Western Cape premier Ebrahim Rasool has proposed community food gardens on state land as one solution to rocketing food prices. ”Government and society cannot close our eyes to the increasing hardship and the struggle of many families to put food on the table,” he told the provincial legislature on Tuesday.
The Directorate of Special Operations, or the Scorpions, had another nail hammered into its coffin on Tuesday, with the tabling of the General Laws Amendment Bill in the National Assembly. The draft legislation, now headed for the committee stage, provides for the establishment of a new division in the South African Police Service.
”I want to go home.” This is the appeal of a Zimbabwean woman who fought to prevent her little sister from being raped during xenophobic attacks on Monday night. Willet Sibanda, who also has an eight-year-old daughter, received blankets and clothes at the Alexandra police station on Tuesday afternoon.
It is shocking that Adcock Ingram Critical Care (AICC) would continue to benefit from public funds after it was found to have been involved in collusive tendering, the Black Sash said on Tuesday. This comes after the Department of Health said that AICC remained in the running for a R5-billion contract for antiretrovirals.
Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula on Tuesday gave the assurance that all cases currently under investigation by the Directorate of Special Operations, or Scorpions, will be finalised. ”There is not a single case that was investigated by the Scorpions, which is under investigation now by the Scorpions, that will not be finalised.
Former president Nelson Mandela on Tuesday warned against ”destructive divisiveness” in the country. ”Remember the horror from which we come.” Mandela was speaking shortly after receiving the Freedom of the City from Tshwane mayor Gwen Ramokgopa at a private ceremony at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg.
Efforts to determine why crime in South Africa is often accompanied by excessive violence will soon bear fruit, Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula said on Tuesday. The justice, crime-prevention and security cluster of ministers will present a progress report to the Cabinet at a July lekgotla (meeting).
Flu and respiratory illness are costing South African companies R2,7-billion a year, said absenteeism statistics company CAM Solutions on Tuesday. Spokesperson Johnny Johnson said absenteeism due to flu and respiratory illness was having a considerable impact at the workplace.
Suspended South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) group chief executive Dali Mpofu was tight-lipped on Tuesday over his planned court action against its board. ”I’m not commenting on this matter until after the court [case],” he said. He had also instructed his lawyers not to comment to the media, Mpofu said.
Xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals in Alexandra, north of Johannesburg, are against the freedom and democracy that was fought for in South Africa, political organisations on Tuesday. African National Congress spokesperson Tiyani Rikhotso said: ”Such acts can only take society backwards.”
State-owned South African Airways (SAA) said on Tuesday its restructuring plan was on track but rising oil prices and a volatile exchange rate posed big challenges. The airline said last year it was seeking to save R638-million in labour costs in a bid to return to profitability and could shed more than 2 000 jobs as part of a restructuring exercise.
The Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday remanded in custody Fidentia boss J Arthur Brown for a week, following his arrest last Friday on charges of fraud, theft and money laundering relating to the company Antheru. The charges involve about R800 000.
The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) is arranging a series of protests to stop the use of a grade 12 history book it describes as ”biased propaganda … poisoning the minds of children”. National protest organiser Albert Mncwango said on Tuesday that the book, titled In Search of History, is currently being used by schools throughout South Africa.
Three people were arrested for smuggling cocaine into Cape Town and OR Tambo international airports, the police reported on Tuesday. Captain Dennis Adriao said a 28-year-old man was arrested at OR Tambo airport on Saturday after 5,7kg of cocaine, worth about R5-million, was found in his possession.
South African stocks remained weak at midday on Tuesday with miners the worst causalities on easing metal prices, while falling overseas markets added to selling pressures. At 12.09pm, the JSE’s broader all-share index was down 0,86%, weighed by a 2,88% drop in platinum miners.
”Good golly, it’s Ollie,” exclaimed one excited Stormers supporter on arrival at Monday’s training session in Durbanville. There he was, Ollie le Roux, the 128kg prop who had finally appeared after much speculation in the past week that he would be joining the Stormers. ”He’s been running like a spring chicken,” said Frikkie Erasmus, the Stormers media manager.
Argentina’s Damian Marchiano is reputed to be one of the toughest bantamweights around. And come May 31 at Emperors Palace, fans will learn just how tough when he challenges Silence Mabuza for the latter’s IBO bantamweight title. Not that the diminutive Mabuza is too worried about his latest challenger, having had his eyes firmly set on a unification bout later this year.
Golden Arrows could not have asked for two tougher fixtures to end their Absa Premiership campaign — and to top it all, they hold the key to the championship. Arrows travel to Atteridgeville’s Super Stadium on Wednesday night, where they face leaders SuperSport United, and then host second-placed Ajax Cape Town at Umlazi’s King Zwelithini Stadium on Sunday.
A man was shot dead and another injured when violence flared up in Alexandra on Monday evening, bringing the death toll in suspected xenophobic attacks to three, police said on Tuesday. Constable Neria Malefetse said a total of 39 people were arrested in the Johannesburg township on Monday evening.
South African Tourism and the Indaba Explorations won World Travel Awards in the Africa category in Durban on Monday night, SA Tourism said in a statement on Tuesday. SA Tourism was named best destination marketing organisation in Africa and Indaba Explorations was named Africa’s leading travel exhibition.
The percentage of women employed in government positions across all salary levels totals 54,76%, the Business Woman’s Association (BWA) said on Monday. The official results of the Women in Corporate Leadership census were announced by BWA chief executive Yvette Montalbano at a presentation at Nedbank’s head office in Sandton.
Police were monitoring the situation in Alexandra on Monday following a suspected xenophobic attack that left two people dead and 40 injured, Gauteng police said. Constable Neria Malefetse said security had been tightened and units, including the public-order police unit, were helping to monitor the situation.
Gauteng commuter bus operators have received some outstanding subsidy payments but are still owed a substantial amount, their association said on Monday. ”All of them got payments from the Gauteng transport department at the weekend but not all were payments in full,” said South African Bus Operators’ Association executive manager Eric Cornelius.
April saw a saving of up to 7% in electricity demand, Eskom’s chief executive, Jacob Maroga, said on Monday. He briefed President Thabo Mbeki and a presidential special joint working group on the current state of electricity supply in the country, the Presidency said in a statement.
The sudden disappearance last month of the wife of Fidentia boss J Arthur Brown had destroyed the good faith between the couple and the Scorpions, the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court heard on Monday. Scorpions senior counsel Bruce Morrison told the court: ”She’s not coming back.”
The government has set aside millions of rands to assist the poor cope with harsh economic conditions, the Department of Social Development said on Monday. Minister of Social Development Zola Skweyiya appealed to churches and community-based organisations to help the department in creating awareness around the relief.
Unionist Willie Madisha has been expelled from the South African Communist Party (SACP), of which he was a central committee member, the organisation announced on Monday. It said the move followed a recommendation by a disciplinary committee that found he never disclosed a supposed R500 000 donation, and that he brought the party into disrepute.
President Thabo Mbeki must go, and he must go now, Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Helen Zille said on Monday. ”In a constitutional democracy such as ours, it is untenable for a president with his track record to remain in office,” she said in a statement. It is ”in the interests of South Africa” that Mbeki step down as president.
A wonder fuel-saving pill has entered the local market but the Automobile Association (AA) warned consumers on Monday to be cautious of such products. The tablet, called the MPG Cap, is added to tanks to make petrol burn more efficiently, said Tim Dunstan-Smith, who claims he was the first person to bring the product to South Africa.
Tens of millions of rands of Lotto money earmarked for charities and good causes is lying undistributed in the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, the Democratic Alliance (DA) said on Monday. Over a 100 non-profit organisations were affected, DA social development spokesperson Janet Semple told a parliamentary media briefing.
As the state wrapped up its case in the Najwa Petersen murder trial on Monday, Najwa’s advocate said no decision had been taken on whether she would testify in her own defence. ”I’ve still to consult with Mrs Petersen,” said senior counsel Klaus von Lieres und Wilkau. ”We will make up our minds in the course of the coming week.”
Africa’s biggest transport and logistics company, Imperial Holdings, said on Monday it was considering a merger of its Regent Life and Regent Insurance companies. ”A merger would enhance the growth prospects and operational synergies of these businesses …,” the company said in a statement.