The biography of politician Patricia de Lille is the only place where three women suing her were named and their HIV-positive status disclosed, the Johannesburg High Court heard on Monday. The women are claiming R200 000 each from both De Lille and journalist Charlene Smith, and demand that their names be removed from the book.
Reports that up to nine elephants in Zimbabwe were killed and used as meat for Zimbabwe’s recent independence celebrations should serve as a wake-up call to Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Marthinus van Schalkwyk, says the South African official opposition Democratic Alliance.
At an investor presentation on Monday, Harmony CEO Bernard Swanepoel spoke about the gold-miner’s undertaking with Russian mining group Norilsk Nickel, upcoming wage negotiations in the mining industry, Harmony’s bid for Gold Fields and the recent rise in its cash costs.
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The prosecution began final argument in Schabir Shaik’s fraud and corruption trial on Monday, describing the case that started in the Durban High Court in October as an epic. Prosecutor Billy Downer said the state has succeeded in proving that Shaik used Deputy President Jacob Zuma’s assistance to gain private business advantage.
Nine people were killed and about 60 injured in a collision between a bus and a goods train outside Makhado on Monday, Limpopo police said. Superintendent Ailwei Mushavhanamadi said five men and three women were killed at the scene. A fourth woman died in hospital.
Harmony Gold suffered a cash operating loss of R54,7-million in the March quarter, the company announced on Monday. In a statement, chief executive Bernard Swanepoel said the poorer results were caused by operational disruptions. Production declined by 14,1% to 679 251oz compared with the December quarter.
Pam Golding Properties, the residential company within the Pam Golding Property group, South Africa’s largest independent real estate group, has reported record turnover of R12,9-billion for the financial year to end-February 2005, up an impressive 36% compared with R9,5-billion the previous year.
Moroka Swallows, Jomo Cosmos, Bush Bucks and Mamelodi Sundowns all won their Premier Soccer League matches on Sunday. Swallows beat Lamontville Golden Arrows 2-0 in their hard-fought game at the Rand Stadium, while Cosmos escaped the chop by beating Bloemfontein Celtic 1-0 at the Seisa Ramabodu Stadium.
Relegation-threatened Jomo Cosmos eased their blues when they beat Bloemfontein Celtic by an odd goal in a tightly contested Castle Premier League tie at the Seisa Ramabodu Stadium on Sunday. Hilton Cunha scored the only goal of the match in the 69th minute from a long clearance.
Residents of Johannesburg and some parts of Pretoria woke up on Monday to a landscape shredded by a hail storm. Hailstones of up to 3cm in diameter pelted southern Johannesburg, parts of Randburg and northern Pretoria on Sunday night, South African Weather Service forecaster Evert Scholtz said.
The Bulls had to endure a strong comeback from the Chiefs to win their tense Super 12 clash and keep themselves in with a chance of a semifinal place. After two tries in the first half and a strong 23-9 lead, the Bulls took their foot off the pedal and watched as the Chiefs reeled them in and snatched a bonus point in controversial fashion.
Kaizer Chiefs beat Esperance of Tunisia 2-1 in an African Champions League second-round, second-leg match at Olympia Park in Rustenburg on Saturday afternoon. But Esperance won 5-2 on aggregate after winning the first-leg encounter 4-0.
The battle for a place in the semifinals of the Vodacom Cup saw the leading contenders dish out and suffer a few heavy psychological blows on Saturday. The Wildeklawer Griquas consolidated their bid for a place in the final four with an emphatic 30-26 victory over the Vodacom Blue Bulls at Securicor Loftus.
Unfancied Capetonians Santos upset the apple cart when they beat hot favourites and Premier Soccer League leaders Orlando Pirates 2-1 at the Johannesburg Stadium on Saturday night. Pirates, the hosts of the poorly attended match, scored first when Perry Mutapa converted a corner kick taken by Joseph Makhanya in the 57th minute.
The Congress of South African Trade Unions says the alliance between itself, the African National Congress and the South African Communist Party is stronger than ever, and that differences on how to handle political instability in Zimbabwe will cease to be an issue. The alliance held a two-day summit in Johannesburg this week.
It is the priority of people to make sure that South African children can read fluently by the third grade, Minister of Education Naledi Pandor said on Saturday. She was speaking at the launch of the Readathon Campaign 2005 at the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg. The launch coincided with World Book Day, which was celebrated worldwide.
The Stormers disintegrated in spectacular manner for the second week running when they blew a 24-0 lead to go down 37-24 to the Blues in their Super 12 match at Newlands on Saturday evening. What made the defeat extraordinary was that the Stormers played champagne rugby in the first 20 minutes.
The South African Super 14 rugby franchises are to be reconsidered at a meeting to be held on May 7, rugby boss Brian van Rooyen revealed on Saturday. He was addressing journalists after an emergency meeting with members of the South African Rugby Union’s president’s council.
Politician Patricia de Lille said on Friday she was aware that the three women suing her had retracted their complaints about a clinical Aids trial in which they participated. However, she had ignored this, she told the Johannesburg High Court. She was responding to counsel Daniel Burger, appearing for the plaintiffs.
The Warriors produced a fantastic performance in the field to reach the Standard Bank Pro20 Series cricket final, beating Free State Eagles by eight runs in a tension-filled finish to their semifinal at Sahara Oval St George’s on Friday. Spinner Johan Botha led a brilliant bowling performance.
Media reports that underfunding of the South African Air Force (SAAF) has caused the service to run down are correct, SAAF chief Lieutenant General Carlo Gagiano said on Friday.
Though President Thabo Mbeki had one orchid named after him in Singapore this week, there are already about 200 Zuma orchids on the International Orchid Register. Unfortunately for the deputy president, most of them seem to be named for California’s Zuma Valley, an orchid-growing centre.
Western Cape local government minister Marius Fransman has instructed the mayor of the central Karoo District Council to suspend Beaufort West municipal manager Truman Prince immediately. Prince is facing charges of public violence, crimen injuria and assault following incidents in the past two weeks.
A special South African Rugby Union president’s council meeting will go ahead on Saturday, despite the inability of number of council members to attend. The sport faces a crisis after allegations of a palace coup. Five members of the president’s council have called on the body to set aside the decision to award the five Super 14 franchises.
A ”black box” to assist motorists involved in accidents was unveiled in Johannesburg on Friday. The accident recorder kit is assembled and packaged by the workers of two NGOs. It contains first-aid accessories, two emergency blankets, gloves and a yellow ”light stick”.
Satirist Pieter-Dirk Uys has launched a biting attack on President Thabo Mbeki’s stand on Aids and nutrition. ”Most of the black people who have died of Aids in South Africa were too poor to even phone for help, let alone pizza delivery,” Uys said in a statement on Friday.
Minister of Health Manto Tshabalala-Msimang again stressed the importance of nutrition in regard to HIV/Aids at a Pietermaritzburg gathering on Friday of organisations dealing with the pandemic. The minister said there is scientific proof that lemon, olive oil and garlic can work wonders for people with Aids symptoms.
Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille took the stand on Friday during the civil case against her in the Johannesburg High Court. Three women who took part in a clinical Aids trial are suing De Lille and author Charlene Smith for revealing their identities and HIV-positive status in De Lille’s biography.
Limpopo economic development, environment and tourism minister Collins Chabane says small business is to receive special attention in his province. In a report by the government news agency, BuaNews, on Friday, he is quoted as telling the provincial legislature that small businesses has a high potential for job creation.
KwaZulu-Natal finance minister Zweli Mkhize escaped unhurt when the aircraft in which he was travelling made an emergency landing at Durban International airport on Thursday night, Premier Sibusiso Ndebele said. Mkhize was travelling with his wife, May Mashego, and bodyguard Mfihlo Gwala, Ndebele said on Friday.
It is that time of the season when the championship, relegation and promotion race heats up. First, the championship race, which seemed destined for Orlando Pirates for the third time, has now become highly contested. Pirates — who at one point had opened a 12-point gap — have faltered at the final hurdle.
Three South African soccer clubs taking part in the Confederation of African Football continental cup competitions have been tasked this weekend to do the improbable, if not the impossible, for two of these clubs have to reverse their first-round losses. Kaizer Chiefs and Supersport United have both complained about allegedly bad refereeing decisions.