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/ 13 November 2007

Magistrate puts foot down in Motata case

Pretoria Judge Nkola Motata’s application to temporarily block the Johannesburg magistrate’s court from listening to recordings of his alleged drunken diatribe, was turned down on Tuesday. Magistrate Desmond Nair said he would not allow the defence’s application to have his ruling on the matter sent to the high court for review.

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/ 13 November 2007

Drunk-driving trial postponed to 2008

The drunken-driving trial of Pretoria high court judge Nkola Motata has been postponed until July 2 2008 when it will proceed for a full month. The postponement of the case came after Nair turned down an application by the defence to temporarily block the court from listening to recordings of Motata’s alleged drunken diatribe.

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/ 13 November 2007

Post Office reports trading profit up 40%

Members of Parliament heard on Tuesday that the South African Post Office has made 40% more trading profit in the first six months of this financial year than it did last year. Chief financial officer Nick Buick said that the six months’ net profit for this year was R210-million, 20% above last year’s interim result.

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/ 13 November 2007

Three injured Boks withdraw from tour

Forwards Danie Rossouw, Wickus van Heerden and Gurthro Steenkamp withdrew injured on Monday from South Africa’s short rugby tour of Britain. Star scrumhalf Fourie du Preez also looks like staying home and missing the Test against Wales at Cardiff and the celebration match with the Barbarians at Twickenham on December 1.

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/ 13 November 2007

Mashaba retains title with killer blow

Thomas ”Merciless” Mashaba showed no mercy to retain his IBO world featherweight title with a ninth-round tko victory over the United States’s two-time former champion Eric Aiken on the Lords of the Ring boxing bill at Emperors Palace on Monday night. Also, Cassius Baloyi gained a narrow revenge victory over Gairy St Clair.

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/ 13 November 2007

‘Technical alert’ grounds kulula.com flight

A kulula.com passenger aircraft turned back to Johannesburg soon after taking off for Cape Town on Monday because of low oil pressure in an engine, Comair said. A spokesperson said flight MN103, scheduled to depart just after noon, turned back to Johannesburg within 40 minutes after the captain received a ”technical alert”.

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/ 13 November 2007

Economist expects more rate hikes to come

If the South African Reserve Bank is consistent, then inflation matters have deteriorated since October and another rate hike can be expected in December, according to Dr Azar Jammine, director and chief economist of Econometrix. However, Jammine on Monday also criticised some of the thinking in this regard.

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/ 12 November 2007

Mama Jackie guilty of kidnapping

Controversial Soweto school principal Jackie Maarohanye, also known as ”Mama Jackie”, was found guilty of kidnapping a former student by the Protea Magistrate’s Court on Monday, Johannesburg police said. ”The case was postponed to January 21 for sentencing,” said police spokesperson Constable Sefako Xaba.

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/ 12 November 2007

Farm workers deny raping 12-year-old

Two men accused of raping a 12-year-old girl after plying her with drinks denied guilt in the Grahamstown High Court on Monday. Appearing in court were Moos Lawens (41) and Eric Fossie Ben (27), both from a farm near Cradock. The two are alleged to have raped the girl after getting her intoxicated at a drinking party on a farm.

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/ 12 November 2007

Western Cape ‘winning war against drugs’

The Western Cape government is winning the war against drugs, Premier Ebrahim Rasool said on Monday. ”Considering that this financial year is only halfway through, police have already arrested 374 high flyers … confiscated 37 558 grams of mandrax, 6 499 grams of methamphetamine [tik] and 4 447 grams of heroin,” he said.

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/ 12 November 2007

Louw shines in weekend cricket action

Dolphins all-rounder Johann Louw upstaged his international teammates to give the KwaZulu-Natal side a welcome boost with a crushing 10-wicket win over the Warriors in their Supersport Series cricket match in East London this weekend. In Benoni, the Eagles were held at bay by a fantastic knock of 151 off 157 balls by the Titans’ Albie Morkel.

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/ 12 November 2007

Tough test ahead for Igesund

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Gordon Igesund faces arguably the toughest test of all Premier Soccer League (PSL) coaches as he guides his team towards a third consecutive league title as well as a third cup final this year. ”The better the team becomes, the more challenges you face and have to accept,” Igesund said on Monday.

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/ 12 November 2007

SPCA incensed over captive elephants

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) is considering legal steps over proposed norms and standards for managing the elephant population being formulated by the Environmental Affairs and Tourism Department. The NSPCA on Monday aborted a meeting to discuss captive elephants.

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/ 12 November 2007

Tiger Brands slapped with R98m cartel fine

Tiger Brands has been ordered to pay a R98,7-million penalty by the Competition Commission after admitting to participating in bread and milling cartels, the commission announced on Monday. Tiger Brands also agreed to assist the commission in prosecuting remaining cartel members who have not cooperated with the commission.

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/ 12 November 2007

Airlines inspecting their Boeings as ordered

Inspections on Boeing 737-200s as ordered by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) were being carried out on Monday. CAA spokesperson Phindiwe Gwebu said a number of airlines had submitted reports. The inspections were ordered by the authority after a Nationwide carrier lost an engine during take-off and had to make an emergency landing at Cape Town International Airport last week.

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/ 12 November 2007

DA: Govt failing to protect children at schools

The government has failed to take necessary steps to ensure learners are protected against the escalating violence in schools, the Democratic Alliance (DA) said on Monday. DA spokesperson on safety and security Dianne Kohler-Barnard said violence in South African schools has reached unacceptable levels that require immediate intervention.

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/ 12 November 2007

Vacant Clifton plot sells for record R11,25m

A vacant plot in Cape Town’s Clifton area has been sold for R11,25-million — believed to be the highest price per square metre paid to date for undeveloped property in South Africa. The record price achieved for the stand followed the sale earlier in the year by Lew Geffen Sotheby’s of a Clifton apartment for R34-million.

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/ 12 November 2007

Alexander Forbes CEO calls it a day

Alexander Forbes group chief executive Peter Moyo has resigned because of differences with the board of directors, the company said on Monday. ”Despite best efforts of the board to convince Peter to stay at the helm of the company, he has decided to leave the group as a result of differences with the board.”

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/ 12 November 2007

Runaway lions killed in Mpumalanga

Two lions — thought to have escaped from the Kruger National Park in September — were shot and killed near the park’s Numbi gate, the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks agency said on Monday. Officials tracked down the lions after a community member reported that five of his cattle had been killed by them.

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/ 12 November 2007

SA poverty levels double in a decade

Severe poverty levels in South Africa have doubled in the last 10 years, the South African Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR) said on Monday. A survey released by the SAIRR this month showed that poverty in the country increased ”dramatically” between 1996 and 2005, said researcher Marius Roodt.