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/ 8 November 2007

Rainy weather grounds fireworks

Cold, rainy conditions are expected to lessen the number of firework injuries on animals and people during Diwali this year, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) said on Thursday. ”It seems the weather is not conducive for setting off fireworks,” said the SPCA’s spokesperson for Pietermaritzburg, Maureen Vida.

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/ 8 November 2007

Boy in hospital after Strand shark attack

A 14-year-old boy was recovering in hospital on Thursday after he was attacked by a shark in Strand, Cape Town, the National Sea Rescue Institute said. Spokesperson Craig Lambinon said Andrew Smith — who lives in the area — was surfing at about 5.30pm on Wednesday when he felt something pulling him by the legs.

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/ 8 November 2007

Defence demands postponement in Motata trial

The drunken-driving case of Judge Nkola Motata was on Thursday postponed to allow magistrate Desmond Nair to rule on whether the defence could submit a request for a high court review of one of his rulings. The ruling allowed the court to listen to recordings of Motata’s alleged drunken diatribes following a car accident earlier this year.

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/ 8 November 2007

Stare into the eyes of Mrs Ples

Like the Mona Lisa, she has a strange allure; the almost sad eyes looking at you across 2,15-million years. A lifelike bust shows what one of South Africa’s most famous fossils, Mrs Ples, probably looked like. The bust, reconstructed by French artist Elisabeth Daynes, goes on display for the first time in Pretoria from Friday.

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/ 8 November 2007

Mvelaphanda to buy stake in Vox Telecom

South African investment group Mvelaphanda Group will buy 12,3% of telecommunications firm Vox Telecom for R292,3-million in cash. Mvelaphanda said that Vox Telecom — which provides voice and data services — is ideally placed to benefit from the development of the South African telecoms industry.

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/ 8 November 2007

Sappi says year basic EPS rises to 89 US cents

Papermaker Sappi on Thursday posted full-year basic earnings per share of 89 United States cents after a loss in the previous comparable period, citing improved margins and higher prices for its products. For the fourth quarter to end in September, the world’s largest producer of fine paper posted a basic EPS of 27 US cents.

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/ 8 November 2007

Zuma to approach Constitutional Court

African National Congress deputy president Jacob Zuma will approach the Constitutional Court for leave to appeal two of Thursday’s Supreme Court of Appeal judgements, said his lawyer. They would also ”observe with keen interest” whether the rulings emboldened the National Prosecuting Authority to again indict Zuma on any charges.

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/ 8 November 2007

Santos hold Sundowns to 1-1 draw

Santos put on their best home performance and were held to a 1-1draw by defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns in an Absa Premier League soccer match at the Athlone Stadium on Wednesday night. The home side should have held at least a 3-0 lead at the interval. Instead, they went into the break with a 1-0 lead, thanks to a penalty by Erwin Isaacs.

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/ 8 November 2007

Habana crowned player of the year

Springbok wing Bryan Habana was crowned the 2007 Absa South African rugby player of the year at the SA Rugby awards banquet in Sandton on Wednesday
night. The other nominees in this prestigious category were fellow Springboks Victor Matfield, Percy Montgomery, Fourie du Preez and Juan Smith.

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/ 8 November 2007

Vavi calls for worker-biased ANC

The Congress of South African Trade Unions’ (Cosatu) interest in the African National Congress’s (ANC) national conference is influenced by the will to retain an ANC bias towards the workers of the country. This is according to Cosatu secretary general Zwelinzima Vavi, who was speaking at the general council of the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union.

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/ 8 November 2007

Pirates steal match from Cosmos

Lucky Lekgwathi scored a controversial goal three minutes before the end of a drab Absa Premier League match to give Orlando Pirates a 1-0 victory against Jomo Cosmos at Loftus on Wednesday. The defender looked offside as Excellent Walaza slipped the ball to him in the big box.

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/ 7 November 2007

New local diamond facility launched

Africa’s efforts to derive greater benefits from its mineral wealth were boosted on Wednesday with the launch of South Africa’s first black-owned diamond-cutting and -polishing facility. Southern Africa accounts for more than 40% of the world’s diamond output with Botswana being the world’s largest producer of the gem.

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/ 7 November 2007

‘They took off and left the engine behind’

A Nationwide Boeing 737 had to make an emergency landing at Cape Town International Airport on Wednesday afternoon when an engine fell off during take-off. The plane, which had been bound for Johannesburg, landed safely after airport fire and rescue services hurriedly cleared the debris from the runway. There were 106 passengers on board.

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/ 7 November 2007

Land Bank audit report goes to prosecutors

A forensic audit report into the financial management of the Land Bank is to be referred to the National Directorate of Public Prosecutions for ”further investigation”, the Land Affairs Ministry said on Wednesday. This was among recommendations made by the Cabinet after consideration of the report, it said in a statement.

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/ 7 November 2007

Court to hear Motata recordings

Audio recordings of Pretoria High Court Judge Nkola Motata’s alleged drunken ranting following a car accident earlier this year will be heard in court in a bid to determine if they are reliable enough to be submitted as evidence, the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court ruled on Wednesday.

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/ 7 November 2007

Three suspected armed robbers apprehended

Three men were arrested in Johannesburg on Wednesday in connection with an attempted armed robbery. ”The suspects were arrested in Braamfontein and they fit the description of the suspects that were spotted at Pick ‘n Pay in Jorissen Street while fleeing from the police,” said Superintendent Lungelo Dlamini.