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/ 31 January 2008

Decision to prosecute Sasol employees welcomed

The labour minister has welcomed the decision by the National Prosecuting Authority to prosecute two Sasol employees in connection with an explosion in 2004 in which ten people were killed. ”We are happy that our recommendations for prosecution have resulted in someone having to account for the flouting of … laws,” said Membathisi Mdladlana on Thursday.

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/ 29 January 2008

My journey to the stars

Every year the festival season becomes longer and more exotic. That summer spell when young people gather in fields to listen to music and fall over, the result of either inebriation or inappropriate footwear, used to involve simply packing a tent and heading for a farmer’s field. Today you can build your summer around a trip to Benicassim in Spain, Burning Man in Nevada or Exit in Serbia.

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/ 27 January 2008

If it has chosen badly the ruling party will cleanse itself

Is it our business as journalists to pronounce on who is best placed to lead the ANC? If you look at some of the personalities in the party’s new leadership, such as unrepentant convicted fraudster Tony Yengeni, or former Mpumalanga health minister Sibongile Manana, who tried to frustrate provision of treatment to people with HIV, the temptation exists to damn them all.

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/ 18 January 2008

Eight in court for gruesome murder

Cases of murder, armed robbery and theft against seven men and a woman were on Friday postponed in the Middelburg Magistrate’s Court, Mpumalanga police said. The eight are accused of killing businessman Sihlangoma Solomon Hlongwane, whose tongue was tied with a string and pulled out until he died.

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/ 17 January 2008

Home builders to feel the heat

If the South African Reserve Bank needs further evidence of the dampening effect of higher rates on real economic activity, recent building data has been just that, according to independent economic analysts. A major challenge facing the government is also the extreme escalation in building costs.

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/ 11 January 2008

Mpumalanga works towards name changes

Mpumalanga is considering name changes to major towns, including provincial capital Nelspruit, the city said on Friday. City spokesperson Gordon Nkgathi said: ”The proposed geographical name changes, including the renaming of Nelspruit to Mbombela, have been considered and recommended by the Mpumalanga provincial geographical names committee.”

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/ 8 January 2008

Fewer people die on roads in festive season

The number of fatalities on South African roads over the festive season decreased by 13,26%, Transport Minister Jeff Radebe said on Tuesday. He was releasing the Arrive Alive campaign’s figures for the holiday season from December 1 to January 6. The number of people killed on the roads had declined to 1 419.

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/ 24 December 2007

Second chance for failing matrics

A national plan is in place to give thousands of matriculants who are not expected to pass this year a second chance, a newspaper reported on Monday. ”Education departments confirmed on Sunday that the plan was being finalised at provincial level,” the report in Beeld said.

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/ 21 December 2007

Simply hanging out at Sabie

Sabie is the undisputed outdoor adventure capital of the Lowveld. There’s an amazing choice of things to do. You can experience the adrenaline rush of the world’s highest cable gorge swing with a 68m freefall. Yihaa! You can go rock climbing, abseiling, spelunking, river-rafting, bungee jumping, quad biking, canoeing, tubing or horse-riding. You can go fly-fishing, sailing, power boating or 4x4ing.

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/ 19 December 2007

ANC gets down to brass tacks

The African National Congress’s 52nd national conference got down on Wednesday to the nitty-gritty work of the commission that discusses the party’s policies in an atmosphere that one delegate described as the ”cessation of hostilities” over its new president Jacob Zuma.

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/ 18 December 2007

More than 560 die on SA’s roads

More than 560 people have died on South African roads since the beginning of December, the Department of Transport said on Tuesday. At least 119 people were killed in accidents in Gauteng, 86 in KwaZulu-Natal, 58 in the Western Cape, 70 in the Eastern Cape, 52 in the Free State, 74 in Mpumalanga, 51 in Limpopo and seven in the Northern Cape.

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/ 17 December 2007

And the runners-up are …

On Sunday a picture emerged of strong support for Jacob Zuma, overshowing the rest and spectacularly managing to humiliate national ANC chairperson Mosiuoa Lekota. As strong an indicator as it was, some delegates supporting President Thabo Mbeki insisted that an Mbeki win remained a possibility.

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/ 17 December 2007

Rebellion at Polokwane

It was open rebellion as the African National Congress began its 52nd national conference. Traditions of the movement, almost 100 years old, were thrown out as the majority of the more than 4 000 delegates made clear their support for the candidacy of deputy president Jacob Zuma to the top job.

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/ 17 December 2007

Bring me my lipstick

<a href="http://www.mg.co.za/specialreport.aspx?area=ancconference_home"><img src="http://www.mg.co.za/ContentImages/327874/livefrompolo.gif" align=left border=0></a>Sabelo "Shanée" Moroka is a woman trapped in a man’s body, trapped in Polokwane at the African National Congress’s 52nd national conference. She joined the ANC earlier this year because she wants a gold Hummer, to go with her front teeth.

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/ 12 December 2007

DJ Sbu caught doing 257km/h

The motorist who was caught doing 257km/h in his silver Audi TT on Sunday night has been named as Ukhozi FM’s DJ Sbu, Talk Radio 702 reported on Wednesday. DJ Sbu, or Sbusiso Leope, appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday. He was released on R1 000 bail, Johannesburg metro police said on Wednesday.