From Pretoria to Johannesburg in just under an hour is what Metrorail’s new Business Express service promises. The service was launched on Thursday by Transport Minister Jeff Radebe. It was hoped that the service would encourage professionals to abandon their cars and take the train to work.
Resources stocks were the main feature of the JSE by midday on Thursday, with the overall market generally flat following an overnight decline on Wall Street. At 11.56am, the JSE’s broader all-share index was up 0,12%, helped by a 1,1% rise in resources, 0,89% advance in the gold mining index and a 0,39% rise in the platinum mining index.
Newly appointed acting CEO of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) Gabriele Mampone said on Thursday that he would act as CEO of the corporation for the next 30-days. His appointment was announced on Wednesday to temporarily replace chief executive Dali Mpofu, who was suspended for apparently failing to implement decisions of the board.
JSE-listed SABMiller, one of the world’s largest brewers, has entered the Ukrainian market, the company said on Thursday. It announced that it agreed to acquire a 99,84% interest in the Ukrainian brewer CJSC Sarmat. ”We are delighted to announce the acquisition of Sarmat,” said Alan Clark, managing director of SABMiller Europe.
Jomo Cosmos’ Absa Premiership fate is in their own hands. Club owner and head coach Jomo Sono is confident Ezenkosi will beat relegation. Sono will not be pushing any panic buttons or putting any extra pressure on his players over the next 11 days when Ezenkosi’s fate will be decided after they play the other two relegation candidates.
Ajax Cape Town have opened up a two-point gap over SuperSport United at the top of the Absa Premiership log following their 3-0 trouncing of AmaZulu at the Athlone Stadium on Wednesday night. SuperSport, however, have a game in hand — they meet Moroka Swallows on Saturday evening in a must-win match.
South Africa’s economic confidence fell to a five-and-a-half year low in April, weighed down by expectations of slower growth, higher inflation and a longer cycle of tighter monetary policy, a poll showed on Thursday. The monthly survey of 20 economists showed the Reuters Econometer dived to 207,50 last month, its lowest since November 2002.
A presidential election run-off in Zimbabwe cannot take place given the current levels of violence, the head of a South African contingent of regional election observers said on Wednesday. ”We have seen it, there are people in hospital who said they have been tortured, you have seen pictures,” Kingsley Mamabolo told reporters.
Pioneer Foods and Foodcorp have been referred to the Competition Tribunal for their alleged role in a bread price-fixing cartel, the Competition Commission said on Wednesday. The two companies could be fined 10% of their annual turnover for the 2006/2007 financial year.
Harmony Gold Mining, the world’s fifth-largest gold producer, on Thursday reported the turning of its fortune. The company swung into a profit in the first three months of 2008 after several quarters of reported losses. Harmony posted a March quarter net profit of R345-million versus the December quarter’s net profit of R46-million.
It was heartbreak for Jomo Cosmos at Orkney’s Oppenheimer Stadium on Wednesday when an injury-time goal by Mamelodi Sundowns substitute Bryan Aldave plunged Ezenkosi further into the Absa Premiership relegation quagmire and earned Downs a 1-0 win.
He’s been described as science’s first real rock star and the most famous physicist never to win a Nobel Prize. He knows black holes and p-branes inside out and he’s headed for South Africa. Cambridge Professor Stephen Hawking, author of the best-selling A Brief History of Time, arrives in Cape Town this week to deliver a public lecture, his first on the African continent.
The new head of Business Unity South Africa said on Wednesday he was ”quite happy” about the country’s electricity crisis, despite the power cuts and disruption, as it will result in needed change. Brian Molefe said the problems were a ”blessing” in disguise that would force policy changes and greater reliance on alternative sources of energy.
The real reason for the suspension of National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Vusi Pikoli related to a criminal probe into police chief Jackie Selebi, Pikoli’s lawyers said on Wednesday. ”It was to put a spoke in the wheels of the investigation and prosecution of the police National Commissioner, Mr Jackie Selebi,” they said.
Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri expressed ”great concern” on Wednesday about the suspension of South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) CEO Dali Mpofu and head of news Snuki Zikalala. ”All will be done on [the minister’s] part to ensure the ability of the SABC to carry out its mandate,” she said.
The non-payment of subsidies by the Gauteng transport department to bus operators could cost thousands of employees their jobs and affect 300Â 000 commuters, trade union Solidarity said on Wednesday. In a statement, the union said the jobs of approximately 2Â 000 employees may be threatened.
The so-called Waterkloof Four will bring an application for leave to appeal a judgement by the Pretoria High Court after the court on Wednesday rejected an appeal to overturn their murder conviction and sentence. The court turned down an appeal by the four to overturn their conviction for the 2001 murder of an unidentified man and the assault of another.
The Johannesburg High Court on Wednesday once again postponed the murder case resulting from the death of five-year-old Danielle Esterhuizen. The hearing will resume on Thursday. State prosecutor Jacqueline Steyn said there was no courtroom available.
Bafana Bafana’s new coach, Joel Santana, will have to earn his huge salary when he arrives in Johannesburg next week to take over from fellow Brazilian Carlos Alberto Parreira. Santana was warned by world football governing body Fifa that it expected Bafana to shine at both the Confederations Cup next year and the 2010 World Cup finals.
It’s 6am and it’s already busy at the Bree Street taxi rank. Taxis are honking their horns, pavement entrepreneurs are hawking their goods and commuters are forming lines, waiting for their taxis. It may be early for some, but Zodwa Khumalo, one of only a handful of women taxi drivers, started her day at 3am.
The Pretoria High Court on Wednesday turned down an application by the so-called Waterkloof Four to overturn their murder conviction and sentence. Judge Willie Seriti ruled that the earlier decision by the Pretoria Regional Court to convict Christoff Becker, Frikkie du Preez, Gert van Schalkwyk and Reinach Tiedt of murder and assault was correct.
The Business Confidence Index (BCI) declined slightly to 93,4 in April 2008 after measuring 93,9 in March, the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI) said on Wednesday. Although this was the lowest level so far in 2008, the pace of decline in the BCI appeared to have slowed, the SACCI said.
South African rugby coach Peter de Villiers said on Wednesday he is to name a national training squad of up 45 players for the forthcoming international season. De Villiers, who took over the reigns from Jake White in January this year, is expected to include Europe-based players John Smit (Clermont), Butch James (Bath) and Victor Matfield (Toulon) in the squad.
South African stocks were mixed in early afternoon trade on Wednesday due to volatility, but the feature of the morning session was a strong gain by synthetic fuel producer Sasol. At 12.25pm, the JSE’s broader all-share index was up 0,09%, with the industrial index up 0,88%, but resources were down 0,38%.
The majority of South Africans want the Scorpions to remain as a separate entity from the police, TNS Research Surveys said on Wednesday. Fifty-nine percent of South Africans said they felt the Scorpions should be separate in a survey conducted in February 2008 among 2 000 people.
The public hearings on suspended National Prosecuting Authority head Vusi Pikoli’s fitness to hold office are an ”inquisitorial” as opposed to an ”accusatorial” process, inquiry head Frene Ginwala said on Wednesday. ”I want to emphasise that this process is not a judicial one,” said Ginwala in an opening statement.
The Department of Labour on Wednesday said the death of nine workers at Gold Fields, the world’s fourth-largest gold producer, would take centre stage when South Africa and its international partners within the International Labour Organisation celebrate World Health and Safety Day at the end of this week.
SABMiller announced on Wednesday that Transnet head Maria Ramos has joined their board as an independent non-executive director. "During her career, Ms Ramos has won a multitude of accolades, including being named as South Africa’s Businesswoman of the Year in 2001, and <i>Sunday Times</i> Business Leader of the Year 2005," said SABMiller.
Over the long weekend burglars climbed into the roof of President Thabo Mbeki’s official residence Mahlambandlovu on the Bryntirion Estate in Government Avenue in Pretoria and stole between R20 000 and R30 000 worth of aluminium. The contractors — who were supposed to install the aluminium cables — left the premises on Tuesday because it was deemed unsafe.
Orlando Pirates could be forced to face arch enemies Kaizer Chiefs in the Absa Premiership Soweto derby at the Mmabatho Stadium on Saturday afternoon without their midfield talisman, Teko Modise. The Bafana Bafana playmaker faces a late fitness test on an injured toe he sustained in last Wednesday’s 1-0 defeat against Platinum Stars at the Johannesburg Stadium.
A Chinese ship loaded with arms destined for Zimbabwe has left Luanda, Angola, after unloading construction material, two trade union federations said on Tuesday. No attempt was made to unload any armaments, and the An Yue Jiang sailed after taking on fuel and food.
Nedbank increased first-quarter net interest income by 21,9% to R3,87-billion but said it expected slower first-half earnings growth. Shares in Nedbank stood 1,59% down at R111,50 by 7.18am GMT on Wednesday, underperforming the JSE Securities Exchange’s Top-40 index which was 0,27% weaker.