Pulling a sickie over the long weekend with a fake doctor’s note has led to fraud charges being laid against a Kempton Park employee and the arrest of the man allegedly selling the notes. The scam was uncovered when a manager at car rental company Avis in Croydon decided to check all the sick notes presented by employees too ill to work on April 28 and 29.
South African industrial group Barloworld lifted half-year earnings per share from continuing operations by 105% and forecast strong growth driven by its equipment unit on Monday. Group headline EPS rose to 345 cents and operating profit increased 30% to R1,29-billion for the six months to 31 March.
President Thabo Mbeki’s role as a mediator in the Zimbabwean crisis took another knock after disclosures that he ignored the advice of two judges he commissioned to observe that country’s 2002 general elections. Mbeki commissioned judges Sisi Khampepe and Dikgang Moseneke to observe the controversial Zimbabwean election in 2002.
Inflation targeting is likely to be reviewed, because if South Africa’s policymakers only use interest rates as the tool to fight inflation, the country is in for a nasty generational learning experience as the policy will not be removing the cause of inflation, said Chris Hart, chief economist from Investment Solutions.
Experts say the often chaotic land reform programme has compromised food production: white farmers facing land claims are reluctant to plant crops, while emerging black farmers have insufficient training and support to produce the quantities of food needed by the domestic market.
In the same week that the Johannesburg High Court declared prepaid water meters to be ”unconstitutional and unlawful”, the City of Cape Town indicated it intends to roll out more than 20Â 000 water meters within the next year. Last week Judge Moroa Tsoka found the City of Johannesburg’s imposition of meters that cut off residents’ water supplies once they reach the free basic monthly limit to be ”unlawful and unreasonable”.
Petrus Mahlatsi’s brace kept Bloemfontein Celtic’s hopes of qualifying for the top eight alive when they beat Bidvest Wits 2-0 in an Absa Premiership match at the Seisa Ramabodu Stadium on Sunday. Celtic meant business from the start, pushing forward in numbers in search of the lead. Their efforts paid off as early as the second minute when Mahlatsi broke the deadlock.
It was described by their officials as a point ”worth its weight in gold” after relegation-embattled Thanda Royal Zulu had drawn 1-1 with Santos in Hammarsdale on Sunday afternoon. And when it comes to splashing out nuggets of gold, the team whose ownership is embedded in Swedish connections is not averse to buying success.
Mamelodi Sundowns crashed out of the African Champions League despite beating Sudan champions Al-Hilal 1-0 at Atteridgeville’s Super Stadium in a hard-fought third-round, second-leg tie on Sunday. There was no score at half-time. Al-Hilal won 4-3 on aggregate.
African National Congress (ANC) president Jacob Zuma has received support from alliance partners to run for presidential elections, ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe said on Sunday. ”We will not only be accompanying him to court but to the Union Buildings as the next president of South Africa,” he said, announcing the outcome of an alliance.
The African National Congress (ANC) may ask President Thabo Mbeki to set up a commission of inquiry into bonuses paid to Eskom bosses, media reports said on Sunday. The Sunday Times said a report commissioned by the ANC into the power crisis revealed gross mismanagement at the state utility.
Fidentia chief executive J Arthur Brown is expected to appear in court in Cape Town on Monday after he was arrested on charges of theft, fraud and money laundering on Friday. He was arrested in Cape Town’s central business district appeared in the district court. The case was postponed to Monday and Brown was to remain in police custody until he appeared in court.
The Lions of South Africa answered harsh criticism from former All Blacks skipper Sean Fitzpatrick with a rousing 33-27 Super 14 triumph over the Waikato Chiefs of New Zealand on Saturday. Legendary hooker Fitzpatrick laid into the South Africans after a heavy loss to the Hurricanes in Wellington last weekend.
The Stormers and Waratahs played out a pulsating 13-13 draw in a 12th-round Super 14 match in Cape Town on Saturday. The visitors led 6-5 at the break in pouring rain, which negated any chance of this being an exciting, try-scoring feast. And both captains felt the two points earned for the draw could be costly in their challenge for semifinal berths.
Black Leopards moved off the bottom of the Absa Premiership log after playing to a goalless draw with Lamontville Golden Arrows at Thohoyando Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Leopards, however, are still relegation candidates along with Jomo Cosmos and Thanda Royal Zulu, and the teams have only two more games to try to avoid relegation.
SuperSport United went to the top of the Absa Premiership table after thrashing Moroka Swallows 4-2 at the Super Stadium on Saturday night, courtesy of four goals by substitute Katlego Mashego. Swallows’ Sandile Ndlovu scored first in the 59th minute, but two minutes later Mashego started his four-goal blitz.
Zimbabwe’s opposition leader looked set on Sunday to return home from South Africa to face Robert Mugabe in a presidential run-off poll despite a risk of "more violence, more gloom, more betrayal". Morgan Tsvangirai had previously refused to say whether he would take part in the run-off, even though failure to do so would have handed victory to Mugabe.
Who said seven is a lucky number? Not Orlando Pirates, that’s for sure. In a derby encounter of much action and excitement for the near-capacity 40 000 crowd at Mmabatho Stadium on Saturday afternoon, the Buccaneers lost 1-0 against Kaizer Chiefs and extended to seven the number games they have gone without a victory against their tradition-steeped rivals.
No link seems to exist between the suspensions of South African Broadcasting Corporation group CEO Dali Mpofu and head of news Snuki Zikalala, Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri said on Saturday. She said the information she received indicated that the board’s reasons for suspension of Mpofu had to do with an issue of governance.
The Sharks collected a crucial five points to keep alive their hopes of reaching the Super 14 semifinals with a 33-14 win over the Cheetahs on Saturday. The Sharks scored two late tries by winger Odwa Ndungane for the bonus point to ensure they remain in contention for a last-four place with just one round of matches to come.
The leader of Zimbabwe’s main opposition group said on Saturday he would contest a run-off against Robert Mugabe after disputed elections on March 29. But Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai said he would only participate in the run-off if international observers and media had full access to ensure the poll is free and fair.
The South African Communist Party, an ally of the African National Congress (ANC), called at a weekend summit for President Thabo Mbeki to be sacked, newspapers said on Saturday, but the ANC said the issue was not even on the agenda. ANC spokesperson Tiyani Rikhotso dismissed any suggestion that Mbeki’s political future was being discussed.
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The Scorpions must be disbanded because they are a counter-revolutionary force out to destroy African National Congress (ANC) president Jacob Zuma and destabilise the party, the Umkhonto weSizwe Veterans’ Association (MKVA) said on Saturday.
It is about time that the humiliation of South African freedom fighters in the United States came to end, African National Congress (ANC) national executive committee member Tokyo Sexwale said on Saturday. The US House of Representatives on Thursday adopted legislation that erases from government records the apartheid-era designation of the ANC as ”terrorists”.
The constitutional right of access to free water was infringed by Johannesburg Water through its installation of prepaid meters in Phiri, Soweto, according to a ruling made by the Johannesburg High Court last week. Judge Moroa Tsoka declared that the rights of Phiri residents had been violated and said the prepaid meters were ”illegal and unconstitutional”.
The Bulls combined strong forward play with outstanding defence to record a 28-17 win over the ACT Brumbies in the penultimate round of the 2008 edition of the Super 14 competition. The defending champions from South Africa, who led 18-10 at the break, outscored the men from Australia three tries to two.
Fidentia chief executive J Arthur Brown has been arrested on charges of theft, fraud and money laundering, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said on Friday. ”J Arthur Brown was arrested on the strength of a warrant following the investigation that was carried out on a separate leg of the bigger Fidentia investigation,” said NPA spokesperson Tlali Tlali.
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African National Congress (ANC) president Jacob Zuma on Friday called for a closure of the ”chapter of tension and mistrust” between the ruling party and its alliance partners. The relationship between the ANC and its alliance partners had become somewhat strained under the previous leadership of national President Thabo Mbeki.
The leaders of the African National Congress (ANC) met labour and Communist allies on Friday for a summit aimed at healing rifts that have emerged under the rule of President Thabo Mbeki. Investors are spooked by the prospect the ANC could surrender to the left’s calls for a shift away from the business-friendly policies pursued by Mbeki.
The Ginwala hearing has made public a controversial letter from President Thabo Mbeki to Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Brigitte Mabandla over the handling of a warrant to arrest police national Commissioner Jackie Selebi. ”Since it was in the public domain and since it had been used, there could be no privilege that could attach to the letter,” Dr Frene Ginwala said.
Tiger Brands is starting a company-wide review to ensure there is no more anti-competitive behaviour after cartels in the healthcare and bread and milling sectors were recently exposed, CEO Peter Matlare said on Friday. ”We are cleaning house. We are going door-to-door and cupboard-to-cupboard,” Matlare told reporters in Johannesburg.
Recent developments at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) are ”bizarre”, the South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) said on Friday. ”The top-level disciplinary issues and staff departures are likely to have a disruptive effect on the conduct of the broadcaster’s operations,” Sanef said in a statement.