Seven new Bills have been approved by South Africa’s Cabinet to be submitted to Parliament. They include the already controversial Expropriation Bill. The Expropriation Bill seeks to replace the Expropriation Act of 1975, which, Cabinet spokesperson Themba Maseko said on Thursday, does not conform with the Constitution.
Three South African names appear on this year’s Forbes World Billionaires list, released late on Wednesday. The names include Nicky Oppenheimer, Anton Rupert and mining magnate Patrice Motsepe — this country’s first black billionaire. Nicholas Oppenheimer is placed 173rd on the list, while Rupert is in 284th place and Motsepe is at number 503.
Delays in construction as a result of the country’s current electricity-supply problem undermine efforts to grow the economy, the African National Congress (ANC) said on Thursday. ”Every effort must be made to ensure that the current problems in electricity supply do not negatively affect the building of projects of this nature,” it said in a statement.
The Cabinet has given the assurance that everything possible is being done to address the British government’s concerns about the security of South African passports. ”South African passports are among the safest … in the world, and that’s the reason why they are being targeted,” government communications head Themba Maseko said on Thursday.
The South African Cabinet has condemned recent incidents of racism and sexism around the country, saying they have the potential to undermine South Africa’s Constitution, a government spokesperson said on Thursday. ”The transgressors must know that there will be legal consequences,” government communications head Themba Maseko said.
The South African government has moved to stem the haemorrhaging of jobs in the mining industry by allowing mines to increase their power consumption to 95% of normal usage. Minister of Energy and Minerals Buyelwa Sonjica was cited in various media reports on Thursday as saying that mines would be allowed to up their power use by 5%.
In February 2008 year-on-year growth in house prices in the middle segment of the market slowed further to a nominal 8,7% from a revised 9,9% in January, Absa said on Thursday. ”House-price growth has not been so low since the end of 1999, when it was 9,3%,” it said.
Finance Minister Trevor Manuel has won his high court bid to stop an activist claiming he is guilty of corruption over the arms deal. The ruling was handed down on Thursday morning. The court ordered that Terry Crawford-Browne be interdicted and restrained from ”publishing any matter in which it is alleged that the applicant is corrupt”.
South Africa’s new basket of producer price inflation stood at 10,4% year-on-year in January, official data showed on Thursday. Statistics South Africa said the headline number represented domestic output which measured 9,5% in December. On a monthly basis, PPI increased by 1%.
South African financial-services firm Sanlam said on Thursday its full-year normalised headline earnings fell 22% due to a slowdown in equity markets in 2007 and compared with high returns in 2006. It also warned of a tough year ahead as interest rates, higher inflation, a power-supply crunch at home and volatility in international financial markets take their toll.
Platinum Stars maintained their impressive record against Kaizer Chiefs as they held the Soweto club to a 0-0 draw in a Premier Soccer League match at the Loftus Stadium on Wednesday evening. Chiefs remain in 12th place with 24 points from 21 games and Stars stay put in ninth place with 26 points.
Firm resource stocks helped the JSE extend its gains by midday on Thursday, even though bank and financial counters were softer. By noon, the JSE’s broader all-share index lifted 1,17%, led by a 1,94% advance in resources. The gold mining index recovered 0,98% while the platinum mining index edged up 0,04%.
South African crane operator Zoliswa Gila rises high above the pervasive chauvinistic view that her job should be reserved for members of the male sex. ”Most people think I am crazy to do the job I am doing, saying it’s only for men,” the 31-year-old said at Green Point in Cape Town where she is helping build a 68 000-seater stadium.
Reitz hostel, at the centre of a racist video controversy, on Wednesday apologised unconditionally to all students and other hostels. Reitz house father and head of hostel Christo Dippenaar said the whole hostel and its house committee had discussed the video and had decided to offer an unconditional apology for the video.
Rural areas are seen as a disaster. Every time there is a need to motivate for more money, more support and additional resources, the poor rural areas are dragged in to justify whatever is needed. Sadly, after the funding is allocated, often very little ends up actually improving the situation in rural areas.
Jomo Cosmos again showed why they are in the relegation zone when 10-man Free State Stars held them to a goalless draw at the Oppenheimer Stadium in Orkney on Wednesday. Stars had the better chances but good goalkeeping by Cosmos keeper Avril Phali denied them victory.
Moroka Swallows hammered struggling Black Leopards 3-1 in their Premier Soccer League match played at Thohoyandou Stadium on Wednesday afternoon. The score was level 1-1 at half-time. The home side, Leopards, were the first to score as early as the 12th minute when striker Mulondo Sikhwivhilu put the ball in the net.
Mamelodi Sundowns beat Lamontville Golden Arrows 2-1 in their Premier Soccer League clash at King Zwelithini Stadium on Wednesday afternoon. Sundowns led 1-0 at half-time. Trott Moloto’s lads won with goals from Aldave Benitez in the 42nd minute and Fanyana Dhladhla in the 55th minute.
Even after parting ways with coach Khabo Zondo after a string of poor results, Bloemfontein Celtic’s ambitions of improving their position on the log suffered a blow. With caretaker coaches Benjamin Reed and David Modise at the helm, Celtic lost 1-0 to the title-chasing Orlando Pirates on Wednesday afternoon.
South African Airways (SAA) is not considering major price increases this year following an escalation of international fuel prices, said CEO Khaya Ngqula on Wednesday. He was addressing a media briefing at Airways Park on the plans the airline is developing with Star Alliance, an international group of airlines.
Millions of South Africans do not enjoy freedom of expression because their languages do not have the same status as English or Afrikaans, Arts and Culture Minister Pallo Jordan said on Wednesday. Jordan was speaking at a language conference in Woodmead, Johannesburg.
The government is considering the division of South Africa into two time zones. This is according to Portia Molefe, Director General of Public Enterprises, who was on Wednesday briefing the minerals and energy committee in Parliament on the present electricity crisis.
Incandescent lamps will be exchanged for energy-saving lamps in all provinces from April onwards, Eskom said on Wednesday. The exchange programme for compact fluorescent lamps is already under way in several of the country’s provinces and has seen more than 12-million lamps distributed in three years.
The trial of an ex-bouncer on a charge of murder will continue in the Johannesburg High Court on Thursday with the state calling for ballistic evidence to be presented. Jonathan Street stands accused of killing Kyle Norris on November 19 2006 at a night club in Edenvale, Johannesburg.
Eskom may delay approval for connecting new construction projects that are bigger than a residential home to its grid for up to six months in a bid to alleviate a power crisis, it said on Wednesday. The crisis forced a shutdown of crucial mines for five days in January and since then mines have been operating with only 90% of their power.
Business confidence recovered slightly in February with the index measuring 94, up from a four-year low of 93,8 in January, the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI) said on Wednesday. Although there was a slight improvement, SACCI warned that overall business conditions were likely to remain under pressure.
Packages for the 2010 Soccer World Cup will go on sale in South Africa in June, sales agent Match Hospitality announced on Wednesday. ”We want to give priority to the domestic market,” the company’s chief operating officer, Pascal Portes, said at the launch of the hospitality programme in Johannesburg.
South Africa 2010 Soccer World Cup chief Irvin Khoza apologised unreservedly in a statement on Wednesday for using the word ”kaffir” towards a black journalist. In a formal statement issued through the South African Human Rights Commission, Khoza said he had decided on this action after seeing the University of the Free State (UFS) racist video on the news.
The South African government will on Friday announce whether power supply can be increased to mines while maintaining the stability of the system. The review of consumption comes in the wake of last week’s surprise announcement that the sector would lose thousands of jobs due to the power crisis.
Madiba’s 90th birthday celebrations have already begun and will continue throughout the year, the Nelson Mandela Foundation said on Wednesday. Mandela was joined by his wife and daughters in Johannesburg to hear what events have been planned around his 90th birthday, which falls on July 18.
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has called for police to investigate circumstances surrounding an unmarked grave near a mine clinic in the Northern Cape. Spokesperson Tshepo Motsumi said in a statement that construction workers found the remains of a mineworker on Wednesday near the PrimCure Clinic in Kuruman.
The South African Football Players’ Union (Safpu) is devastated at the death of two former AmaZulu FC players, it said on Wednesday. Safpu spokesperson Elvis Sekgobela said the union was shocked at the death of Joe Mlaba and Japie Arries. ”Arries, who was a midfielder, died at the weekend … while Mlaba, who had a short illness, died this week,” said Sekgobela.