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The best friend of Jacob Zuma’s rape accuser on Tuesday corroborated the complainant’s earlier testimony that a lawyer tried to get her to drop the charge. Nomthandazo Msidi, known as Kimi, told the court that her friend went to the lawyer to discuss Beeld newspaper’s publishing her picture in contravention of the law.
The Wildebeest produced another standout performance in this year’s Vodacom Cup when they beat Griquas 40-22 in Kimberley on Saturday. In Wellington, the Boland Cavaliers thrashed a hapless Eagles 76-22, and there was a shock in Welkom, where the high-flying Griffons were brought down to earth by the Mighty Elephants.
One of the guns believed to have been used in the murder of three African National Congress members, including a party councillor, is also suspected to have been used in the 1995 Shobashobane massacre, KwaZulu-Natal minister of safety and community liaison Bheki Cele said on Saturday.
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South Africa has taken a giant step towards the goal of gender equality and the emancipation of women in the recent municipal election, President Thabo Mbeki said on Friday. The election results show the success the African National Congress has achieved to increase the numbers of women in the municipal system, he said.
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The first week of Jacob Zuma’s trial ended on a dramatic note with the court hearing he had unprotected sex with his HIV-positive rape accuser and she was treated in a mental institution. Meanwhile, Zuma says he will emerge from his trial on rape charges with his popularity intact.
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Jacob Zuma’s rape accuser has denied making a number of attempted rape claims when she returned to South Africa from exile. Earlier on Thursday, the Johannesburg High Court heard that while she was a child three men had raped her, and one had attempted to rape her on separate occasions.
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After describing in detail her alleged rape by Jacob Zuma, the complainant told the Johannesburg High Court on Monday that she had been offered compensation if she dropped the charge. She was also asked if she realised the effect the allegation would have on the African National Congress, and told to deny the charge to two newspaper reporters.
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The Democratic Alliance said on Monday afternoon that it had been offered a deal that would give it control of the city of Cape Town. DA Western Cape leader Theuns Botha said the offer would give a grouping of 106 seats — enough for a clear majority in the 210-seat council.
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The Jacob Zuma rape trial was adjourned shortly after he pleaded not guilty at the Johannesburg High Court on Monday. This was to allow court officials to choose who will be allowed inside the court for the complainant’s testimony to be held in camera.
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The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) has called for a multi-party governance system in the Western Cape after Wednesday’s local government elections. The party’s leadership made the call on Friday after no single party won an absolute majority in Cape Town, paving the way for political parties to form coalitions.
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The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) hopes to have posted 90% of the local government election results by sunset, its chairperson Brigalia Bam said on Thursday. A 47% voter turnout had been recorded by 10.45am, Bam said in a briefing at the IEC’s national operations centre in Pretoria.
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Provisional results show a 46,72% poll with just more than 14-million votes cast from a pool of 21Â 054Â 957 registered voters. The African National Congress had swept the board in the Northern Cape by 9.45am on Thursday, and the DA’s worst fear seemed to have come true in the Western Cape.
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During Wednesday’s local elections, several instances were reported when incorrect ward ballot papers were issued to voters, said the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) in a statement on Wednesday evening. However, the IEC maintained that the voting process had proceeded fairly smoothly throughout the country.
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The Democratic Alliance was trailing the African National Congress in most wards as municipal election results were trickling in on Thursday morning. The African National Congress had captured 14 of the 20 counted Western Cape municipalities by 8am on Thursday.
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South Africa’s third local government election since the advent of democracy in 1994 took place in a low key and peaceful manner on Wednesday. ”The voting process has proceeded smoothly throughout the country,” the Independent Electoral Commission said in a brief statement.
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A holiday atmosphere took hold of strife-torn Khutsong early on Wednesday afternoon as residents opted for soccer instead of voting. However, Khutsong voters make up only a fraction of 1% of the country’s 21-million voters and should not be concentrated on to the detriment of the others, President Thabo Mbeki said.
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Voting got off to a good start despite a few problems, including flooding, at some voting stations, the Independent Electoral Commission said on Wednesday. By 9am, 99% of voting stations were open. Police used rubber bullets to disperse youths in Khutsong and extinguished burning tyres with a water cannon.
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/ 28 February 2006
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The Pretoria High Court has dismissed an urgent application by the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union to allow 60Â 000 officers special votes or ballots at voting stations where they are not registered. Judge NM Mavundla said allowing police to leave their posts to vote could lead to chaos.
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/ 27 February 2006
The political party formed to keep Matatiele in KwaZulu-Natal, the African Independent Congress, says it is disappointed in the Constitutional Court’s decision not to make a ruling on the demarcation issue before polling day on Wednesday. The court ruled that the election will go ahead as planned in the municipality.
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/ 27 February 2006
Batsman Hashim Amla became the man of the hour on Sunday in piloting the KwaZulu-Natal Dolphins to a sensational six-wicket Supersport Series win over the Cape Cobras at Kingsmead on Sunday. The Dolphins scored 214 and 280 for four against the 216 and 276 for nine declared by the Western Province men.
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/ 27 February 2006
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Criss-crossing the country’s oldest municipality, Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka on Sunday went on a charm offensive to galvanise support in what was expected to be a tight municipal election in Beaufort West. She visited three wards — Hospitaal Heuwel, Nieuveld Park and Prince Valley — before addressing a rally in Mandlenkosi.
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/ 26 February 2006
In a low-scoring match the KwaZulu-Natal Dolphins and the Cape Cobras had their respective campaigns curtailed by 32 overs on the third day of their Supersport Series four-day cricket match at Kingsmead on Saturday. At that stage the Cobras, with three wickets in hand, led the Dolphins by 197 runs.
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/ 24 February 2006
Would the masterful and mellifluous, near-genius skills of world number one Roger Federer have surfaced in all their glory had his parents decided to remain in South Africa instead of returning to Switzerland soon after their marriage in the late 1970s?
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/ 21 February 2006
The KwaZulu-Natal Dolphins, who led the Supersport four-day cricket standings after the first round in October, are now eager to resume their chase for some silverware on Thursday at Kingsmead after losing out in the Standard Bank and Pro20 tournaments. They take on the Cape Cobras.
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/ 19 February 2006
The South African women’s hockey team emerged as convincing champions of the inaugural Spar Cup at the Queensmead Astroturf in Durban on Saturday. They defeated Scotland 4-0 in the final to take top honours in the four-nation tournament. The first half saw an expert display from the South African side.
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/ 19 February 2006
Veteran wing John Daniels scored a brace of tries as the Lions downed Western Province 24-20 in their Vodacom Cup match at Newlands on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Wildebeest produced one of the biggest upsets of this year’s Vodacom Cup when they beat the Blue Bulls in Durban.
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/ 17 February 2006
The Inkatha Freedom Party’s Durban district chairperson, James Maphalala, who was also an eThekwini municipal councillor, has died at his home in Lindelani, KwaZulu-Natal, after a long illness, the IFP said on Friday. IFP deputy national chairperson Velaphi Ndlovu expressed condolences to Maphalala’s family.
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/ 16 February 2006
A ”vile cocktail” of cancer-causing pollutants has been measured in and around some of South Africa’s industrial centres, Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk said on Thursday. He said the country spent more than R4-billion a year on respiratory health problems linked to foul air.
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/ 15 February 2006
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The Durban High Court on Wednesday ordered the Scorpions to return certain documents seized from former deputy president Jacob Zuma and his lawyer, South African Broadcasting Corporation radio news reported. The documents relate to the investigation into Zuma’s ”generally corrupt” relationship with Schabir Shaik.
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/ 15 February 2006
Cape Town station was quiet in the morning rush-hour on Wednesday as a strike by three transport unions brought the Metrorail train service to a virtual standstill. Metrorail spokesperson Riana Scott said only 20 trains were running in the entire system, cutting the usual commuter service to a minimum.
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/ 14 February 2006
Encroachment by subsistence farmers is threatening the survival of the delicate ecosystem of the coastal peat swamp forests of the St Lucia Wetlands Park in Maputaland, on the border of KwaZulu-Natal and Mozambique. But park authorities are reluctant to take action against the farmers.
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/ 13 February 2006
SA Rugby president Brian van Rooyen has declined to comment on reports that Bok coach Jake White was trying to canvass votes on his behalf, News24 reported on Monday. It quoted him as saying he would not do or say anything that would adversely affect anyone in the run-up to the SA Rugby election on February 24.