Two graves, believed to contain the remains of the ”Mamelodi 10”, were exhumed at the Winterveldt cemetery, north-west of Pretoria, on Monday by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to commemorate national Human Rights Day. The ”Mamelodi 10” were 10 youngsters abducted in June 1986 by the apartheid government’s security police.
Forgiveness is the cure to bitterness, revenge and escalating conflict, former South African president FW de Klerk said on Sunday. He was speaking at the closing of the Arts and Reconciliation Festival and Conference held at the University of Pretoria. The event was opened by Archbishop Desmond Tutu on Monday.
Mamelodi Sundowns beat wasteful Bush Bucks 2-0 during their Premier Soccer League clash played at HM Pitje Stadium in Mamelodi on Sunday. The half-time score was 1-0. Bucks created most of the opening-half chances but were denied by Sundowns goalkeeper Brian Baloyi, who was outstanding between the poles.
Amid a string of dazzling track performances from Mbulaeni Mulaudzi, Geraldine Pillay, Alwyn Myburgh and Leigh Julius, a cloud of concern hung over Jacques Freitag, who struggled with a sore back and managed a 2,25m winning clearance at the final Absa Series meeting at Pilditch in Pretoria on Friday night.
Economic statistics surveys released by Statistics South Africa will now include two million more businesses, the organisation said on Friday. ”Our economic surveys will now include two million more businesses which are registered as tax income units,” Stats SA head Pali Lehohla told reporters in Pretoria.
North Korea accused the United States administration on Thursday of having suggested the Asian country’s ”elimination” and blamed the US for a breakdown in multilateral talks on North Korea’s nuclear disarmament. Vice-President Yang Hyong Sop was speaking in Pretoria after talks with Deputy President Jacob Zuma.
More than three-quarters of South African households receive free water and more than half receive free electricity, Statistics South Africa said in Pretoria on Thursday — but two million households are without toilet facilities. The figures are part of a non-financial census of municipalities for the year ending June 2003.
Behaviour that undermines the image of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) will not be tolerated, the SANDF said on Wednesday in response to allegations of misconduct by soldiers abroad. Four SANDF officers on a peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are under investigation for misconduct.
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A handful of South African trade unionists gathered outside the Zimbabwe embassy in Pretoria on Wednesday morning for a picket in support of workers’ rights in that country. Congress of South African Trade Unions representative Jantjie Chiloane said more protesters were expected to arrive by bus from Johannesburg.
Bulls coach Heyneke Meyer has made five changes to the side who lost 23-0 to the Highlanders last week for Saturday’s Super 12 clash against the Hurricanes in Wellington, New Zealand. Meyer has decided to keep Bryan Habana at centre, and there are reprieves for out-of-form midfielder Ettienne Botha and flyhalf Derick Hougaard.
Universities have a key role to play in raising the quality of life of all South African citizens, President Thabo Mbeki said on Tuesday. ”Education is the key to unlocking each person’s potential and improving the quality of life in general,” he said on opening the University of Pretoria’s new law-faculty building.
The trade union Solidarity is to join an investigation into the latest accident at Sasol’s Secunda plant on Tuesday, which left a man dead. The man died on Tuesday morning in an accident on the second day of a commission of inquiry into the September blast that left 10 dead and 360 injured.
Black economic empowerment in agriculture (AgriBEE) will also benefit white farmers and companies who become involved with it, the National African Farmers’ Union (Nafu) said on Tuesday. ”AgriBEE is voluntary and incentive-driven. This will benefit farmers and companies which choose to get involved by helping black farmers,” said Nafu’s BigMan Maloa.
One of four Waterkloof youths accused of killing a man in a park in 2001 has denied stabbing the man. Christoff Becker (19) also denied in his Pretoria Regional Court trial on Tuesday that he or co-accused Gert van Schalkwyk was involved in an assault on another man the same day.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu reacted wearily on Tuesday to the latest claims of a right-wing agenda levelled against him by the African National Congress. ”I am old now,” he sighed, asked for comment on the matter after delivering an address at the University of Pretoria. ”I let some of these things go off my back like water.”
South Africa has to make space for policy-making structures to avoid political unrest over land reform, the executive director of the African Institute of Agrarian studies said on Monday. Professor Sam Moyo was speaking at a farmers’ summit held by the National Farmer’s Union in Pretoria.
It will take a hundred years to transfer 30% of agricultural land to black farmers at the current rate, South African Communist Party leader Blade Nzimande said on Monday. He said joint action was needed to accelerate the land reform process if the 30% target was to be reached within the next ten years.
Twenty-seven-year-old Western Province-Border captain Ashwell Prince saw an opportunity and grabbed it with both hands on Saturday, on the second day of the second Castle Lager/MTN Test between South Africa and Zimbabwe at Supersport Park on Saturday. Prince scored an undefeated maiden Test century.
Supersport United overwhelmed Tornado with skill and experience in their 8-0 drubbing and booked a place in the quarterfinals of the Absa Cup at Caledonian Stadium on Saturday. United were in control throughout the first stanza and led 4-0. The hosts opened the floodgates as early as the eighth minute through Lungisani Ndlela.
This past weekend saw a new military operation underway in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Reports from the central African country say about 800 United Nations troops have been deployed in the north-eastern Ituri region to disarm local militias held responsible for the death of nine peacekeepers last month. The militias have also attacked local Congolese, prompting 70Â 000 to flee their homes.
A haul of six wickets by Monde Zondeki saw South Africa to victory on the third day of the second Test match against Zimbabwe on Sunday. South Africa’s victory by an innings and 62 runs gave South Africa a two-nil series win. Although they were badly beaten, Zimbabwe showed a lot more resistance in the second Test, and can take heart from the performance of some of their players.
A determined 85 by former captain Heath Streak saw Zimbabwe make 289 in their first innings on the first day of the second Castle Lager/MTN cricket Test against South Africa at Supersport Park on Friday. Injuries to three of his main bowlers meant problems for Graeme Smith, who had to make do with ”bits-and-pieces” bowlers like AB de Villiers.
The Department of Education and teacher unions reached an agreement on Friday to increase teachers’ salaries and bonuses by more than R500-million. They reached an agreement on the outstanding matter of salary progression for teachers for the period 1996 to 2002. The agreement provides for salary increases of up to 3% for some teachers.
Injuries to three of South Africa’s main bowlers caused headaches for South African skipper Graeme Smith after lunch on the first day of the second Castle Lager/MTN Test against Zimbabwe at Supersport Park on Friday, in a session that saw three wickets fall in three overs without any addition to the score. Zimbabwe went to tea on 189 for seven.
An agreement was reached between the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) and the Musina local municipality in the Pretoria High Court on Friday for Cosatu to increase the number of picketers on the Zimbabwe border to 500. The other limitations imposed by the municipality still stand, the court ruled.
Certain limitations on a Congress of South African Trade Union picket on the Zimbabwe border were arbitrary and unreasonable, Cosatu argued in papers before the Pretoria High Court on Friday. Cosatu is bringing an urgent application to contest an official decision to limit the number of picketers to 200.
Crime cost South Africa’s 46 000-odd commercial farmers about R1,2-billion in the financial year ending February 2002 — more than a quarter of their total losses, Statistics South Africa revealed on Thursday. Stock theft accounted for about R484-million of farmers’ total R4,4-billion losses for the year.
The Zimbabwean ambassador to South Africa was scathing about a protest by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) outside his embassy in Pretoria on Wednesday, saying he pities the protesters. ”I hesitate to give an iota of dignity to these misguided malcontents,” Simon Khaya Moyo said.
The upcoming Zimbabwean elections should be postponed, a leader of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) said at a picket outside the Zimbabwe embassy in Pretoria on Wednesday. Meanwhile, South Africa’s ambassador to Zimbabwe has not been advised of the appeal of Zimbabwe’s attorney general against the early release of 62 suspected mercenaries.
Josh Cunliffe of Dainfern Country Club in Johannesburg won the men’s Sanlam South African Amateur Stroke-Play Golf Championship at Wingate Park Country Club on Tuesday. The 21-year-old closed with a 70 in the afternoon’s fourth round for a 10-under-par 278.
The Tshwane City Council voted on Monday to retain the name Pretoria for the city centre only, whereas the name Tshwane will refer to the greater metropolitan area. The council authorised the municipal manager to affect all the necessary legal and administrative procedures to register the geographical area that constitutes the municipality as a city with the name Tshwane.
Josh Cunliffe (21) eagled Wingate Park Country Club’s par-five 18th hole on Monday to take a one-stroke lead at the halfway mark in the men’s Sanlam South African Stroke-Play Championship. Cunliffe, from Dainfern, carded a 71 for the day and is on 139, five under par, with the third and fourth rounds to be completed on Tuesday.