The AfriForum group on Tuesday laid wreaths in Pretoria for the victims of the Church Street bomb blast during the apartheid era. ”The fact that the majority of the victims had been civilians means that the incident cannot be regarded as a military operation, but rather as an act of terror,” said AfriForum.
Parliament would undermine its own integrity if it failed to pursue the MPs who owed money in the Travelgate saga, the Public Service Accountability Monitor (PSAM) said on Tuesday. PSAM was reacting to an announcement that creditors of one of the travel agencies linked were to be asked to stop all civil action.
Ronnie Kasrils, Minister of Intelligence, said on Tuesday that "we are not just seeing spontaneous xenophobic attacks". "There are many social issues at the root of the problem, but we have reason to believe that there are many other organisations involved in sparking the attacks. We are currently analysing the situation."
As police announced the launch of "specialised units" to combat the deadly xenophobic violence in Gauteng and the National Intelligence Agency confirmed that it was probing the violence, the government on Tuesday stood accused of serious policy failures that "created a tinderbox of unmet expectations which exploded in Alexandra".
South Africa has emerged at a ranking of 116 in the Global Peace Index 2008, the index said on Tuesday. ”South Africa has moved down six places since 2007,” it said in a statement. The index is a ranking of 140 countries — from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe — listed according to their peacefulness.
It’s just another sunny afternoon in Alex, and foreigners are taking the opportunity to salvage what is left of their possessions. When the sun goes down, they’ll need to be back in their tents behind the palisade fence of the parking lot of the Alexandra police station, which has been turned into a tent city.
A judge has issued a stern warning to murder accused Najwa Petersen after learning on Tuesday she had dismissed her advocate just as she was supposed to start presenting her case for a not-guilty ruling. ”We can’t be held to ransom by the whims of one accused,” Cape High Court judge Siraj Desai said.
The police have ”concrete evidence” of a suspected third-force involvement in xenophobic attacks in and around Johannesburg, the Gauteng Legislature heard on Tuesday. ”The police now have concrete evidence of those involved in orchestrations and they are dealing with it,” said Gauteng’s minister for sport Barbara Creecy.
Finance Minister Trevor Manuel on Tuesday defended inflation targeting as an economic management tool and hinted the government was still comfortable with a 3% to 6% percent target range for the main CPIX (consumer inflation less mortgage costs) gauge.
The JSE was taking a breather on Tuesday after its recent strong rally, which took the bourse to successive record highs, as some profit-taking set in. However, earlier the all-share index hit yet another fresh record high when it touched 33 263,148. At noon, the JSE’s all-share index was down 0,88%.
South Africa’s police and the African National Congress (ANC) intensified efforts on Tuesday to quell anti-foreigner violence that has killed at least 24 people and sent thousands of African immigrants into refugee shelters. Police have struggled for over a week to end the violent attacks on foreigners.
South African consumer foods and healthcare products group Tiger Brands plans to sell an additional 10% to black-economic empowerment (BEE) investors after the completion of the unbundling of its healthcare products unit, it said on Tuesday. "Post-unbundling, an additional broad-based equity deal of approximately 10% will be implemented," CEO Peter Matlare said.
The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) board will appeal a high court ruling setting aside the suspension of chief executive Dali Mpofu, board chairperson Khanyi Mkhonza said on Tuesday. ”After careful study of the judgement, the board has identified areas of concerns that we believe can only be clarified through the legal process,” she said.
Despite a number of ongoing risks and structural imbalances in South Africa, the rand has a very good chance of strengthening impressively for the rest of this year and into 2009, say market analysts ETM. They say, however, that levels approaching 6,50 to the dollar — should they be reached — would probably be difficult to sustain.
President Thabo Mbeki on Monday reiterated his call for an immediate end to attacks on foreign nationals in Gauteng, which have left 22 people dead and up to 10Â 000 seeking refuge in shelters. ”Citizens from other countries on the African continent and beyond are as human as we are and deserve to be treated with respect,” the president.
It was touted to be a friendly, "inquisitorial" forum, but had all the elements of a bitter family feud where old comrades squared up in new battles. On the one side: the mandarins of the state and the political party that brought liberation, fighting to protect old networks of solidarity.
As the sun set on another bloody day of xenophobic violence in Gauteng on Monday, at least 22 people were reported dead, many more injured and 217 arrested for fierce attacks on both foreigners and local residents living in the greater Johannesburg area. Aid organisations were assisting thousands of refugees at civic centres and police stations.
Fidentia’s J Arthur Brown was currently receiving antiretroviral (ARV) treatment in a private clinic after allegedly being sexually assaulted by prisoners in a prison vehicle, the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court heard on Monday. Brown was arrested recently on charges of theft, fraud and money laundering.
South Africa’s Parliament approved a new internet gambling law to regulate an industry plagued by crime and vulnerable to money laundering, parliamentary papers showed on Monday. A memorandum attached to the National Gambling Amendment Bill said the interactive gambling industry was currently unregulated and ”generally plagued” by crime.
New Bafana Bafana coach Brazilian Joel Santana has not come to South Africa on a safari. At his first press conference at Johannesburg’s Safa House on Monday, he spelt out what he hoped to achieve during the 30 months that he will be in charge of the national team. ”I will do my talking on the training pitch,” he said.
Two weeks after the start of the xenophobic attacks in Gauteng, the government and police are still at a loss on how to handle the escalating violence. "The attacks keep on taking us by surprise. When we think the situation is under control something erupts somewhere else," an official from the Department of Home Affairs told the <i>Mail & Guardian</i> on Monday.
The headlines of the papers at the newsstand at the Bree Street taxi rank on Monday reflect the deadly xenophobic violence that spread around Johannesburg on the weekend. ”Violence flares up,” the Sowetan says. ”Flames of hate” is the headline of both the Star and the Times.
The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) board said it disagreed with a Johannesburg High Court ruling on Monday, which set aside the suspension of CEO Dali Mpofu. Judge Moroa Tsoka said the entire matter was handled badly by board chairperson Khanyi Mkhonza.
The National Energy Regulator of South Africa has recommended that procurement of new private electricity generation be managed by a professional entity independent from power utility Eskom, a report showed on Monday. Eskom has struggled to satisfy rising demand for electricity in Africa’s biggest economy, resulting in power cuts.
His legs soaked in blood and with scorch marks running down his back, the young man is lifted on to a makeshift stretcher after another bout of deadly violence in South Africa’s so-called City of Gold. His eyes blink, filled with tears, as he shudders slightly and tries to move before police calm him down and say he is now out of danger.
Private security companies should be given more powers so that they could contribute meaningfully to the fight against crime, the Democratic Alliance (DA) said on Monday. DA spokesperson on safety and security Dianne Kohler Barnard said private security companies should be granted the same powers as the police when carrying out arrests and seizures.
Double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius says the 2012 London Olympics may be a more realistic goal than qualifying for the Beijing Games. Pistorius has returned to South Africa following a Court of Arbitration ruling that cleared him to compete against able-bodied runners.
The Springboks may well have to do without the world’s number one scrumhalf, Fourie du Preez, in their first three Tests of the season, and the Blue Bulls could be without their top three scrumhalves when the Currie Cup kicks off on June 20. This follows confirmation that Springbok and Bulls scrumhalf Fourie du Preez has suffered a broken bone in his left hand.
South African stocks continued to run in record territory at midday on Monday, buoyed by miners on firmer metal prices while an upbeat mood in overseas markets added to the bullish tone. The market touched 33 116,051 during the session, an all-time high.
A wave of xenophobic attacks spread through Johannesburg townships on Monday. Mobs beat foreigners and set some ablaze in scenes reminiscent of apartheid-era violence. A total of 22 people have now been killed in the violence directed at immigrants around Johannesburg, which began a week ago.
Notwithstanding the strong demand for private healthcare, Netcare’s operations in South Africa are operating in an extremely challenging environment, the hospital group said on Monday. This environment was due to ”increased regulatory and cost pressures”, it said.
The Johannesburg High Court on Monday set aside the suspension of South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) CEO Dali Mpofu. ”I rule that the meeting at which the decision was taken to suspend Mpofu was unlawful,” said Judge Moroa Tsoka.