The South African government needs to take a ”tough love” approach to Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe’s outrageous and unprecedented appeal for a R6,5-billion loan, Democratic Alliance leader Tony Leon said on Thursday.
The brother and sister of the wife of slain Free State official Noby Ngombane appeared in the Bloemfontein District Court on Thursday in connection with his murder. Ngombane, who was gunned down at his home, was the head of the Free State government’s policy-monitoring and evaluation unit in the premier’s office.
Warders at Westville prison in Durban have until Thursday evening to respond to questions by the Department of Correctional Services following the escape of four armed prisoners last Saturday. The prisoners made a run for it when warders unlocked their cell to give them food on Saturday morning.
The largest consignment of Mandrax powder seized to date worldwide was destroyed outside Johannesburg on Thursday, the National Prosecuting Authority said. ”Today, we are destroying 45 tonnes of what kills our children, of what kills society,” said National Director of Public Prosecutions Vusi Pikoli.
Anti-Aids drugs will be more accessible to prisoners in KwaZulu-Natal after threats of a hunger strike and a letter of demand was sent to prison authorities earlier this week. Currently, if doctors recommend that inmates be given anti-retrovirals (ARVs), they are transported to one of the sites where ARVs are administered.
A strike by about 20 000 Pick ‘n Pay workers in 150 outlets will go ahead on Friday regardless of the outcome of wage negotiations, the South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union said on Thursday. Pick ‘n Pay is offering a 7,9% increase per month and the union is demanding 12%.
As expected, Springbok coach Jake White has named six players of colour in his starting line-up for Saturday’s crunch Mandela Challenge Test against the Wallabies at Ellis Park. He also named three more on the bench to bring the total number to nine in the match 22 — a record for the Boks in Tests.
Political intervention by the African National Congress seems to have steadied the volatile situation between warring Eastern Province Rugby officials and South African Rugby in Port Elizabeth on Wednesday. A joint statement by SA Rugby and the EP executive committee said the situation has been brought under control.
Scorpions detectives have arrested a number of staff members in connection with fraud and theft at three KwaZulu-Natal hospitals, the Natal Witness website reported on Thursday. It said more arrests were expected. About 250 staff members — mostly general assistants — at Edendale hospital were believed to be under investigation for social welfare grant fraud.
The United Association of South Africa (Uasa) and the management of South African Airways (SAA) will meet on Thursday for informal discussions regarding pay negotiations. Uasa called off Wednesday’s nationwide strike after SAA management agreed to meet the union.
An investigation into the deaths of 22 babies from klebsiella bacteria at Durban’s Mahatma Gandhi hospital was ”another cover-up”, an organisation representing the parents said on Wednesday. ”How can the killers investigate the deaths of babies they have killed?” asked Alvin Brijlal, spokesperson for the non-profit organisation Voice.
Confronting the issue of corporal punishment is often difficult because it is so personal, a conference on violence against children heard in South Africa on Wednesday. Peter Newell, of the Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children, was speaking ahead of a United Nations study on violence against children.
The deputy president of the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) has apologised after raising his views on who should lead the ANC in 2007. Reuben Mohlaloga apologised for raising his views outside the working structures of the ANCYL, league president Fikile Mbalula told reporters in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
South African Airways (SAA) refuses to increase its salary offer of 5%, the company said on Wednesday afternoon. ”The management of SAA does not intend moving from its offer of a 5% salary increase, while the unions are demanding an 8% increase,” said SAA spokesperson Sarah Uys.
South African citizens do not enjoy an automatic right to diplomatic protection, the Pretoria High Court ruled on Wednesday. Judge Essop Patel dismissed an application by a mining group seeking diplomatic protection arising from the cancellation of its diamond leases by the Lesotho government in 1992.
The anticipated strike by South African Airways (SAA) check-in staff at Johannesburg International airport will not affect travellers on any SA Airlink flights, the company said on Wednesday. The nationwide ”grasshopper” strike by about 5 000 SAA ground staff and cabin crew is to start at 4pm on Wednesday.
Rules banning visitors to the Kruger National Park from hanging out of their vehicle windows are there to protect them, an official said on Wednesday after a motorist complained about being fined. Ermelo property valuer Neil Bornman was fined R500 by a park official who caught his daughter ”protruding” from the family minibus.
The government is being asked to consider a new deal for South Africa’s 1Â 240 public libraries, currently floundering in the no-man’s-land of an ”unfunded mandate”, meaning provinces do not get money from the national government to meet this responsibility, according to the head of the Centre for the Book.
”iNantsoke [there you are],” exclaimed Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg on Wednesday as he cut his huge white birthday cake at the children’s party.
As the Aids pandemic cuts a deadly swathe across Southern Africa, a multidisciplinary research team is looking at developing intervention strategies to care for affected children and orphans. The five-year, donor-funded project is concentrating its work on Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe at first.
The new Harry Potter book broke all known and independently validated South African book-sales records on the first day it went on sale in the country, a book-sales tracker company said on Wednesday. Harry Potter fans in Britain and the United States snapped up almost nine million copies in the book’s first 24 hours on sale.
Absa has warned its clients not to fall victim to a new fraud scam involving repossessed cars, the bank said on Wednesday. Absa’s forensics unit said the scam is being advertised on pamphlets that offer clients a chance to buy repossessed cars.
The world’s wealthiest nations are not wrong in being concerned about corrupt African leaders, Kenyan Nobel Peace laureate Wangari Mathaai said in Johannesburg on Tuesday. Mathaai was the guest speaker at the annual Nelson Mandela Lecture, with an audience that included Mandela, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and former United States president Bill Clinton.
The Vodacom Challenge showdown between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates will be watched by a sell-out crowd of approximately 50 000 on Sunday, but the Buccaneers are still pondering allowing on the field their four Bafana Bafana players who recently took part in the Concacaf Gold Cup tournament in the United States.
The Durban health department intends taking Engen to court after sulphur dioxide emissions at its Durban oil refinery were found to be ”excessive”. ”We’ve served the necessary notices, we are moving ahead with the legal processes,” said the deputy head of the department, Selva Mudaly.
An armed robber who stole a woman’s handbag in February was sentenced to a total of 24 years in jail, a North Rand policing area spokesperson said on Tuesday. Anthony Nkosi (23) robbed a 42-year-old woman in Bapsfontein and threatened her with a firearm, Superintendent Eugene Opperman said.
The son of the president of oil-rich Equatorial Guinea, an international playboy, has gone on a spending spree in Cape Town, media reports said on Wednesday. Teodorin Nguema Obiang (34) has splashed millions of rands on house renovations, cars, hotel accommodation and entertainment.
Flights at Johannesburg International airport will be disrupted when aviation members of the United Association of South Africa (Uasa) embark on industrial action from Wednesday after a deadlock in negotiations, Uasa said on Tuesday. Uasa is the largest representative union of ground staff and cabin crew at South African Airways.
Despite the executive committee of the Eastern Province Rugby Union (EPRU) having been suspended, rugby will continue as usual, the EPRU said on Tuesday. Crisis talks took place at the EPRU Stadium on Tuesday after the committee was temporarily relieved of its powers late on Monday evening.
Leigh Matthews’s father, Rob, said on Tuesday his family is ready to testify at the trial of Donovan Moodley, who allegedly kidnapped and murdered the 21-year-old university student. According to the indictment, all the members of the Matthews family will give evidence at the trial, which starts on Monday.
A Northern Cape man lost part of his tongue when he tried to grab and kiss a woman in Galeshewe in Kimberley, Northern Cape police said on Tuesday. A police spokesperson said the incident happened on Sunday when the man tried to overpower a woman at her house in Tidimalo Street in Club 2000 in Galeshewe.
Former United States president Bill Clinton received a superstar’s welcome when he addressed a group of young community volunteers at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Houghton, Johannesburg, on Tuesday. Clinton is on a six-country tour of Southern African projects in which the Clinton Foundation is involved.