Pretoria

Equatorial Guinea’s deputy foreign minister briefed the South African government on Thursday on developments in his country, where South Africans have been accused of being involved in preparations for a coup d’état. Sources said ”a message of gratitude” had likely been sent from the Equatorial president for South Africa’s role in foiling a coup attempt.

The men arrested aboard a captured plane in Zimbabwe are all former South African National Defence Force soldiers from Unit 32, based in Namibia, a diplomatic source said on Wednesday. The source said the plane had indeed been transporting mercenaries to Equatorial Guinea.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Aziz Pahad has landed in the Central African Republic and is expected to be asked by ousted Haitian leader Jean-Bertrand Aristide for asylum in South Africa, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/pd.asp?ao=32453">SA envoys meet Aristide in Bangui</a>

The cargo plane impounded at Harare’s airport on Sunday was not registered in South Africa, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) confirmed on Tuesday. "Our investigation shows that this aircraft is not registered or even provisionally registered in South Africa," said CAA spokesperson Moses Seate.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/pd.asp?ao=32411">Zim plane ownership a mystery</a>

There is no reason for concern over the question of a successor for President Thabo Mbeki, his deputy, Jacob Zuma, said on Tuesday. The African National Congress, he said, has a capable leadership structure — not only one leader like some other political parties.

The South African Police Service refuted on Wednesday statements by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime that the country is one of the largest cannabis (dagga) producers in Africa. ”How can this be when Morocco has 133 000ha of dagga and we only have 1 200ha?” asked a narcotics police officer.

The patience of the poor should not be taken for granted, Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel said at a business meeting on Wednesday. Manuel told his audience they are privileged. Part of that privilege is the fact that poor South Africans are patient and have placed their trust in a better future.

A senior member of the London Metropolitan Police Service (LPMS) will assist South Africa in fighting corruption within its own police service, LPMS commissioner Sir John Stevens said on Wednesday. A British detective inspector will be seconded to the Independent Complaints Directorate for a year.

South Africa would "have no problem" with granting asylum to ousted Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, but no formal request has been received, the government said on Monday. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Aziz Pahad said a final decision, based on a formal request, would be made by the Cabinet.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/pd.asp?ao=31998">Martyr in search of asylum</a>
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/pd.asp?ao=31962">SA ‘unaware’ of Aristide asylum</a>
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/pd.asp?ao=31953">US goes in as Aristide flees Haiti</a>

Year-on-year producer price inflation for all commodities for South African consumption (PPI) came in higher at -1,4% last month compared with -1.8% in December 2003, Statistics SA reported on Thursday. This could be explained by increases in the annual rates of change of several production price indices.

The Democratic Alliance in Tshwane has hired a private agency to keep an eye on its election posters after about 70 placards were recently vandalised — allegedly by members of rival political parties. Employees of the agency will use cameras secretly to monitor DA posters on lamp posts.

Telkom has complained that media reports gave the impression the company had been tried and found guilty of breaking the Competition Act. Telkom was responding to the Competition Commission’s decision on Tuesday to refer complaints brought against Telkom to the Competition Tribunal for determination.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?ao=31731">Telkom faces fine of billions</a>

Golf courses must be made into family centres and not the exclusive preserve of men, Deputy Minister for Justice and Constitutional Development Cheryl Gillwald said at a gender conference in Pretoria on Friday. Gillwald was hosting Swiss Foreign Affairs Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey at a gender equality luncheon.

Pharmaceutical wholesalers proposed on Friday a gradual reduction in the manufacturer’s exit price of medicines instead of the immediate 50% slash the government wants to come into effect by May 2. However, this alone will not enable the industry to survive, the National Association of Pharmaceutical Wholesalers said.

The Democratic Alliance’s complaint that the Government Communication and Information System’s (GCIS) publishing of the government’s Ten Year Review was electioneering is likely to fail, the GCIS said on Thursday. The GCIS said the DA made a similar complaint before the 1999 elections and failed.

The head of the local prison in Pretoria was ordered on Tuesday to return a Boeremag treason trialist’s laptop to him and allow him and his fellow accused to use the computer for purposes of the trial. The prison had told him his computer was only to be used for ”study purposes” and not for preparing for the trial.