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/ 7 February 2005
The presiding judge in the sex-crimes trial of Pretoria advocate couple Dirk Prinsloo and Cezanne Visser urged lawyers on Monday to do everything possible to speed up the proceedings. The trial has become ”bogged down” in cross-examination, said Judge Essop Patel.
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/ 7 February 2005
The partnerships between De Beers and the governments of diamond-producing countries will be key in transforming the diamond industry going forward, but as the senior partner, the South African government should use its stick "very infrequently" or the company could "disengage", De Beers chairperson Nicky Oppenheimer has cautioned.
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/ 7 February 2005
A charity golf day held at Centurion raised R280 000 towards relief of the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster in December, the Department of Health said on Monday. Sunday’s event was organised by the Association of South-East Asian Nations and heads of the diplomatic missions to South Africa.
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/ 7 February 2005
The likelihood of a 50 basis-point cut in interest rates by the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) stands at about 60%, according to Lehman Brothers economist Tolga Ediz. Commenting in a recent research note, the London-based Ediz said that the choice facing the SARB’s monetary policy committee at its February meeting will not be an easy one.
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/ 7 February 2005
The Congress of South African Trade Unions on Sunday responded to claims in a Zimbabwe newspaper that its visits to the country were masterminded and sponsored in Washington. Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance’s plan to send a delegation to Zimbabwe is ”highly provocative”, says the African National Congress.
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/ 7 February 2005
Silver Stars caused an upset at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane where they held defending champions Kaizer Chiefs to a 0-0 draw in a hard-fought Castle Premiership clash played on Sunday. There was little excitement in the opening 45 minutes. Chiefs had two opportunities to score and Stars had one during a dull opening period.
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/ 7 February 2005
Michael Stich was fully extended on Sunday evening by Mats Wilander, who at the of age 40 years was the ”elder statesman” at the Grand Champions 2005 tournament at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. Meanwhile, Goran Ivanisevic wrapped up the tournament on Sunday night with a victory over Pat Cash.
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/ 6 February 2005
A polished performance by a determined South African side saw them beat England by 108 runs in the fourth Standard Bank one-day international at Newlands on Sunday, and take a two-one lead in the series. Set a target of 292 runs at nearly six runs a ball, England were always on the back foot.
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/ 6 February 2005
The Democratic Alliance on Sunday refused to participate in any attempt to use Parliament to intimidate or interfere with the Scorpions in their investigation of Travelgate. In a statement, the DA said the African National Congress’s threat to summon the Scorpions is ”a naked abuse of power”.
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/ 6 February 2005
Black Leopards’ losing ways continued after they were beaten 1-0 by Orlando Pirates in a Premier Soccer League match played at Johannesburg Stadium on Saturday. There was no score at half-time. Pirates could have taken the lead in the 26th minute after Tyren Arendse failed to convert a clear-cut chance.
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/ 6 February 2005
Manning Rangers’ woes continued when they were beaten 2-0 by 10-man Ajax Cape Town in a Castle Premiership encounter played at Chatsworth Stadium on Saturday night. The first goal of this dull match was netted by Thembinkosi Fanteni in the 19th minute, thanks to an excellent cross ball from Kanku Mulekelayi.
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/ 6 February 2005
Mamelodi Sundowns beat Bloemfontein Celtic 3-1 in an entertaining Castle Premier League clash played at Loftus on Saturday night. Sundowns created the first clear-cut attack of the game in the opening minutes when Siaka Tiene had his shot parried to safety by suspect Celtic goalkeeper Simon Gopane.
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/ 6 February 2005
German Michael Stich regained his winning touch with a 6-4 7-6 (4) win over Australian Pat Cash in Saturday’s opening singles rubber at the Grand Champions 2005 tournament at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. Stich went down to Croatia’s Goran Ivanisevic in his opening gambit on Friday night.
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/ 6 February 2005
A University of Cape Town (UCT) associate professor died on Saturday after he was attacked and severely injured by a student, the university said. Brian Hahn (58) died at Cape Town’s Vincent Pallotti hospital shortly after 1pm, the university’s vice-chancellor, Njabulo Ndebele, said in a statement.
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/ 5 February 2005
Oscar Pistorius, the sensational schoolboy sprinter, broke his world 200m record for double below-the-knee amputees in his first major race against able-bodied athletes at the opening Absa Series meeting in Potchefstroom on Friday night. The matriculant from Pretoria Boys’ High surged to 21,83 seconds in ideal conditions.
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/ 5 February 2005
Bush Bucks woes continued after losing 4-2 to Wits University in a Premier Soccer League match played at the Bidvest Stadium on Friday night. Wits’ Jonathan Solomons intended cross resulted in the home side’s first goal in the 14th minute. Sydney Nkalanga added Wits’ second seven minutes later.
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/ 5 February 2005
Graeme Smith registered his maiden limited-overs international century to lead South Africa to a series-levelling three-wicket win over England in the third Standard Bank one-day cricket match at Sahara Oval St George’s on Friday. It was a terrific effort by the South Africans after some poor results this summer.
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/ 5 February 2005
About 40 families, numbering about 100 people, in Alexandra have been left homeless after a fire, apparently caused by a paraffin stove, razed their shacks on Friday. Johannesburg Emergency Services spokesperson Malcolm Midgley said it appears that a woman had left her paraffin stove on when she went gambling, causing the fire.
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/ 5 February 2005
American animal behaviourist Kirk Turner and South Africa’s Council for Scientific and Industrial Research are establishing a dog training centre in the dusty district of Brits outside the capital, Pretoria, to explore the theory that dogs, with their superior olfactory systems, can sniff out cancer in humans more accurately than machines.
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/ 4 February 2005
The South African Council of Churches (SACC) has expressed shock and dismay at continuing assertions that condoms ”don’t work” as a means of preventing the spread of HIV. Secretary general Molefe Tsele said the SACC believes that all credible scientific studies conclude that the virus that causes Aids cannot pass through a latex condom.
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/ 4 February 2005
South Africa’s largest union federation, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), and its counterpart, the Zimbabwean Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), have threatened demonstrations including blockades of all borders to Zimbabwe. This comes after the leaders of Cosatu and the ZCTU met on Thursday in South Africa.
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/ 4 February 2005
Political parties on Friday welcomed Deutsche Bank’s move to sell 25% of its South African operations to empowerment groups. African National Congress spokesperson Smuts Ngonyama said the decision shows the bank believes local players can add value to the business.
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/ 4 February 2005
Western Areas, in partnership with Vancouver Placer Dome, on Friday commissioned the world’s deepest single drop shaft, South Deep, near Westonaria, 40km south-west of Johannesburg. The main shaft is the deepest in the world at 2Â 991,5m — nearly 3km. The shaft gives direct access to one of the world’s largest identified gold-ore reserves.
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/ 4 February 2005
Eleven children were seriously injured when a bus on its way to a local school overturned between Wartburg and Dalton on Friday, KwaZulu-Natal police said.
About 32 children were slightly injured and were taken to hospital for treatment. Approximately 10 children were unharmed.
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/ 4 February 2005
The student representative council (SRC) of the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) on Friday condemned what it said are financial aid policies aimed at excluding poorer students. The SRC demands the immediate registration ”of all academically deserving students who need financial aid”.
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/ 4 February 2005
President Thabo Mbeki has praised world leaders who were at the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, last month, for committing to be ”part of the generation that eliminates extreme poverty” in Africa and the world. Mbeki led a South African delegation that attended the meeting at the end of January.
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/ 4 February 2005
Portions of South Africa’s media are failing in their role as watchdogs, and seem ”extremely reluctant to bark these days”, Democratic Alliance leader Tony Leon said on Friday. He singled out the South African Broadcasting Corporation for particular criticism, calling it a ”virtual propaganda arm” of the African National Congress.
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/ 4 February 2005
Two armed men left a gun behind after robbing an adult store in Springs, east of Johannesburg, of DVDs, videos, magazines and cash on Wednesday, police said on Friday. Police spokesperson Inspector Thomlyn Jacobs said police found an unlicensed 9mm firearm loaded with live ammunition on a chair.
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/ 4 February 2005
Further allegations of police incompetence arose in the Pretoria High Court sex-crimes trial of advocates Dirk Prinsloo and Cezanne Visser on Friday. Prinsloo’s advocate, Piet Coetzee, questioned senior superintendent Rudi van Olst about several aspects of the search and seizure at the couple’s Raslouw, Pretoria, home and their arrest in 2002.
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/ 4 February 2005
Still feeling too sick to go on with his trial, lion murder accused Richard ”Doctor” Mathebula (41) on Friday asked the Phalaborwa Circuit Court for time to recover from the chest pains that have plagued him this week. ”This morning, I tried to consult with my client. He was not in a position to give me proper instructions,” said Mathebula’s counsel, Mathews Kekana.
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/ 4 February 2005
Goran Ivanisevic, the handsome Croatian who has been turning heads since he arrived in the Mother City on Monday, has a chance to record a career ”first” when he plays German Michael Stich in the opening match of the Cape Town Grand Champions 2005 tournament at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on Friday.
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/ 4 February 2005
World number six gold-miner Harmony Gold on Friday said it intends to serve its unions and staff associations with notices of compulsory restructuring over the next two weeks. Harmony said it will be issuing Section 189 notifications, which will result in the start of the legally required 60-day review period.