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/ 20 January 2005
German toy boy Makoko the Gorilla appealed on Thursday to Jo’burgers to dig deep into their pockets to assist him with paying lobola for Max the Gorilla’s widow, Lisa. Makoko (19) moved from Munster Zoo in Germany last November to be with the 33-year-old Lisa, who has been single since the death of the crime-busting Max last May.
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/ 20 January 2005
Protesting prison warders taking part in a protest march in Pretoria on Thursday were urged not to sing about Minister of Correctional Services Ngconde Balfour’s mother’s genitals or accuse him of being full of shit. ”We are marching to protest against the reduction of warders on duty in prisons over the weekends,” said a Police and Civil Rights Union spokesperson.
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/ 20 January 2005
Two babies are among those missing after a bus was swept into the crocodile-infested Umbuluzi River in Swaziland earlier this week, police said on Thursday.
Swaziland police spokesperson Vusi Masuku said police divers and emergency personnel were combing the river and a nearby dam for seven people on Thursday.
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/ 20 January 2005
As infighting continued to plague the Independent Democrats, a renewed call for a postponement of the party’s Western Cape congress was made on Wednesday. Senior office bearers, including chairpersons of nine ID branches in Cape Town’s metropolis, have signed a statement calling for the postponement due to the ”chaotic planning and absence of a fair process”.
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/ 20 January 2005
Bush Bucks and Silver Stars shared the spoils when they drew 1-1 in a scrappy Premier Soccer League match played at Absa Stadium in East London on Wednesday night. Stars had been behind for much of the contest but a goal in the dying minutes from December Ngobeni levelled matters.
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/ 20 January 2005
Orlando Pirates midfield star Steve Lekoelea showed his genius when taking free-kicks as he helped Bucs to an easy 3-0 win over struggling Jomo Cosmos in their Castle Premiership showdown played at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace on Wednesday night. The classy Lekoelea scored two goals — one in each half from free-kicks.
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/ 20 January 2005
Kaizer Chiefs were lucky to get a point after their one-all draw with Dynamos in their otherwise ding-dong Castle Premiership match at FNB Stadium on Wednesday night. Amakhosi were a shadow of the mean club who whipped Bloemfontein Celtic 4-1 in a league match at the same venue over the weekend.
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/ 20 January 2005
Mamelodi Sundowns launched a powerful second-half comeback to beat Santos 2-1 in a Castle Premier League clash at Loftus Stadium on Wednesday night. Santos opened the scoring through Reuben Cloete, who took advantage of Sundowns’ sloppy defending as early as the second minute.
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/ 20 January 2005
Former national cricket selector Hugh Page said on Thursday that he would have taken a chance and kept an injured Charl Langeveldt in the South African team for the crucial fifth Castle Lager/MTN Test against England, starting at Supersport Park on Friday. Titans fast-bowler Andre Nel will return to the South African cricket team for the last Test.
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/ 20 January 2005
Due in part to the high-profile launch of Mark Shuttleworth’s new Ubuntu open-source operating system, more and more ordinary computer users are realising that there is life after Windows. To help them on their way, a new magazine, <i>Tectonic</i>, will be launched in South Africa in March.
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/ 19 January 2005
Two of South Africa’s most promising young cyclists were among the five men who died in a plane crash in the Free State on Tuesday, the manager of South Africa’s national cycling team said on Wednesday. Cyclists Jaco de Witt and Jaco Odendaal, along with three others, were on board an Aerostar light aircraft on their way to Harrismith.
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/ 19 January 2005
A Magaliesburg farmer was arrested on Wednesday after police found his greenhouse full of dagga plants guarded by a snake in a glass cage. West Rand police spokesperson Captain Paula Nothnagel said the 37-year-old farmer did not have a permit for his snake. Nothnagel said the dagga was farmed and dried in greenhouses on the farm.
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/ 19 January 2005
South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) chief executive Peter Matlare announced his resignation following a special meeting with the broadcaster’s board of directors on Wednesday. His resignation follows media speculation of a tiff between Matlare and the broadcaster’s managing director of news, Snuki Zikalala.
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/ 19 January 2005
The share price of Distell South Africa’s largest listed wine and spirits producer, has gained 7,4% or R1,80 to reach its previous all-time high on Wednesday on the back of its bullish trading update, issued late on Tuesday. At 4.30pm, Distell shares were quoted on the JSE Securities Exchange at R26, up from R24,20 at Tuesday’s close.
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/ 19 January 2005
The government of the City of Cape Town has been given an unqualified audit report for the first time by Auditor General Shauket Fakie, for its financial year ended June 30 2004, Cape Town executive mayor Nomaindia Mfeketo announced on Wednesday. "It is with humility that I can announce a great achievement," Mfeketo said.
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/ 19 January 2005
Rugby’s squabbling administrators have brought the game into disrepute, the chairperson of Parliament’s sport portfolio committee said on Wednesday. His comment, during a presentation by SA Rugby’s 2011 World Cup bid committee, came as the Democratic Alliance accused the minister of sport and recreation of ”taking sides” with his brother in the row.
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/ 19 January 2005
Trade unions are gearing up for a march in Pretoria on Thursday to protest staff shortages in prisons. Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union president Zizamele Cebekhulu said the Department of Correctional Services has thus far failed to address the issues of prisoner overcrowding and staff shortages.
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/ 19 January 2005
At least 15 Durban-based medical specialists have offered their services to a local welfare group, the Gift of the Givers Foundation, as it prepares for a mercy flight to tsunami victims in Somalia. The foundation’s director, Dr Imtiaaz Sooliman, said Gift of the Givers is ready to leave with 40 tonnes of food, medical supplies and water.
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/ 19 January 2005
South Africa’s Deaflympic team, with 19 medals from competition in Australia, were greeted by a silent heroes’ welcome at Johannesburg International airport on Tuesday afternoon. Pupils from St Vincent’s School for the Deaf — waved their hands in celebration (the way deaf people applaud) as the sports stars entered the arrivals hall.
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/ 19 January 2005
The South African men’s hockey team claimed a series win over the touring English side following their 3-1 victory in the fourth and final Test at the Tshwane University of Technology on Tuesday night. Ian Symons scored first for the home side, from a penalty corner in the 27th minute.
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/ 19 January 2005
Black Leopards and Bloemfontein Celtic shared the spoils when they played to an exciting 2-2 Premier Soccer League draw at Thohoyandou Stadium on Tuesday night. Leopards led 2-1 at the break after coming back from a goal behind. Moses Spandeel put Celtic ahead with a brilliant bicycle kick.
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/ 19 January 2005
Two of Russia’s brightest gymnastics stars of the new millennium, double Olympic champion Elena Zamolodchikova and triple Olympic medallist Ekaterina Lobazniouk, have arrived in South Africa to kick-start a local club’s programme. They are accompanied by one of Russia’s foremost acro-gymnastic choreographers.
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/ 18 January 2005
President Thabo Mbeki is not obliged to say why he decided to pardon convicted fraudster Allan Boesak, the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development said on Tuesday. The Democratic Alliance said on Tuesday it has written to both Mbeki and Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Brigitte Mabandla, asking for full reasons.
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/ 18 January 2005
Examination quality-assurance body Umalusi denied on Tuesday that it has cleared education department officials of involvement in alleged irregularities in last year’s Mpumalanga matric exams. The council rejected a finding, attributed to it by the Mpumalanga education department, that no officials had been involved.
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/ 18 January 2005
”Matrics, join the military!” was the call Minister of Defence Mosiuoa Lekota made on Tuesday to last year’s matric class. Lekota told journalists that he wants more matrics to consider the military as a career, saying defence is about more than warfare, it is also about developing a skilled and disciplined citizenry.
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/ 18 January 2005
Boxing SA chairperson Mthobi Tyamzashe is spending sleepless nights worrying about the dwindling number of white boxers in the country. South Africa currently only has six white professional prize fighters. They include Anton Nel (heavyweight champion), Andre Thysse (super middleweight holder) and Daniel Bruwer.
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/ 18 January 2005
The new loveLife campaign for 2005 was launched last week. It is again a message that is hard to understand.
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/ 18 January 2005
Chief land-claims commissioner Tozi Gwanya says he believes that all 22 447 unresolved land-restitution claims will be settled by the end of this year. ”We are confident,” he said on Monday in Cape Town, where he and provincial commissioners are holding their regular quarterly meeting.
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/ 18 January 2005
Pharmacists will not be breaking the law should they not abide by the government’s dispensing-fee rule for medication, and have nothing to fear from threats by the Department of Health to prosecute those who do not adhere to the government’s regulations, says Anthony Norton, attorney for the Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?cg=BreakingNews-National&ao=178127">Pharmacies charge ‘whatever they want'</a>
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/ 18 January 2005
SA Rugby on Monday confirmed the preliminary South African squads to participate in the 2005 Vodacom Rugby Super 12 competition. Three of the four South African squads — the Cats, Sharks and Stormers — must still add players, while the Bulls have confirmed a full squad of 30 players.
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/ 18 January 2005
Mamelodi Sundowns hope to register their second consecutive win under their new coach, Argentinean Angel Cappa, against Santos at Loftus Stadium in Pretoria on Wednesday night. Sundowns marketing and communications manager Alex Shakoane said his club’s win over Ajax has instilled high hopes in the camp.
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/ 18 January 2005
The share price of SABMiller plc, one of the world’s largest brewers, has reacted positively to the group’s trading update, gaining 1,45% or R1,35 in early trade on Tuesday on the back of evidence of continued strong growth in the brewer’s beer volumes. At 10.30am, SABMiller was quoted on the JSE Securities Exchange at R97,65.