South African maize futures ticked up further on Tuesday in line with Chicago and had scope for more gains given lingering concerns about this year’s harvest, traders said. The benchmark December white maize contract climbed R15 to R1 454 a tonne, bringing its gains so far this year to roughly 26%.
Consideration of legislation by South African members of Parliament to provide Fifa with a legislative platform to manage South Africa’s hosting of the World Cup in 2010 began at Parliament on Tuesday — with a discussion whether previous versions of the South African flag should be banned during the staging of matches.
North Korea’s Vice-Minister Kim Hyong Jun arrived at the Union Buildings on Tuesday for bilateral discussions with Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Aziz Pahad. High on the agenda of the meeting, that is expected to last just over two hours, would be North Korea’s test firing of seven missiles last week including a long-range Taepodong-2, believed to be able to hit Alaska or Hawaii.
Former Western Cape premier Peter Marais told his environment planning minister David Malatsi to make a ”political decision” on the Roodefontein golf-estate development if it was necessary, the Bellville Regional Court heard on Tuesday. He and Marais face corruption charges over payments totalling R400Â 000 to the New National Party in 2002, which the state claims were bribes.
The coldest month of the year is in full swing, and the City of Johannesburg says homeless people should beware of the creeping killer, hypothermia. People are being encouraged to wear as much clothing as possible. ”We are also advising people to pack cardboard and newspapers in their clothes and shoes to keep the heat in,” said emergency services spokesperson Malcolm Midgley.
South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has ruled out reopening the case of the 1993 assassination of then South African Communist Party leader Chris Hani. NPA spokesperson Makhosini Nkosi said it had received a request from the Young Communist League that the case relating to Martin Thembisile "Chris" Hani be reopened.
African National Congress deputy president Jacob Zuma’s family reacted with shock on Tuesday to reports that his first wife’s name has been used in a 419 scam e-mail. Nephew Michael Zuma, in Nkandla, said: ”What? She doesn’t even have a computer. She has a phone, but she can’t even send SMSs.”
The Potsdam hotel room of South African Airways’ (SAA) chief executive Khaya Ngqula was cleaned out by robbers during the World Cup final between Italy and France, it was confirmed on Monday. It is understood Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa was also targeted, as were Zuzi Buthelezi, the son of Inkatha Freedom Party president Mangosuthu Buthelezi, and businessman Dr Dudu Kunene, but this could not be confirmed.
The South African Medical Association (Sama) on Monday withdrew a statement urging a probe into the alleged involvement of Minister of Health Manto Tshabalala-Msimang and Director General of Health Thami Mseleku in the release of a consignment of Rath Foundation anti-Aids food supplements.
Police investigating the hijack bid by University of Cape Town student Tinashe Rioga have given up trying to trace the person who sent him the a series of threatening SMS messages, the Bellville Magistrate’s Court heard on Monday. This emerged in evidence at Rioga’s bail application, on which Magistrate Suzette Marais is to rule on Thursday.
The ”apartheid Israel state” is worse than the apartheid that was conducted in South Africa, Congress of South African Trade Unions president Willie Madisha said on Monday. He said Palestinians were being attacked with heavy machinery and tanks used in war, which had never happened in South Africa.
The African National Congress in KwaZulu-Natal said that accelerating development and service delivery is a greater priority that changing the name of the province. ”We don’t think the question of the name of the province is a priority for now,” the party’s provincial spokesperson Mtholephi Mthimkhulu told the South African Press Association.
The editor of the Mail & Guardian newspaper, Ferial Haffajee, was elected chairperson of the South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) at its annual general meeting in East London on Monday. Thabo Leshilo, editor of the Sowetan newspaper, was elected deputy chairperson.
Gerald Majola, Cricket South Africa’s CEO, on Monday announced the appointment of Gordon Templeton as the new media liaison officer for the Proteas team. Templeton replaces Moabi Litheko, who resigned to join the South African Broadcasting Corporation at the end of February, and will start his new position later this month.
Action is needed to stop deaths in initiation schools from ruining the custom, the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities said on Monday. ”We cannot go on like this. One death is [a] loss too many for cultural communities …,” commission chairperson Mongezi Guma said.
The Mthatha General hospital, which serves 2,5-million people in the eastern region of the Eastern Cape, has a 32% vacancy rate among doctors and a 39% vacancy rate among pharmacists, according to figures released by Minister of Health Manto Tshabalala-Msimang on Monday.
The case of a 28-year-old man accused of murdering a Taiwanese businessman and his family before burying them was postponed in the Krugersdorp Magistrate’s Court on Monday. Bao Xin Long, a Chinese national, is due to appear in court again on August 31.
When the world’s soccer fans descend on South Africa for the 2010 World Cup, most of them will disembark at OR Tambo International airport, as Johannesburg International airport will soon be known. Minister of Arts and Culture Pallo Jordan announced on June 30 that more than 50 place names will be changed, including that of the airport.
The Zimbabwean student accused of trying to hijack a domestic Johannesburg-bound aircraft last month has alleged he was not informed of his rights, the Bellville Magistrate’s court heard on Monday. However, the investigating officer, Superintendent Lungisile Manyana, denied this under cross-examination.
South Africa’s biggest retail banking group, Absa, will pay GijimaAst R960-million over five years for technology services, Absa said on Monday. Absa is a subsidiary of Britain’s Barclays. GijimaAst is 37% held by blacks and is a leading information and communication technology services firm.
Official opposition Democratic Alliance leader Tony Leon was being a "party pooper" by selling South Africa short through his negative comments about the country’s ability to host the 2010 Soccer World Cup, says opposition Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille.
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The South African Students’ Congress (Sasco) on Sunday called for a speedy corruption trial for African National Congress deputy president Jacob Zuma. Although it has not organised any pro-Zuma rallies, Sasco believes in Zuma’s innocence until proven otherwise in court.
Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini’s suggestion that KwaZulu-Natal’s name be changed should be supported because the current name is associated with suffering and humiliation, the Pan Africanist Congress said on Monday. Zwelithini has also called for the history of the Zulu nation to be rewritten to correct ”falsifications” of history.
South Africa’s official opposition Democratic Alliance has announced a reshuffle of four key posts in its shadow cabinet, including the shifting of fiery health spokesperson Dianne Kohler-Barnard to the safety and security portfolio. Kohler-Barnard takes over from Free State MP Roy Jankielsohn.
The 2006 Nat Nakasa Award for courage in journalism has been awarded to Mail & Guardian columnist Professor Guy Berger of Rhodes University, Print Media South Africa announced on Sunday. Berger, who has headed the university’s journalism department for 11 years, is the ninth winner of the award, and the first academic.
The Falcons recorded their first victory in the Currie Cup rugby competition when they beat the Griquas by 23-8 at the Bosman stadium on Saturday. The Falcons scored three tries to one and led by 6-5 at the break. The home side ground the visitors down in a hard fought contest for sixty minutes before taking control of the game in the last quarter.
Western Province played an impressive and near clinical game of rugby to record a morale boosting 15-10 victory over a lifeless Blue Bulls team at Loftus Versveld on Saturday. Last week the Bulls looked like possible Currie Cup champions when they convincingly beat the Lions at Ellis Park, but this Saturday they were a completely different outfit.
It turned out to be the big gamble that paid off as Dick Muir’s decision to field a completely new look Sharks side — he now has two teams of equal strength at his disposal — was vindicated with a 34-16 triumph over the Pumas in their Absa Currie Cup rugby match in Durban on Friday night.
Africa needs a fairer financial deal and more involvement in international economic decision-making, said Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel on Friday. ”Reform is necessary, and in my view, if developing countries had a greater say in the running of these institutions, there would be a greater sense of ownership and legitimacy,” Manuel said in a speech.
The Democratic Alliance says it hopes Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula will redeem himself with an anti-crime drive he announced on Friday. Nqakula said in Pretoria that police would launch special operations in the coming six months to combat serious and violent crimes.
The embassy of Zimbabwe in South Africa on Friday criticised the media for what it believes are unsubstantiated allegations that former Zimbabwean soldiers are involved in crime. ”In an attempt to seek clarification on the veracity of these claims, the relevant authorities … have expressed shock … at these allegations, which have ho basis in fact,” ambassador Simon Moyo said.
Two municipal trade unions indicated this week that they have accepted a three-year wage deal put forward by the South African Local Government Bargaining Council. The South African Municipal Workers’ Union announced on Friday that it would accept the deal, while the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union accepted it earlier this week.