The situation in Zimbabwe is dire and further talks are needed, government communications head Themba Maseko said in Cape Town on Thursday. He said it was ”not helpful” to discuss whether President Thabo Mbeki had said there was ”no crisis” in Zimbabwe, or whether he had been misquoted.
A 68-year-old blind man was killed when he fell six floors down an elevator shaft in Bloemfontein a day before an operation to repair his sight, the Volksblad newspaper reported on Thursday. Giel van Heerden was apparently on his way to drop his keys at the caretaker before going to the airport to fly to Cape Town for the operation.
Government departments have generally continued to underspend on their budgets since 2004, the Public Service Commission said on Thursday. Meanwhile, a national government team is to be deployed to help the embattled Eastern Cape housing department fulfil its mandate.
South Africa will not interfere with a shipment of weapons aboard a Chinese ship that is destined for Zimbabwe, government communications head Themba Maseko said on Thursday. All South African authorities can do is to make sure that ”all proper administrative processes” are followed.
KwaZulu-Natal residential property values are feeling the corrosive effects of rising interest rates and the nine-month-old National Credit Act, though certain areas are thriving, according to data released on Thursday. Figures for the first quarter of the year confirm a slowdown in actual sales and a marked decrease in house-price growth.
The Cabinet has approved the cancellation of a R926,8-million debt owed by Cuba to South Africa, government communications head Themba Maseko said on Thursday. The debt arose out of insurance cover provided to Cuba by the Export Credit Insurance Corporation of South Africa.
The Cabinet is concerned about ”collusive behaviour” in the food industry, leading to higher prices, government communications head Themba Maseko said on Thursday. Meanwhile, thousands of people were expected to take part in a protest against high food prices in Johannesburg on Thursday afternoon.
Building activity in South Africa continues to be negatively affected by the rising level of interest rates, high input costs and the slowdown in consumer demand. This trend will probably continue, as further monetary policy tightening is very likely, given that consumer inflation is expected to remain elevated for the rest of this year.
Harmony Gold Mining will receive a foreign-capital injection equivalent to R1,9-billion once all the conditions precedent in the $420-million transaction with the Pamodzi Resources Fund have been fulfilled, Harmony CEO Graham Briggs said on Thursday. A new uranium player, Rand Uranium, will be established.
The JSE was trading just off its new record high by midday on Thursday as world markets and resources continued to add support. In the morning session, the bourse broke through Wednesday’s record and hit a fresh high of 32 127.051 points. By midday, the all-share index had gained 0,8% to 32,112,15 points.
The South African Human Rights Commission is conducting an internal investigation into an incorrect media statement that said it would not pursue a complaint of racism against columnist David Bullard. ”The official position of the commission has never been that we are not taking up the matter,” said CEO Tseliso Thipanyane.
BHP Billiton has suspended all underground operations at its Khuthala Colliery following the death of one of its workers earlier this week, the company said on Thursday. South Africa’s National Union of Mineworkers said on Tuesday that a worker had died at the world’s biggest miner’s Khuthala Colliery, near Witbank, east of Johannesburg, after a fall of ground.
Two ATMs, one in Boksburg North and one in Brakpan, were bombed early on Thursday morning by gangs of about 20 people, Gauteng police said. Brakpan police spokesperson Captain Petros Mabuza said an ATM at the Dalview Shell garage was blown up after about 20 people held up garage staff at about 1.30am on Thursday.
The belated resurrection of Mamelodi Sundowns continued at Loftus Stadium on Wednesday night as the defending Absa Premiership champions sauntered to a comfortable 2-0 victory over never-say-die, relegation-threatened Thanda Royal Zulu. The opening goal in the 31st minute was the result of a dazzling solo effort by the unpredictable Lerato Chabangu.
Two well taken second-half goals by Tsepo Ramokala earned Platinum Stars a hard-fought 2-1 win over a lethargic Wits in a disappointing Absa Premiership showdown played at Milpark on Wednesday night. Wits led 1-0 at half-time. The win boosted Stars’ hopes of qualifying for the top eight at the end of the season.
South African President Thabo Mbeki’s refusal to take a tougher line on neighbouring Zimbabwe has further damaged his credibility and handed rival Jacob Zuma another opening to improve his image. Regional leaders last year mandated Mbeki to lead mediation between President Robert Mugabe and the opposition.
South Africa has made no progress in reducing its under-five child mortality rate, a report published on Wednesday showed. Countdown to 2015 MNCH: The 2008 Report was published by the partnership for maternal, new-born and child health (MNCH), an umbrella organisation comprising about 240 members.
A fourth-minute strike by Jimmy Kauleza seemed to have paved the way for a Free State Stars victory, but a 69th-minute piledriver by Nhlanhla Shabalala got a much-needed point for league championship contenders Ajax Cape Town in an entertaining Absa Premiership match at the Welkom Rugby Stadium on Wednesday.
Arms manufacturer Denel still needs R1,7-billion promised by the government to complete its turnaround, outgoing CEO Shaun Liebenberg said on Wednesday. ”When Denel reached technical insolvency in June 2005, the shareholder faced three options: to close Denel; to retain it on a subsidy basis; or to turn it into a commercially viable business,” Liebenberg said.
Thousands of people are expected to take part in a protest against high food prices in Johannesburg on Thursday, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) said on Wednesday. ”We expect more than 5 000 people from trade unions, non-government bodies and community organisations to turn up,” the Cosatu Gauteng secretary said.
Documents relating to Robert McBride were among those stolen recently from the Johannesburg High Court, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said on Wednesday. But these papers were not directly linked to the drunken-driving case of the Ekurhuleni metro police chief, the NPA said in a statement.
The Erasmus commission’s sittings have been suspended pending the City of Cape Town’s application to the Cape High Court challenging the commission’s legality. This emerged after a day of behind-the-scenes negotiations on Wednesday between the legal representatives of the various parties involved.
Bafana Bafana desperately need to uncover a new striker ahead of next year’s Confederations Cup. That was the opinion expressed on Wednesday by the CEO of the 2010 local organising committee , Danny Jordaan. While Jordaan is happy with the progress that coach Carlos Alberto Parreira is making, he is concerned by the fact that there is no successor to Benni McCarthy.
Intervention by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) on Wednesday brought an end to the pay dispute between workers and management at the 2010 Soccer World Cup Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit. Spokesperson Lusanda Myoli said an agreement was reached after two days of intense negotiations.
The police have been accused of harassing street traders and charging them exorbitant fines. In a street-traders’ survey released on Wednesday, most of the traders interviewed — 94% — said they had been harassed by police. At least 82% of street traders said they had had their goods confiscated by the police and had difficulty in recovering them.
Property will be expropriated if it is in the public interest, according to the draft Expropriation Bill tabled on Wednesday. ”Expropriation in the public interest … provides government with a tool to achieve … land reform,” according to a memorandum attached to the Bill. This will broaden the scope of expropriation from the current narrow term of ”public purpose”.
The South African Police Service’s explosives unit confirmed on Wednesday that an uncleared Chinese vessel docked at the outer anchorage of Durban harbour was carrying arms. Leonard Hadebe, head of Durban customs, said: ”We have confirmed that the shipment was headed for Zimbabwe.”
Wintry weather conditions are expected to appear this weekend, the South African Weather Service said on Wednesday. ”The first outbreak of cold weather this year will occur from Saturday, taking more effect on Sunday,” said forecaster Puseletso Mofokeng. He said rain-free conditions were expected until Friday.
The African National Congress (ANC) backs the call for police to use lethal force should their lives or those of the public be in imminent danger, party president Jacob Zuma said on Wednesday. Addressing a Chambers of Commerce and Industry of South Africa conference, Zuma said: ”In this war against crime, we reiterate that our laws must bite.
The trial of the four people accused of murdering theatre personality Taliep Petersen has been adjourned to Friday to allow the state to prepare for a battle over the admissibility of confessions. On trial are Petersen’s wife, Najwa, and three men she allegedly hired to carry out the December 2006 execution-style slaying.
South Africa’s retail sales growth accelerated to 2,5% year-on-year in February at constant prices, from an upwardly revised 0,7% growth in January, Statistics South Africa said on Wednesday. In the three months to the end of February, retail sales increased by 0,7% over the same period the previous year, also at constant prices.
After one of the most successful seasons since unification, the Proteas have a few weeks off before gearing up for one of the toughest assignments on the cricket calendar — a tour of England. The two-month tour of England includes four Tests, one Twenty20 clash and five one-day internationals, as well several warm-up games.