A M&G investigation into covert party funding has revealed how R11-million of public money was diverted to ANC coffers ahead of the 2004 elections.
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Businessman Schabir Shaik’s defence counsel discussed in his closing argument on Friday the deep-rooted friendship between the fraud and corruption accused and Deputy President Jacob Zuma. The defence began it final argument on Friday.
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Joseph Kabila on Friday suggested the creation of permanent structures to ensure agreements signed between his country and South Africa are put into practice. He was speaking at the start of a Binational Commission meeting he is to co-chair with President Thabo Mbeki in Pretoria.
A name change from Pretoria to Tshwane will increase alienation among Afrikaners, the Freedom Front Plus said on Friday. ”We have determined through research that a name change of the capital will continue to increase alienation among the Afrikaner minority,” FF+ MP Willie Spies said in a statement.
The South African Navy submarine SAS Assegaai, decommissioned almost two years ago, will continue serving her country as the main attraction at a planned museum of submarine technology. ”We want to preserve the proud submarine heritage of South Africa,” said Rear-Admiral Arne Söderlund.
France completed their South African safari with a flourish when they registered a resounding 4-1 win in the fourth and final men’s hockey Test at the Gelvan astro in Port Elizabeth on Thursday to share the series. Down 2-0 after the opening games in East London, the Frenchman were deserved winners on Thursday.
Two dead men and one still alive were found wrapped in plastic bags in Booysens Reserve, south of Johannesburg, on Thursday night, police said on Friday. Captain Schalk Bornman said a security guard was patrolling the suburb when he discovered the three men near the corner of Second Street and Sixth Avenue.
The share price of global pulp and paper producer Sappi fell by 4,3% or R2,89 in early trade on Friday after the company said in its second-quarter results that it does not expect its 2005 full-year earnings to match those of 2004. At 9.50am, Sappi’s shares were quoted on the JSE Securities Exchange at R64,50.
The government denied on Thursday claims of radioactive danger in the vicinity of Pelindaba outside Pretoria, and threatened to change the law to sanction anybody spreading baseless alarm in future. ”There is no security or proliferation risk,” Minister of Minerals and Energy Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka said.
Taxi owners cautiously welcomed a new government code unveiled on Thursday for minimum wages and basic employment conditions in the industry. Workers embraced the announcement and warned employers that attempts to violate or undermine the initiative will face ”vigorous challenge”.
”Lion Man” Nelson Chisale’s killers were convicted of his murder on Thursday, more than a year and three months after he was viciously beaten with pangas and then fed to lions at the Mokwalo White Lion Project, near Hoedspruit. Mark Scott-Crossley (37) and Simon Mathebula (41) were each found guilty on a charge of murder.
Environmentalists questioned on Thursday a multimillion-rand contract to build South Africa’s first pebble-bed modular reactor (PBMR) fuel plant, saying the PBMR company has no legal basis to continue development. The R102-million contract has been awarded to a German company.
The government signed a contract with Airbus Military on Thursday, under which South Africa will become a partner in the A400M airlifter programme and acquire at least eight of the transport aircraft. The Democratic Alliance opposed the deal on Thursday, saying it ”looks set to be another costly mistake”.
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The state on Thursday concluded its argument in the Schabir Shaik fraud and corruption trial, saying the controversial encrypted fax is the truth and adds weight to the state’s case. The fax reports an alleged bribe of R500 000 a year for Deputy President Jacob Zuma.
About 14Â 000 jobs were created every month last year compared with 10Â 000 over the previous years, but that was still not enough reduce the unemployment rate, economist Mike Schussler said on Thursday. Schussler, author of the South African Employment Report, was speaking at its launch.
Bomb-disposal experts swept a Phalaborwa courtroom for incendiary devices, the front row of the public gallery was cleared to make way for a line of police crowd-control officers, and parking outside the court was cordoned off in preparation for judgement in the lion murder trial of Mark Scott-Crossley and Simon Mathebula on Thursday.
The retail price of petrol in South Africa is set to rise by 20 cents per litre (c/l) across all grades of petrol from Wednesday May 4, the Department of Minerals and Energy said on Thursday. The increase means that the price of inland 93 grade petrol will rise from R5,02 to R5,22, and to R5,11 a litre at the coast.
The Titans celebrated Freedom Day in style in Pretoria on Wednesday, with an emphatic eight-wicket victory over the Warriors in the final of the Standard Bank Pro20 series. The Warriors started reasonably well, with their first 50 coming up in the eighth over, and at 102 for four appeared set for a challenging total.
France pulled one back in the four-match men’s hockey series against South Africa in Port Elizabeth on Wednesday, winning the third Test 3-1 to keep alive their hopes of squaring the series. Going into the fourth match at the same venue on Thursday afternoon, the visitors trail the home team 2-1.
The share price of industrial and construction company Concor jumped 12,5% or R2,50 in early trade on Thursday after it emerged late on Tuesday that two rival construction groups — Murray & Roberts and Wilson Bayly Holmes-Ovcon are interested in taking over Concor.
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Fraud and corruption accused Schabir Shaik was neither an honest nor a credible witness, the prosecution in his trial case in the Durban High Court said on Tuesday.
”Shaik’s evidence is littered with evasion and equivocations,” prosecutor Billy Downer said.
The Western Cape’s education budget has risen by 10% to R6,5-billion, with the extra money to go to ”human capital”, provincial education minister Cameron Dugmore said on Tuesday. Cameron, addressing the provincial legislature during his budget speech, reflected on past achievements and future challenges.
A Richtersveld elder on Tuesday told how as a young man he laboured for less than 40c a day on the state diamond diggings that his community is now reclaiming. The community is claiming 85 000ha of land and compensation of up to R2,5-billion, including R1,5-billion for diamonds extracted from the ground.
Journalist Charlene Smith shed a tear as she told the Johannesburg High Court she would hate to do anything that brought harm to anyone. She was testifying in a civil case brought by three women who complained that their HIV-positive status was disclosed without their consent in Smith’s book on politician Patricia de Lille.
Springbok coach Jake White on Tuesday asked the rugby public to view South African Vodacom Rugby Super 12 teams’ performances over the past few weeks in context, because, he said, there are other elements critics are not taking into account. White said despite recent losses, the future is not all doom and gloom.
Athletics South Africa has lost its sponsor of the Absa Series and Absa South African Senior Track and Field Championships, bringing to an end an eight-year relationship. The decision to move away from the sponsorship of athletics was taken following extensive market research and analysis of all Absa’s sports sponsorships.
Comrades Marathon Association chairperson Dave Dixon on Tuesday announced the appointment of Renee Smith to the position of race manager, with effect from May 3. She will start her duties alongside acting CEO Cheryl Winn, with just six weeks to go until the 80th running of the Comrades Marathon on June 16.
Listed retailer and distributor Massmart has added yet more popular retail chains to its already wide array of brands, announcing the acquisition on Tuesday of a controlling stake in sports specialist Moresport for R403,8-million in cash. Moresport owns Sportsmans Warehouse, Sport Shoe World and Outdoor Warehouse.
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The Land Claims Court has the power to override the new Minerals Act, an advocate presenting the Richtersveld community’s multibillion-rand claim argued in Cape Town on Monday. The 2002 Act makes mineral resources the common heritage of all the people of South Africa, and does away with the notion of mineral rights.
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Deputy President Jacob Zuma contravened his constitutional duty by providing assistance to his friend and financial adviser Schabir Shaik, the Durban High Court heard on Monday. Zuma ”at the very least exposed himself to a situation involving the risk of a conflict between his official responsibilities and private interests”.
People arrested for petty crimes in the Vaal area will in future be punished with menial tasks such as sweeping streets, picking weeds and mowing lawns, police said on Monday. Police spokesperson Superintendent Maria Mazibuko said the aim of the project, launched in Vanderbijlpark on Monday, is to clean up the area.