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/ 10 January 2008
Police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi’s bid to stop the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) from proceeding with prosecution against him will be heard in the Pretoria High Court on Friday. Selebi has brought an urgent application seeking more information about the charges the NPA intends levelling against him.
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/ 10 January 2008
South Africa’s mining sector made a positive contribution to the overall GDP in the third quarter of 2007, but this is not expected to be the case in the fourth quarter, Efficient Group economist Fanie Joubert said on Thursday. "The main stumbling block to the mining sector is the strike action as well as deaths on the mines," said Joubert.
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/ 10 January 2008
Finance Minister Trevor Manuel said on Thursday that he did not have any concerns about the direction fiscal policy might take following the victory of Jacob Zuma at the African National Congress’s leadership conference in Polokwane last month. He said fears about fiscal policy were just so much hype.
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/ 10 January 2008
Load shedding resumed nationally on Thursday morning due to technical problems at power stations, said Eskom. ”Load shedding will continue throughout the day and the risk remains high for the rest of the week, but should ease at the weekend,” said the company in a statement.
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/ 10 January 2008
Helen Zille, leader of the opposition Democratic Alliance and mayor of Cape Town, has called on President Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma, the leader of the African National Congress, to convene an urgent meeting to discuss how they plan to prevent their conflict from paralysing the government.
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/ 10 January 2008
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Jacob Zuma makes his first keynote speech as African National Congress (ANC) leader on Saturday amid forecasts his election as head of South Africa’s ruling party will herald the biggest bout of turbulence since apartheid. All eyes will be on whether Zuma proffers an olive branch towards President Thabo Mbeki or stakes his claim as head of a rival centre of power.
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/ 10 January 2008
The JSE was under pressure by midday on Thursday as investors were uncertain about the outcome for European markets ahead of the European Central Bank and Bank of England interest-rate decisions later in the day. By noon, the broader all-share index had pulled back 0,49%. The gold-mining index gave up 1,12%, while resources were a slight 0,01% in the red.
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/ 10 January 2008
A 20-year-old Newcastle woman has been arrested after she confessed to strangling her three-year old son in a bid to keep her new boyfriend, police said on Wednesday. Police spokesperson Captain Shooz Magudulela said the woman confessed to the murder of her son after being persuaded to do so by a friend.
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/ 10 January 2008
The appointment of Springbok coach Peter de Villiers was politically motivated and disregarded the wishes of players, the Freedom Front Plus (FF+) said on Wednesday. Werner Weber said the outcome of a poll among players was ”overwhelmingly” in favour of Heyneke Meyer, a former coach of the Pretoria-based Bulls.
Peter de Villiers made history on Wednesday by being named as the first black coach of the world-champion Springbok rugby team, before making clear he would pick his teams based on merit, not colour. De Villiers, currently coach of the Under-21 side, was the surprise choice of the South African Rugby Union to succeed Jake White.
Gerrie Nel, the head of the Directorate of Special Operations in Gauteng — also known as the Scorpions — who was released on bail on Wednesday following his dramatic arrest by police the night before, hopes to be back in his post on Thursday. Nel was arrested at his Pretoria home in front of his wife and children at about on Tuesday night.
A 21-year-old man has been arrested in Umtata in connection with the murder of a French chef on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast, police said on Wednesday. Police spokesperson Zandra Hechter said a former employee had been arrested in Umtata on Wednesday morning in connection with the murder of restaurateur Yvonne Cosson (69).
A Port Elizabeth magistrate’s order that a woman with 203 previous convictions of fraud and one of theft be publicly shamed with a placard around her neck proclaiming her guilt and apologising to her victims has been set aside by the Grahamstown High Court as unconstitutional.
The Pan Africanist Youth Congress of Azania (Payco) has called for Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) president Letlapa Mphahlele to step down, accusing him of destroying the party. Payco president Hulisani Mmbara said on Wednesday: ”[Payco] has reached a conclusion that the [PAC] is facing a serious leadership crisis.”
With a roar, Pitou the leopard bounded off into the African bushveld on Wednesday after a long flight from a Monaco zoo to her new home at an exclusive wildlife reserve. Her brother, Sirius, was more reluctant and had to be coaxed to leave his cage. The siblings had been handed over by Prince Albert of Monaco.
At least two people have been eaten alive by a 6m-long crocodile in northern KwaZulu-Natal, police and wildlife officials said on Wednesday. Jozini police and KZN Ezemvelo Wildlife officials said they were investigating a report that a third person may have also been eaten alive by the same crocodile on Tuesday afternoon.
A British citizen working as a radio DJ in Taiwan conned three accommodation establishments during a short holiday in Cape Town, cheated a jeweller and a cellphone business, and ended his spree trying to take the police for a ride as well. This was heard in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
There were about 1 000 fewer teachers in North West province at the opening of schools on Wednesday as the provincial education department had not renewed their contracts, a teachers’ union claimed. But an education department spokesperson said no teacher shortages are expected in North West.
A Nationwide aircraft — flying from Livingstone in Zambia to Johannesburg — was forced to turn back a few minutes into the flight due to a mechanical fault, the airline said on Wednesday. Nationwide corporate quality director Rodger Whittle said flight 203 had to turn back because hydraulic fluid was leaking from a faulty pipe.
The arrest of Gauteng Scorpions boss Gerrie Nel is a witch-hunt to protect police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi, said the Democratic Alliance on Wednesday. ”The axing of Vusi Pikoli and now Gerrie Nel has all the appearance of a witch-hunt to protect Selebi,” said DA spokesperson on Safety and Security Dianne Kohler Barnard.
Investors may face a bumpy ride in the short term, but market prospects for later in 2008 look relatively positive, said unit trust company Stanlib on Wednesday. Stanlib forecasts a rise of 18% in the JSE all-share index over the next 12 months, assuming corporate earnings growth stays solid at 17%.
The election of fraud convict Tony Yengeni to the African National Congress’s (ANC) powerful national working committee (NWC) is proof that the ruling party has been taken over by criminals, Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Helen Zille said on Wednesday.
The Erasmus commission, set up to probe Cape Town’s ”spy” saga, has extended the deadline for submissions to the end of this month. Announcing this on Wednesday, commission secretary Zithulele Twala said the extension had been requested by the City of Cape Town and private investigators George Fivaz and Associates.
Shortages of teachers and textbooks and belated efforts to enrol children were some of the problems plaguing public schools on the first day of term on Wednesday, the Democratic Alliance (DA) said. ”It’s clear that the shortage of classrooms and teachers is dire. One teacher told us that there are between 60 and 70 children to one class.”
South Africa are preparing for West Indies captain Chris Gayle to play in the third and deciding Test match starting at Kingsmead on Thursday, even though he has officially been ruled out of action. ”We’re preparing as if he’s going to play,” Proteas captain Graeme Smith said on Wednesday.
South Africa’s Business Confidence Index (BCI) dropped to 94,8 in December 2007 after the BCI declined to 95,8 in November 2007, the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry said on Wednesday. The December 2007 figure is the lowest BCI level since November 2003 and a new low for 2007.
The belated, but soothing pronouncement from Bafana Bafana administrative manager Sipho Nkumane on Tuesday night that ”all the players are now in camp” must have sounded like music to the ears of coach Carlos Alberto Parreira. The last three players to arrive were Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar, Maccabi Haifa fullback Tsepo Masilela and Bloemfontein Celtic’s Tumelo Nhlapo.
The hallways were teeming with shoppers — and perhaps those just wanting to be seen — in Soweto’s spanking new Maponya Mall during December. According to mall management, approximately 45Â 000 people visited the R650-million shopping centre daily. Restaurants such as News Café and Primi Bazala drew in many upmarket young Sowetans.
South African new vehicle sales dropped by 15,1% to 41 813 units in December compared to the same month in 2006, the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers said on Wednesday. Including sales from Associated Motor Holdings — total sales were 44 926 vehicles in December.
The legal team of arrested Gauteng Scorpions boss Gerrie Nel began an urgent application in the Pretoria High Court on Wednesday for his release. ”The police did not play open cards when they asked for his arrest,” said Nel’s lawyer Ian Small Smith shortly before the application.
Jacob Zuma’s two co-accused — the two South African subsidiaries of French arms manufacturer Thales International — are not making any plans to go to court before the August date set by the National Prosecuting Authority [NPA]. ”We will meet them [the NPA] on the 4th of August,” said lawyer Ajay Sooklal.
Scorpions boss Gerrie Nel was arrested at his Pretoria home on charges of corruption and defeating the ends of justice on Tuesday night, his attorney Ian Small Smith confirmed on Wednesday. Nel was arrested by about 20 armed policemen in front of his wife and children at his home at around 9pm on Tuesday.