South Africa

The right of the public to information on covert crimes in the apartheid years might justify a proper adjudication of quashed charges against Wouter Basson, a Constitutional Court judge said on Thursday. The South African and Namibian public, especially relatives of people who disappeared, have the right to obtain clarity, Judge Albie Sachs stated.

Workers in Zimbabwe are beaten, maimed and in some cases even castrated, Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) president Willie Madisha said at this year’s Solidarity trade union congress on Thursday. He said there is a ”very serious problem” with the Zanu-PF ruling party calling itself a ”party of liberation” when workers are killed and beaten.

After a trial and appeal process lasting close to seven years, it would surely not be fair to allow Dr Wouter Basson to be tried afresh, the Constitutional Court heard in Johannesburg on Thursday. Basson’s lawyer was arguing against the state’s application for leave to appeal against issues arising from Basson’s acquittal on a variety of charges in 2002.

The Premier Soccer League clash between Kaizer Chiefs and Supersport United at Soccer City on Wednesday night was hailed to be the thriller of the season. Instead, the Chiefs faithful sat through a 0-0 draw and they must have felt well let down afterwards, wondering why they didn’t stay home to watch European Champions League action on the telly.

The president of Athletics South Africa (ASA), Leonard Chuene, on Thursday announced that the outgoing CEO, Banele Sindani, will be replaced by Linda Ferns, in her new capacity as general manager of ASA. Chuene said the ASA board had unanimously agreed that Ferns will be best suited to fill the role of general manager.

The tobacco industry has reacted with mixed feelings to Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel’s announcement on Wednesday of an increase of 7,5% and 14,9% in tobacco tax, saying the increase will add to the attractiveness of South Africa as a target market for groups who deal in counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes.

The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) says it is happy with the amount Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel set aside for HIV/Aids on Wednesday but worries about whether it will be spent properly. The total budget for fighting HIV/Aids will rise in the coming year to about R4,3-billion, a rise of about R1-billion over current spending.

The state’s claims that the trial judge who acquitted apartheid chemical and biological warfare expert Dr Wouter Basson was biased were examined in the Constitutional Court on Wednesday. Alfred Cockrell argued on behalf of the state that any reasonable person would conclude trial Judge Willie Hartzenberg had been unconsciously biased.

Lectures resumed at all of the University of Johannesburg’s (UJ) campuses on Wednesday after a late-night agreement with students ended a class boycott and street protests, a UJ spokesperson said. On Tuesday, students took to the streets outside the campus in Bunting Road and police blocked the road to prevent a march.

Once a year, amateur clubs from all over the country dream of glory — a chance to take on the big boys, to face a professional side, to match skills with the best South Africa has to offer. There is one competition in the country that can turn such dreams into reality. That competition is the Absa Cup.