwean was killed and two of his countrymen were wounded in an exchange of fire with police.

Johannesburg’s public transport system received a boost on Tuesday when Daimler Chrysler handed 38 new buses to Metrobus. Daimler Chrysler president Wolfgang Biez said the buses would form part of the World-Class Public Transport Programme, which would play a vital role during the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

A 13-year-old pupil was rushed to hospital after he was stabbed by a fellow Edleen Primary School pupil on Monday, said the Gauteng department of education. ”It’s disturbing because all along it’s been taking place in high schools and this time it is primary school pupils,” said spokesperson Panyaza Lesufi.

Child-committed sexual offences processed by the state have nearly doubled in the past year, the Star reported on Monday. It said 82 children — some as young as six — are being charged in courts across the country every day for raping or indecently assaulting other children.

The South African government has set aside R3,8-billion for public transport for the 2010 Soccer World Cup, Transport Minister Jeff Radebe said on Sunday. Radebe also warned taxi operators who plan to go on strike against the taxi-recapitalisation programme to do so within the law.

On Friday, Car-Free Day, it took officials of the Gauteng department of transport and public works 16 minutes on a minibus taxi to get from Soweto to Park Station in central Johannesburg — a trip that usually takes Sowetan commuters 30 to 45 minutes. However, private schools in Gauteng broke up for mid-term holidays on Thursday.

Sexual-harassment claims against former Gauteng minister of social development Bob Mabaso will be internally investigated by the African National Congress (ANC), the party said on Thursday. ”I am ready to take part in the ANC internal disciplinary process to finalise the matter,” said Mabaso.

The Department of Minerals and Energy could implement a retail petrol-price cut of about nine cents per litre (c/l) on November 1 2006, provided the daily over-recovery remains at or above the October 18 level. This would bring the total cut to 95c/l since the retail petrol price peaked at R7,04 a litre in August in Gauteng.

The Gauteng Aids Conference concluded on Friday in Boksburg on the East Rand with delegates affirming the need to stop talking and take action. ”I have come to this conference for the last four years and heard the same thing; it’s time to take some action,” declared one delegate. The three-day conference was aimed at further developing a multi-sectoral response to HIV/Aids in the province.

Two former Scorpions bosses appeared in the Pretoria Special Commercial Crimes Court on Friday on charges of theft, fraud and corruption, a police spokesperson said. Captain Dennis Adriao said the two handed themselves over to police and were arrested on Friday on charges relating to corruption, theft and fraud amounting collectively to over R1,5-million.

Female deaths due to HIV/Aids quadrupled from 1997 to 2004, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) said on Friday. Speaking at the Gauteng Aids summit in Boksburg, Dr Hester Phillips of Stats SA said the very sharp increase in death rate due to HIV and related diseases is of great concern. ”There is also a huge increase in mortality in women in prime ages of reproduction,” she said.

The high-occupancy vehicle lane pilot project in October to reduce massive daily traffic congestion between Pretoria and Johannesburg would be conducted ”cautiously and progressively”, the Gauteng department of transport said on Thursday. Provincial minister Ignatius Jacobs was briefing the media on a planned dedicated lane for vehicles travelling with three or more people.

Media will have to cough up R1 000 a seat to report on President Thabo Mbeki’s speech at a South African Communist Party (SACP) dinner at the weekend, the party said on Thursday. Another option for ”media houses” was to obtain a table for 10 at a cost of R10 000 for the event that will also be attended by SACP leader Blade Nzimande.

South African Communist Party (SACP) leader Blade Nzimande was reluctant to hand President Thabo Mbeki an award for his contribution to the struggle, media reports said on Thursday. The SACP in Gauteng wanted Nzimande to present the award at a fundraising dinner in Johannesburg on Saturday, following acrimonious exchanges between the two men.

The Gautrain is expected to be ready for the 2010 Soccer World Cup but there are no guarantees, the project leader said on Wednesday. ”The section for the people landing here for the soccer will be ready,” Gautrain Project Leader Jack van der Merwe told the portfolio committee on transport at a briefing in Johannesburg, but would not guarantee this.