Pretoria

”I thought the president was a bit taller,” one of the 18 recipients of a university scholarship from President Thabo Mbeki said on Friday. This was Akwaowo Akpabio’s only disappointment on a day where he received a laptop and a full scholarship covering the cost of his tuition, books and accommodation for the year.

South Africa should use its position on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board to persuade Iran to stop its nuclear programme, the United States ambassador to the IAEA, Gregory Schulte, said on Wednesday. South Africa has a vote on the 35-member IAEA board.

A state-of-the-art convention centre and adjacent development precinct are to be built in Centurion, south of Pretoria, by June 2008 at an estimated cost of R1,5-billion. ”This project is of strategic importance to position the City of Tshwane as the African capital city,” project leader Jacob Ngakane said at the launch on Wednesday.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) will consider the personal circumstances of individuals it plans to prosecute for not applying for, or being refused, amnesty by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). NPA spokesperson Makhosini Nkosi said this is normal procedure when prosecutions are taking place.

Prosecutions arising from Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) cases will start soon, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said on Monday. ”We do have five cases that are prosecutable. There are also cases which require further investigation,” Vusi Pikoli, National Director of Public Prosecutions, said.

Smaller municipalities instead of metro and district councils are needed to bring the government closer to the people, says the Freedom Front Plus. Speaking in Pretoria on Monday at the launch of the party’s election manifesto for the local government election, FF+ leader Pieter Mulder said South Africa is increasingly centralising its government functions.

Threats of sanctions are against Iran are immature, and a referral to the United Nations Security Council would not help alleviate the nuclear crisis in Iran, its acting Foreign Minister, Mehdi Mostafavi, said on Friday. Speaking after a week-long visit to South Africa, Mostafavi said Iran will not be deterred from its nuclear programme.

South Africa has appealed to all parties involved in the Iranian nuclear programme to refrain from any action that could further increase tension and confrontation. This followed a meeting between Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Aziz Pahad and Iran’s acting Foreign Minister, Mehdi Mostafavi, on Wednesday.

Iran on Wednesday started what it termed a ”close consultation” with South Africa on the dispute over its nuclear programme ahead of a key meeting of the United Nations atomic energy agency. ”Our countries have always had positive and constructive negotiations,” Iran’s acting foreign minister told reporters in Pretoria.

The tripartite alliance of the ruling African National Congress, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) and the South African Communist Party in the North West is in tatters ahead of the municipal elections, Cosatu said on Wednesday. The SACP and Cosatu were ”marginalised from the alliance processes of drawing up candidate lists”.

The South African men’s hockey team bounced back from Monday’s embarrassing 8-0 defeat to England to draw 2-2 with Ireland in the first Test at the Tshwane University of Technology on Tuesday night. But there was still disappointment as the South Africans squandered what looked to be a match-winning 2-0 lead.

No laws had been broken through Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka’s holiday trip to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in December, the presidency said on Tuesday. Spokesperson Murphy Morobe dismissed as ”preposterous” the view that Mlambo-Ngcuka had abused her power by taking Thuthukile Mazibuko-Skweyiya — wife of Social Development Minister Zola Skweyiya — with her on the trip.

The Democratic Alliance and the Freedom Front Plus have asked Public Protector Lawrence Mushwana to probe Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka’s recent trip to the United Arab Emirates. The parties want Mushwana to investigate possible violations of the Executive Members Ethics Act by the deputy president.

South Africa suffered an 8-0 drubbing at the hands of the England men’s hockey team at the Tshwane University of Technology on Monday night. The South African side just couldn’t make an impact on the rampant English, who obliterated any attempt at a South African line of defence.

The trial of nine men accused of involvement in a planned coup d’etat in Equatorial Guinea was postponed until July in the Pretoria Regional Court on Monday. Under an arrangement with the defence, the men — all out on warning — did not appear in court, said prosecutor Torie Pretorius.

Three men were arrested in the early hours of Thursday in connection with a violent protest over service delivery in Soshanguve, north of Pretoria, police said. ”We arrested three men shortly after midnight this morning on charges of public violence and malicious damage to property,” said Inspector Lucas Sithole.

Bolivian president-elect Evo Morales forgives the United States for past humiliations and welcomes dialogue, he said in Pretoria on Wednesday during a two-day visit to South Africa. He also said he has learned much during his visit about transformation in South Africa under former president Nelson Mandela and President Thabo Mbeki.

A police officer was injured during violent protests by Soshanguve residents over poor service delivery, Pretoria police said on Wednesday. Inspector Lucas Sithole said five people were also arrested for public violence and malicious damage to property. ”Residents went on the rampage shortly after midnight,” he said.

A Democratic Alliance election candidate was shot during an armed robbery while erecting party posters in Mamelodi, the party said on Sunday. Doulien van der Merwe was sitting in her car in Mamelodi on Saturday afternoon talking with DA MP Les Labuschagne when they were approached by at least four assailants, the DA said.

A case of public violence brought against 23 Olievenhoutbosch residents after xenophobic clashes this week was postponed until January 13 in Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Friday. Two people died and 19 were injured in the clashes between South Africans, Mozambicans and Zimbabweans on Wednesday.

Violent protests by residents of Soshanguve, north of Pretoria, on Thursday were a result of the community misunderstanding service-delivery plans, the Tshwane municipality said. Protesters blocked the intersection of Soutpan and Hammanskraal roads with objects including burning tyres.

Pretoria police have arrested 36 men in Olievenhoutbosch for public violence following clashes between South Africans and foreigners, a spokesperson said on Thursday. Tshwane municipal officials met the Olievenhoutbosch community on Wednesday in an attempt to defuse the clashes.

A police inspector was injured during a stone-throwing incident at Soshanguve, north of Pretoria, on Thursday when residents demonstrated against poor service delivery, police said. ”The protests started at 3am this morning in Orange Farm informal settlement in Soshanguve,” said Superintendent Piletji Sebola.

Tshwane municipal officials met with the Olievenhoutbosch community on Wednesday in an attempt to defuse clashes between South Africans, Zimbabweans and Mozambicans which have claimed two lives and left at least 11 injured so far. Although no arrests have been made, several of the injured were being held for questioning.