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/ 9 December 2003

Research: Reservists doubt police management

Senior police management should take notice of some disquieting perceptions among police reservists contained in newly compiled research, as the South African Police Service (SAPS) considers making more use of reservists. The research delves into the impressions of active police reservists and their role in the SAPS.

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/ 25 November 2003

No more perks for pals in education

Controversial legislation requiring school governing bodies to apply to provincial education departments for permission to give teachers extra pay or benefits was approved on Tuesday. ”We have too many cases … of ‘perks for pals’, determined only by the principal,” said Education Minister Kader Asmal.

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/ 24 November 2003

Mbeki and Zuma head ANC election list

President Thabo Mbeki and his deputy, Jacob Zuma, are predictably first and second on the African National Congress’s provisional list of national candidates for next year’s general elections, released on Monday. The national and provincial lists were adopted by the ANC’s national list conference at the weekend.

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/ 12 November 2003

ANC takes two SA by-elections unopposed

The ruling African National Congress (ANC) has won two municipal by-elections – in the Western Cape at Breede River/Robertson municipality and at Dealesville in the Free State unopposed — while the official opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) has won a seat at Phillipstown in the Northern Cape unopposed.

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/ 12 November 2003

New voices protest against nuclear plans

South Africa’s controversial plans to push forward with the construction of a new nuclear reactor continue to raise the ire of environmentalists across the country. But until recently the voices of protest were mostly those of the white middle classes. Now grassroots activism is being intensified to ensure that all communities are fully aware of the potential risks of nuclear energy.

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/ 11 November 2003

Land Rights Bill ‘deeply flawed’

A wide range of organisations have gathered in Cape Town to ask Parliament not to pass the Communal Land Rights Bill, which they claim gives too much power to traditional leaders to the detriment of the rural poor. However, the groups differed on how to lobby government to accede to their demands.

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/ 6 November 2003

Bus of death had defective brakes

A report on the Saulspoort bus tragedy, released on Thursday, stated that brakes were defective on at least three of the disaster bus’s wheels. Free State MEC for public works, roads and transport Sekhopi Malebo released the report, compiled by a Pretoria company specialising in such investigations.

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/ 1 November 2003

Boeremag: Bombings blamed on Muslims

Rightwingers planning a coup d’etat believed their terrorist deeds would be blamed on Muslim fundamentalists, the Pretoria High Court Boeremag treason trial heard on Friday. The Boeremagmeeting, where this was decided, was held two days after the attacks on New York’s World Trade Centre, which was blamed on Muslim fundamentalists.

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/ 27 October 2003

Phosa, Mbeki head ANC candidate lists

Former Mpumalanga premier-turned-businessman Mathews Phosa has been elected to the provincial African National Congress’s list of provincial and national candidates for next year’s elections, SABC Radio News reported on Monday. The ANC also announced on Monday that President Thabo Mbeki heads the North West’s national candidates nominations list.

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/ 26 September 2003

Heat and dust

Artist Aidan Walsh has documented his travels to SA’s deserted spots in a series of paintings. Rajendra Chetty talks to the artist about the originating ideas for his Karoo journey and the social commentary behind his depiction of stark landscapes.

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/ 23 September 2003

5,3m South Africans are jobless

About 5,3-million people in South Africa, or 31,2% of those economically active, were officially unemployed in March this year, Statistics South Africa said on Tuesday. The corresponding figures for September and March last year, which Stats South Africa provided earlier, were 30,5% and 29,4% respectively.

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/ 28 August 2003

Tourism month kicks off

The wind whipped at my exposed ears as I tried to focus on the diminutive dynamo that is SA Tourism CEO Cheryl Carolus. All around me fellow hacks and travel fundis shivered miserably in the bitter Jo’burg morning. Welcome to the launch of Tourism Month and the concrete cold of SA Tourism’s head office in Illovo.

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/ 28 June 2003

Payout for asbestos sufferers

British company Cape Plc on Friday paid about R93-million in compensation to 7 500 South African workers who suffered a range of diseases after being exposed to asbestos at work. Gencor Ltd. will also pay about R39,7-million to Cape claimants who were also exposed to asbestos while working for Gencor.