A South African university residence where a racist video degrading black workers was filmed earlier this year is being closed down, a spokesperson said on Monday. The homemade video, filmed by students of the Reitz residence at the University of the Free State, caused outrage when it was leaked in February.
Eskom’s proposed 53% tariff increase will have a negative effect on the economy, Business Unity South Africa (Busa) said on Tuesday. Speaking at the second day of public hearings of the National Energy Regulator of South Africa, Busa’s Roger Baxter said studies had shown the economic impact of the hike would lead to about 55Â 000 job losses.
South African stocks were lower at midday on Tuesday, pressured by below-forecast gross domestic product (GDP) data, which showed that the quarterly economic growth rate slowed to 2,1%, traders said. At 12.02pm, the all-share index was down 0,71%. Resources fell 1,01%, while the gold- and platinum-mining indices were off 0,42% and 0,72% respectively.
Bafana Bafana’s hard-tackling midfielder, Lance Davids, will not be star-struck when he lines up against Nigeria in what could be the biggest match of his career in Abuja on Sunday. Kick-off is at 5pm South African time. The 23-year-old Cape Town-born Davids is one of the promising stars who local fans are hoping will set the 2010 World Cup finals alight.
The University of the Free State’s handling of the Reitz saga has not contributed to reconciliation, the Freedom Front Plus (FF+) said on Tuesday. FF Plus leader in the Free State Abrie Oosthuizen said the decision by the university to close the Reitz residence was an act of subservience to the African National Congress.
On a vast rubbish-strewn field in a mining area east of Johannesburg, hundreds of destitute Africans who have fled their makeshift homes in nearby slums shiver in the morning cold. The land, covered in white tents donated by aid groups, resembles the all-too-familiar refugee camps seen across this violence-hit continent.
Eskom has no power cuts planned, the power utility said on Monday. However, demand and supply remained tight and any technical difficulties could result in emergency cuts, said spokesperson Fani Zulu. ”One you have technical problems, they quickly take you to load-shedding,” he said.
South Africa’s biggest cellphone operator, Vodacom, reported a rise in annual profit as it boosted subscriber numbers, parent company Telkom said on Tuesday. Telkom, Africa’s largest fixed-line telephone operator, said Vodacom had increased its total subscribers by 12,7% to 34-million in the year ended March.
Springbok captain John Smit joined the Springbok training session in Stellenbosch on Monday morning just hours after stepping off the plane from France, where he had been playing for Top 14 club Clermont. The arrival of Smit was greeted with great relief by Springbok coach Peter de Villiers. ”We could not do our planning fully without him,” De Villiers explained.
Fraud convict Schabir Shaik has been admitted to the critical care unit of Durban’s Inkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital, his brother, Mo, said on Monday. Mo said this was because of fears that his high blood pressure could lead to heart problems. chabir was first admitted to the hospital on April 1 and has been there ever since.
President Thabo Mbeki faces an uphill battle to remain politically relevant in his last year in office after his failure to contain an eruption of violence that has killed dozens of foreign workers in South Africa. Mbeki was already under fire for failing to prevent a crippling power shortage when mobs went on the rampage this month.
Xenophobic violence against foreign nationals has been brought under control, Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula said on Monday. ”I do believe the situation is under control … the violence has subsided,” he said at a briefing at the Union Buildings in Pretoria following an inter-governmental task team meeting with President Thabo Mbeki.
Having indicated in previous answers to parliamentary questions that the Department of Minerals and Energy was considering the possible impact of introducing daylight-savings time, Minister of Minerals and Energy Buyelwa Sonjica has now said that it is not on the agenda.
Bafana Bafana’s technical and communications staff were seemingly in a tizzy on Monday after confirmation that Benson Mhlongo had smashed his ankle and petulant Benni McCarthy had broken his word to arrive at the training camp on Monday prior to Sunday’s crucial African Nations qualifier against Nigeria.
The University of the Free State (UFS) is expected to announce its decision on the future of its Reitz men’s hostel on Tuesday. The hostel was the centre of a racial storm in February this year after a video, made by residents, sparked a national outcry. The council of the UFS has mandated management to consider the possibility of closing down the hostel.
The South African government came under pressure on Monday to deal with the aftermath of deadly anti-foreigner violence that has displaced an estimated 35Â 000 people. As thousands headed for the borders, a growing humanitarian crisis was developing domestically with crowds of foreigners sheltering at police stations.
Murder accused Andrew Jordaan on Monday admitted in the Pretoria High Court he smoked dagga and had a large porn collection, but denied he had a sexual interest in little girls, or that he had raped and murdered seven-year-old Sheldean Human. Jordaan took the stand after the state closed its case against him on Monday.
South African furniture retailer JD Group said on Monday profit attributable to shareholders fell to R138-million in the six months to end-February due to tighter consumer spending. The group said its diluted headline earnings dropped 45% to 221 cents per share in the same period.
Phillip Tucker, ex-husband of former Miss World Anneline Kriel, was found dead in his swimming pool at his Sandhurst home on Monday morning, Netcare 911 said. Spokesperson Mark Stokoe said it appeared that Tucker (59) had fallen from the roof or ladder while trying to adjust his TV aerial during the early hours of the morning.
Members of the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) in Ekurhuleni are to down tools over salaries and worker rights. ”Samwu members in Ekurhuleni are embarking on a strike from tomorrow [Tuesday] onwards,” said union spokesperson Koena Ramotlou in a statement issued on Monday.
The National Association of Democratic Lawyers called on the government on Monday to appoint a commission of inquiry into the xenophobic violence and offer financial relief to victims. The organisation added that the state should ”offer structural, financial, psychological and any other appropriate relief to all the victims of this violence”.
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) started a three-day meeting on Monday to elect an acting president, following the axing of Willy Madisha over a missing donation scandal in February. S’dumo Dlamini, first vice-president of Cosatu, is expected to be elected as the acting president.
Telkom’s corporate and global customers have been made aware of a new refund scam which is currently doing the rounds, the listed telecoms giant said on Monday. The modus operandi involved the criminals pretending to be Reuben September, Telkom’s CEO.
A tearful victim of the Fidentia collapse on Monday pleaded with a Cape High Court judge for assistance for her crippled son — and received some, thanks to a generous lawyer. The emotional outburst came during what was expected to be a routine postponement of the bid for final sequestration of former Fidentia boss J Arthur Brown.
The Democratic Alliance on Sunday accused Parliament’s questions office of ”obstructing” the party’s parliamentary questions probing corruption. The questions office had disqualified two written questions on the grounds that they were too vague in terms of the National Assembly’s guide to procedure.
The government should appoint a commission of inquiry to probe the xenophobic attacks that have claimed at least 50 lives and left thousands of people homeless, the United Democratic Movement (UDM) said on Sunday. UDM president Bantu Holomisa said there was a need for a transparent inquiry that would analyse the attacks and remove suspicions that they were ”deliberate and orchestrated”.
President Thabo Mbeki on Sunday called a wave of deadly attacks on migrants an ”absolute disgrace” and said his government would take all measures to bring those responsible to justice. Meanwhile, African National Congress president Jacob Zuma said all people in South Africa should be tolerant of one another.
A 10-year-old girl was in a critical condition and another child was severely injured after a helicopter crashed at the Polokwane Civil Airport on Saturday afternoon, Netcare 911 said. Spokesperson Mark Stokoe said the pilot and an adult passenger sustained minor injuries and suffered about 20% burns over their bodies.
There is a free concert in Johannesburg on Sunday. It is Africa Day and leading artists from across the continent will perform live.
South African President Thabo Mbeki, already under fire for perceived policy failings that caused an anti-immigrant backlash in his country, now faces questions about his handling of the crisis. The head of state is yet to visit the worst affected areas of Johannesburg after two weeks of violence against foreigners.
It was going to take a special goal to win Nedbank Cup and the R6-million winner’s cheque. And it was a goal of sheer brilliance from Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Lerato Chabangu two minutes from time that earned the Brazilians a hard fought and largely undeserved 1-0 win over the gallant Mpumalanga Black Aces.
A motorcyclist punched a KwaZulu-Natal VIP driver on Saturday afternoon after the driver had crashed into the back of another car, seriously injuring its occupant. KwaZulu-Natal transport spokesperson Rajen Chinaboo said road traffic inspectorate officials at the scene reported that there ”had been some sort of altercation”.