The feasibility study for a proposed R12-billion monorail between Soweto and central Johannesburg was ”Mickey Mouse,” the chairperson of Parliament’s standing committee on transport, Jeremy Cronin, said on Thursday. ”On the face of what we got it’s not only the process that is poor …,” Cronin said.
The Department of Correctional Services confirmed on Thursday that Annanias Mathe’s father (80) was taken in for questioning after he allegedly tried to smuggle an illegal substance into C-Max Prison. ”The officials spotted through a scanner a bottle with a black substance inside a loaf of bread carried by the 80-year-old man,” a spokesperson said.
A ”facade” of unity in the tripartite alliance based solely upon the need to look united to the world is not sufficient, African National Congress secretary general Kgalema Motlanthe said on Thursday. ”No less than at any other point in our history, South Africa today needs the alliance to lead the struggle for a new and fundamentally better society,” he said.
Former president FW de Klerk on Tuesday invited President Thabo Mbeki to be a key speaker at an international conference on Unity in Diversity that he will be hosting later in the year. De Klerk extended the invitation during a visit to Mbeki’s official residence in Pretoria.
A protracted legal battle in the Pretoria High Court was avoided on Tuesday when the police medical scheme, Polmed, indicated it would listen to thousands of former police officers on reasons why it should not cancel their membership of the fund.
The case against a hairdresser and a traditional healer accused of committing a muti murder was postponed in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday. The postponement was for the Directorate of Public Prosecutions to determine a date when the two will stand trial in the Pretoria High Court.
A father of four who bashed in his wife’s head with a hammer and then claimed it was her own fault for threatening to leave him lost his appeal in the Pretoria High Court on Monday. Judges Lettie Malopa and Brian Southwood dismissed an appeal by Phillimon Thole (36) of Jouberton against his conviction and sentence.
The entire banking industry has been working for over a year to ”seamlessly and effectively” implement the new National Credit Act, the Banking Association of South Africa said on Monday. In a statement, the association said it fully supported the Act, which comes to in effect on July 1.
The government is doing everything in its power to get rid of the taxi industry to pave the way for other modes of transport, the National Taxi Alliance (NTA) said on Monday. Reacting to plans for a R12-billion monorail between Johannesburg and Soweto, NTA secretary general Alpheus Mlalazi said: ”The government did not consult with the taxi industry about this.”
Silver Stars beat Kaizer Chiefs 2-1 in an exciting Castle Premier Soccer League clash at the Loftus Stadium in Pretoria on Sunday. The result means that Chiefs will not participate in the SAA Supa8 tournament, a cup they won last year. Hareiapha ”Simba” Marumo headed in a Tshepo Ramokala cross to put Stars in the lead just on the half-hour mark.
In an unprecedented move, all the public-service sector unions will take joint labour action to force the government to improve a wage-increase offer. Following a meeting on Friday, all 19 unions, including Congress of South African Trade Unions and independent labour-caucus unions, decided on joint labour action.
South African business should do more to identify trade opportunities with China, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Aziz Pahad said on Friday. Speaking about the massive trade imbalance between South Africa and China, he said the Chinese were not the only ones to blame as they have often asked South Africa to look at what more could be done.
Outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair will pay a farewell visit to South Africa at the end of the month, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Aziz Pahad said on Friday. Blair, who earlier this month announced he would leave office on June 27, will arrive in South Africa on May 31 for his last official visit to the country.
A senior Pretoria government official who allegedly murdered his wife by beating her up in a jealous rage has been given time to raise money for his defence. Despite earlier warnings by Pretoria High Court judge Tholi Vilakazi that he would not allow murder accused David Linley Sonkosi (40) to ”play games” with the court, Sonkosi was nevertheless granted a postponement on Thursday.
The wage offer by the government to public-service unions does amount to 12%, Public Service and Administration Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi said on Thursday. ”Unpacking the government’s offer” for the media in Pretoria, Fraser-Moleketi said that while the government is offering a 6% wage increase, the total offer amounts to much more.
Jomo Cosmos held Mamelodi Sundowns to a 0-0 draw at a vibrant match at Loftus in a Castle Premiership clash on Wednesday evening. The 2006/07 league champions rested Calvin Marlin, Godfrey Sapula and Josta Dladla for a game which was meaningless to the Tshwane team.
A senior Pretoria government official was ”wild, like a tiger” after allegedly beating up his wife in a jealous rage, a witness testified in the Pretoria High Court on Wednesday. Schoolteacher Pumla Mkatali died in her house in Centurion in May 2005 of injuries allegedly sustained in an assault by her husband.
One of the Boeremag treason accused, Herman Scheepers, has died after a long battle against a brain virus he contracted in jail. Scheepers (52) has been absent from the trial since last year because of his ill health. He was granted bail in July 2006 after four years in custody, following an urgent application by his attorney, Paul Kruger.
Eight trade unions belonging to the Independent Labour Caucus (ILC) and representing almost 40% of public-service employees will know by next Friday if their members will strike. Speaking in Pretoria, Manie de Clercq, chairperson of the ILC, said the eight unions are ”balloting their members” and will have the results of that on May 25.
There was a welcome air of confidence at the Bulls camp on Tuesday when scrumhalf Fourie du Preez showed marked signs of recovery from his shoulder injuries and his name was thrown into the selection hat ahead of the Bulls’ Super 14 final clash against the Sharks.
South Africa’s targeted inflation should remain within its range, but the target could be threatened by adverse developments and a poor response to past monetary tightening, the central bank said on Tuesday. In its latest monetary policy review, the Reserve Bank said it remained focused on keeping inflation within a 3% to 6% band.
Pessimists who doubt South Africa’s ability to host the 2010 Soccer World Cup will have to ”eat their own words” in 2009 when all preparations for the event will be completed, Deputy Finance Minister Jabu Moleketi said on Tuesday. He said some people had ”targeted 2010” to reflect their negativity about South Africa and Africa.
Reducing the number of provinces from nine to four lines up with the African National Congress’s attempts to centralise the government and is therefore no surprise, the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) said on Tuesday. ”Efforts to make democracy easier or cheaper are ridiculous and defeat the object,” it said.
An application by losing national lottery bidder Igwija Gaming to force the Lotteries Board to supply detailed information on other bidders was premature, a Pretoria judge ruled on Monday. Judge Francis Legodi said it would be prudent not to deal with Igwija’s application at this stage.
Public service unions did not understand government’s wage increase offer and could therefore not negotiate seriously about it, Public Service and Administration Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi said on Monday. Speaking at a press conference in Pretoria, she said the government wanted workshops to explain its offer.
SuperSport United and Bloemfontein Celtic earned a point each after they drew 2-2 in their Castle Premier Soccer League clash at the Loftus Versfeld on Sunday. The result means SuperSport jump to fifth while Celtic remain in eighth place. Kaizer Chiefs, who beat Maritzburg United 3-0, stay in ninth with 42 points.
Flyhalf Derick Hougaard scored all 27 points to steer the Bulls into their first Super 14 final with a 27-12 win over holders the Canterbury Crusaders on Saturday. Hougaard equalled the tournament record of eight penalties in a match and added a 65th-minute drop goal as the Bulls lined up a first all-South African final against the Sharks in Durban next Saturday.
In an unprecedented poll by a show of hands, the Pan African Parliament (PAP) voted overwhelmingly on Friday to send a fact-finding mission to Zimbabwe. Suzanne Vos, a member of the South African delegation to PAP, proposed a motion asking for a debate on human rights abuses in Zimbabwe.
The national lottery licence is again the subject of court action as losing bidder Igwija Gaming seeks to obtain detailed information from the Lotteries Board about its decision-making process. The lottery has been suspended since the end of March, when Uthingo’s licence expired.
South Africa’s crime statistics will be released sometime in June, Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula said on Thursday. At a press conference on the work of government’s justice, crime-prevention and security cluster, Nqakula said the statistics and the police annual report will be released together.
Private security guards will not be ”taken over” by police but the relationship between the state and the private-industry security apparatus is set to become much closer, Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula said on Thursday. Addressing a press conference, Nqakula said various areas of cooperation have already been identified.
Israel should seize the opportunity presented by the united Arab peace initiative to begin ”serious negotiations” to normalise its relations with the Palestinians, Minister in the Presidency Essop Pahad said on Wednesday. He was opening the United Nations African meeting on the question of Palestine, which will take place in Pretoria over the coming three days.