A three-year undercover investigation into illegal diamond deals in the Northern Cape ended on Tuesday in the arrest of five people, police said. Police spokesperson Superintendent Mashay Gamieldien said the four men and a woman were arrested in Kimberley, Hopetown and Schweizer-Reneke on Tuesday morning.
A black economic empowerment (BEE) consortium is to be set up in a bid to save the embattled Rex Trueform clothing company, Western Cape Premier Ebrahim Rasool said on Tuesday. This follows talks between textile-factory owners and trade-union leaders on ways to avert the closure of a Rex Trueform plant outside Cape Town.
An off-duty police officer allegedly killed five relatives, including two four-year-old twin girls, in a bloody killing spree in the Cape Town area on Tuesday night, police said. The 48-year-old inspector, who had taken leave, shot each of his victims in the head, execution-style, said a Western Cape police spokesperson.
The African National Congress in KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday called on the Zulu nation not to attend an imbizo (meeting) at KwaMashu, south of Durban, on Saturday. The imbizo was called by Inkatha Freedom Party president Mangosuthu Buthelezi in his capacity as traditional prime minister.
The low-income national banking account Mzansi exceeded one million accounts by May 15, Colin Donian, the Banking Council director responsible for the Mzansi initiative, said on Wednesday. Launched less than seven months ago, the Mzansi account provides account-holders with entry-level banking services.
The coming of winter has brought brisk business for coal merchants in the South African township of Soweto as many residents rush to buy the commodity to keep themselves warm in the biting cold. When winter sets in between May and August, Sowetans look for other means apart from electricity to keep their homes warm, as temperatures can drop to freezing point at night.
”We just want that little white piece of paper,” said Marie Fourie during a break at the Constitutional Court on Tuesday, drawing an air square with her fingers. ”We just want it to be legal, legal, legal,” she said from the front of the public gallery where she and Cecilia Bonthuys spent the day listening to argument over what constituted a marriage.
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Homosexuality is against the Bible and so same-sex marriages should not be allowed, the Constitutional Court heard on Tuesday. The court is hearing an application to appeal a Supreme Court of Appeal ruling that the common law should be developed to allow same-sex marriage.
One man was arrested as protesting members of the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) clashed with police in central Cape Town on Tuesday. About 2 000 workers marched through the city to voice their opposition to privatisation of basic services such as water and electricity.
A Constitutional Court application relating to same-sex marriage began with gasps of disbelief and laughter at the state’s apparent understanding of such relationships on Tuesday. ”Same-sex partnerships are a relatively new phenomena,” said the Department of Home Affairs’ advocate, sparking laughter in the gallery.
”We just want our marriage to be recognised legally — we have already married in church,” said Charles January on Tuesday, ahead of a Constitutional Court application relating to same-sex marriage. A small group of protesters sang outside the court in Johannesburg, some carrying posters.
A small group of taxi drivers danced with traditional weapons in central Johannesburg on Tuesday to protest against the government’s ”broken promises”. Between 80 and 100 protesters carried placards reading ”Impounding has to come to an end” and ”Enough is enough, this impounding has to stop”.
Springbok coach Jake White has said his class of 2005 reflects well on transformation and that the balance of youth and experience in the squad is a key factor. Addressing a media conference in Cape Town on Monday, White said he is confident that the squad of 33 will rise to the occasion and represent their country with pride, in spite of the poor showing of South African teams in the Vodacom Super 12.
The African Christian Democratic Party says it hopes that the Constitutional Court will rule in favour of the wishes of the majority of South Africans — and oppose same-sex marriages. ”The ACDP has continually said that we do not support the legalisation of so-called gay marriages,” said ACDP leader Kenneth Meshoe.
Free State police have clipped the wings of a cross-dresser nicknamed ”Chicken”, putting an end to his alleged reign of terror in Mangaung and Botshabelo. Acting on a tip-off, a task team — specially formed to hunt him down — arrested Lebohang Seobi shortly after 5pm on Monday, said a Free State police spokesperson.
Four of South Africa’s major clothing retailers — Foschini, Truworths, Woolworths and Edcon — have issued a statement citing their concerns over the state of the local clothing and textile manufacturing industry, but "unequivocally" rejecting calls by unions to sign a code committing them to prescribed local procurement targets.
State-owned Alexkor’s land-based diamond-mining operations have ”collapsed”, an expert witness told the Richtersveld hearing in the Land Claims Court on Monday. The community is claiming the return of more than 84 000ha of land confiscated by the state when diamonds were discovered there in the 1920s.
Sixty-four alleged mercenaries — including 61 who returned home on Sunday after being released from Zimbabwe — will be prosecuted, the National Prosecuting Authority said on Monday. The decision followed investigations into whether they had contravened the Regulations of Foreign Military Assistance Act.
Harmony Gold on Monday complied with a Labour Court ruling by withdrawing retrenchment notices issued to about 5 000 Free State mineworkers, the National Union of Mineworkers said. The court found that Harmony Gold had rushed the procedure set down in the Labour Relations Act to retrench workers.
The last surviving member of the infamous 1980s bank robbing ”Stander gang”, Allan Heyl, is to be released on parole from the Krugersdorp prison on Wednesday, the Department of Correctional Services said on Monday. It has been claimed the gang netted more than R500 000 from 20 banks in 1983 and early 1984.
Representatives of civil society on Monday during a public debate said the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is a state apparatus whose job it is to serve the government as a ”mouthpiece”. This is in contrast to how the SABC describes itself — as a public broadcaster.
The impact of climate change on Africa in 30 to 40 years will be as significant as that of malaria and Aids, the chief scientific adviser to the British government said in Johannesburg on Monday. Sir David King is in the country to promote Zero Carbon City, the British Council’s awareness campaign on global warming.
A body of African municipal structures was launched in Pretoria on Monday with calls for a renewed focus at the lowest level of government on improving the lives of indigent Africans. African Union chairperson Olusegun Obasanjo said he hopes the congress marks the beginning of strong local governance structures.
The Inkatha Freedom Party has cracked the whip following a public debate about its leadership, with its national chairperson swearing allegiance to 76-year-old party president Mangosuthu Buthelezi. There is tension in the party, with persistent talk that Buthelezi is being challenged for his position by the party’s traditionalist guard.
Protests over municipal service delivery and lack of housing in the Eastern Cape has entered its second week, with dissatisfied residents on Monday blockading roads and burning tyres near Port Elizabeth. There were unconfirmed reports of motorists being stoned along the M14 and Uitenhage roads, police said.
Nine people have died from an infection caused by an Ebola-like virus in the north-western reaches of the Republic of Congo, travel health specialist Dr Andrew Jamieson warned on Monday. According to health authorities, at least 11 people have contracted the disease since May 4.
An initiative that will see 20 old townships in Gauteng upgraded was launched by the provincial housing department on Sunday. Acting provincial housing minister Dorothy Mahlangu said specific attention will be given to so-called backyard dwellers. Ten townships are targeted for the current financial year.
The African National Congress in KwaZulu-Natal held its provincial conference over the weekend where it elected its new leaders. Premier Sibusiso Ndebele was re-elected ”unanimously and unopposed” as provincial chairperson of the party, and Zweli Mkhize was re-elected as deputy chairperson.
Pretoria police found the body of a man missing since Wednesday in Brooklyn, police said on Monday. ”Mohammed Asif Ayob (20) went missing on Wednesday evening. A post-mortem will be held to determine the cause of death,” Inspector Anton Breedt said.
Listed shipping and transport group Grindrod has acquired a 50% stake in Sheltam Locomotive and Rail Services for an undisclosed amount, the company announced on Monday. Indications by Grindrod management are that it is the largest acquisition in Grindrod’s land-freight expansion programme to date.
Politician Patricia de Lille is not liable for the publication of the names of three women with HIV/Aids in her biography, the Johannesburg High Court found on Friday. Author Charlene Smith is also not to blame for the naming of the women against their wishes, Judge Ivor Schartzman found in a 58-page verdict.