South Africa will pay dearly for global industrialisation and other activities that generate greenhouse gases, a new study revealed on Thursday. A report by the South African National Biodiversity Institute, released in Cape Town, warns that rising temperatures will change the face of the country by 2050.
The Bulls are South Africa’s last remaining hope for a Vodacom Super 12 semifinal spot in this year’s competition, but anything less than a five-point haul against the Sharks in Durban on Saturday will scupper those dreams with one round remaining. If results go their way, they could even be hosting a semifinal on May 21.
A man believed to have killed his wife, the principal of Asha Pre-School in Mapetla, Soweto, committed suicide at the Moroka police station while about to hand himself in, Soweto police said on Thursday. A Daily Sun journalist who was accompanying Steve Nkone was shot in the arm during the incident.
A transformation plan for the judiciary — to make it more representative of women and black people — is scheduled to be put to the Cabinet by August this year, Minister of Safety and Security Charles Nqakula and Deputy Minister of Correctional Services Cheryl Gillwald said on Thursday.
Business confidence is at a delicate stage, with the business confidence index virtually unchanged, dropping from 127,5 in March to 127,2 in April, the South African Chamber of Business (Sacob) said on Thursday. ”The status of business confidence reflects a delicate balance at present,” Sacob said.
The quest for seats on the United Nations Security Council is not to divert South Africa and Nigeria from African challenges, South African Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Aziz Pahad said on Thursday in Pretoria. Pahad was addressing the special implementation committee on binational commission matters between the two countries.
The South African government has reported that 90 000 people confessed to welfare grant fraud under an amnesty offer that ended in March. This figure emerges from a report delivered by Minister of Health Manto Tshabalala-Msimang — chairperson of the social cluster of ministers — on Thursday.
Television actress Lindiwe Cibi will be replaced in the popular drama series Muvhango until she recovers, a production source said on Thursday. Cibi, who was shot in the head at her Soweto home on Saturday, remains in a critical condition at the Garden City hospital.
A 42-year-old man will appear in the Postmasburg Magistrate’s Court on June 14 for allegedly raping a 104-year-old grandmother, Northern Cape police said. Senior Superintendent Elias Mbanyana said on Wednesday the man had appeared in court on Tuesday. He was denied bail and his case was postponed.
![]()
Four years after the start of fraud and corruption investigations into businessman Schabir Shaik in 2001, his marathon high-profile trial finally reached closure on Wednesday. ”Many people told me the trial would last for years,” said chief investigating officer Johan du Plooy, who has mixed feelings about the end of the trial.
The Southern Sun hotel group has bought the Garden Court brand from the Intercontinental Hotels group, MD Helder Pereira announced in Johannesburg on Thursday. This forms part of the group’s new brand strategy, which will see the development of three main sectors — deluxe, premier and economy.
Minister of Health Manto Tshabalala-Msimang said on Thursday she does not remember endorsing Aids dissident Matthias Rath’s Dr Rath Health Foundation — but said that the foundation’s focus on nutrition in fighting the disease complements the government’s programme to fight Aids.
”The initial formation of the private security industry was encouraged by the apartheid regime,” says Jenny Irish-Qhobosheane, a private security researcher. ”This was done because the police had to concentrate on political opposition. Private security had to fill the gap that was left by the public police.”
In part two of this feature, Mail & Guardian Online journalist Ellen Hollemans speaks to private security players.
Media organisations have slammed threats by the government to clamp down on journalists, saying stricter laws would cause a local and international backlash. Tusi Fokane, director of the South African branch of the Media Institute of Southern Africa, said it would be very difficult to pass strict media laws in South Africa.
The decision to press a land claim was taken by the whole Richtersveld community and not just a section of it, an anthropologist told the Land Claims Court on Wednesday. She was testifying in support of the Richtersvelders’ demand for the return of 85 000ha of diamond-rich land and compensation that could total R2,5-billion.
President Thabo Mbeki will pay a courtesy call on newly installed Roman Catholic Pope Benedict XVI during his visit to Italy on Friday and Saturday, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday. Mbeki is also scheduled to hold discussions with his Italian counterpart, President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, and Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
A new computer virus that has infected scores of computers worldwide has been detected, the NOD 32 company said on Wednesday. The virus, the Sober.O worm, was first detected on Tuesday and has been spreading rapidly via e-mail. It is ”the worst virus onslaught of the year”, said NOD 32 CEO Justin Stanford.
![]()
The Schabir Shaik fraud and corruption trial ended on Wednesday afternoon with Judge Hillary Squires saying a judgement will not take place before May 30. ”Like all rivers that eventually reach the sea, we have reached the sea,” Squires said at the end of the case.
Jazz musician Robbie Jansen has made a ”miraculous” recovery from a near-comatose condition and is sitting up demanding fruit salad, his relieved record-company executive said on Wednesday. Jansen was admitted to the Tygerberg hospital almost a month ago following his collapse at his home in Elsies River.
A detailed plan for fighting the increasing number of tuberculosis (TB) cases in Africa was unveiled in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Wednesday, according to the global Stop TB Partnership. African and international health and development officials met to discuss the ”spiralling epidemic” of TB.
South Africa’s second of three Type 209 submarines was launched in Emden in northern Germany on Wednesday. The boat was christened ”S102”. Speaking during the ceremony, Deputy Minister of Defence Mluleki George said the naming and launching of any vessel is a significant occasion, as it only happens once in its lifetime.
Orlando Pirates increased their lead in the Premier Soccer League by three points when they beat Ajax Cape Town 1-0 at Newlands on Tuesday. Pirates can thank their goalkeeper Francis Chansa for maximum points, as he brought off several excellent saves.
The Zimbabwe government has "little in reserve" to fight off the country’s domestic economic problems and President Robert Mugabe is effectively a rugby fullback facing a front line of opposition, said the Movement for Democratic Change on Tuesday in a post-mortem of the March 31 parliamentary election.
The Freedom of Expression Institute is deeply alarmed at government ”threats” to introduce legislation to make individuals and organisations ”speak responsibly” on sensitive matters. ”It is also highly unfortunate that the government has chosen [World Press Freedom Day] to make these threats,” it said on Tuesday.
The convener of the Springbok selection panel, Peter Jooste, has confirmed that the panel will announce the national squad for the upcoming tours on Saturday May 14. Jooste said the panel will not change the principles of its selection policy, which resulted in nine out of 13 Test wins for the Springboks in 2004.
A Cape Town-based housing innovator who propagates using hemp to curb South Africa’s growing housing problem has not ruled out Constitutional Court litigation to compel the government to revise its dagga legislation. ”There is a strong possibility we will initiate litigation, hopefully within this year,” said Andre du Plessis.
![]()
The Durban High Court heard on Tuesday that the creation of a non-distributable reserve and the rights of three loan accounts in the books of Nkobi Holdings went beyond the accounting knowledge of fraud and corruption accused Schabir Shaik.
Differing concerns by organised labour and business over a new draft law aimed at controlling the development of cooperatives in South Africa has once again highlighted the opposed economic philosophies of the two groupings. Business sees the future of such enterprises as being characterised by the dictates of a free market.
![]()
Schabir Shaik’s advocate Francois van Zyl complained to the court on Tuesday that parts of his closing arguments, which have not yet been dealt with, appeared in weekend newspapers. ”I assume they had access to your arguments,” said Judge Hillary Squires.
South Africa’s largest gold-miner, AngloGold Ashanti, is looking to achieve cost savings of more than $80-million (R491-million) at its South African gold mines this year, the company’s head of South African operations, Robbie Lazare, said on Tuesday. AngloGold Ashanti previously budgeted on savings of $41,4-million.
Emergency aid is on the way to a village in the Eastern Cape where an outbreak of a tapeworm-related sickness has seen more than 20 children hospitalised. Dozens more were awaiting immunisation on Tuesday from neurocystercercosis, a parasitic brain infection that results from tapeworms.
Mamelodi Sundowns moved to the second spot on the log when they beat struggling Wits University 3-2 in a lively Castle Premier League encounter on Monday. Also, Black Leopards beat Manning Rangers, Lamontville Golden Arrows shared the spoils with Silver Stars and Moroka Swallows defeated Bloemfontein Celtic.