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/ 31 October 2007

Male ARV recipient develops breasts

A 42-year-old Mpumalanga man has developed breasts after he was enrolled in the government’s antiretroviral (ARV) treatment programme, a media report said on Wednesday. The resident of Standerton’s Sakhile township said doctors and nurses at Standerton’s TB hospital had refused to listen to him.

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/ 31 October 2007

JSE lower, awaits US rate decision

The JSE was lower at noon on Wednesday on pockets of profit taking amid caution ahead of the United States interest rate decision later in the day. At noon, the all-share index was off 0,49%. Resources fell 0,96%, the platinum mining index gave up 0,11% but the gold mining index was up 1,70%.

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/ 31 October 2007

PSL to pay soccer bosses R70m

The Premier Soccer League (PSL) has set aside R70-million with which to pay members as a ”token of gratitude” for their part in securing rights and sponsorship deals. The amount would be ”apportioned to the members of the negotiating team and other role players” and would be a one-off payment.

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/ 30 October 2007

Two hurt in Jo’burg hospital rampage

A patient was shot and a guard stabbed when patients unhappy with their medication tried to flee the Sizwe Hospital in Edenvale on Tuesday, Johannesburg police said. Spokesperson Captain Piet Mnyageni said the incident occurred at about 6.30am when patients attempted to leave the hospital premises.

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/ 30 October 2007

Cautious thumbs-up for Manuel’s budget

Finance Minister Trevor Manuel’s 2007 Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement has received a cautious thumbs-up from some opposition parties. Tabling the budget in the National Assembly on Tuesday, he announced that almost R81,5-billion was to be added to the government’s projected spending over the next three years, bringing spending growth to 6,4% a year in real terms.

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/ 30 October 2007

Little sympathy at SA Rugby for White

There seems to be little sympathy at SA Rugby for World Cup-winning Springbok coach Jake White’s unhappiness that he was not considered for the shortlist of four from which the next Springbok coach will be appointed. White, in Tuesday’s press conference, pointed out he had a clause in his contract that states he has the right to negotiate an extension of his contract.

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/ 30 October 2007

Delmas hit by diarrhoea outbreak

The Nkangala area of Delmas has been hit by an outbreak of diarrhoea, the provincial health department in Mpumalanga said on Tuesday. ”Under normal circumstances 10 cases of diarrhoea are reported in a week, but we treated 47 people last week and 26 yesterday [Monday],” said spokesperson Mpho Gabashane.

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/ 30 October 2007

Thousands attend Matatiele demarcation hearings

More than 3 000 people packed the local soccer stadium in Matatiele as the second day of public hearings on the region’s controversial incorporation into the Eastern Cape started on Tuesday. Matatiele was incorporated into the Eastern Cape on February 28, hours before voting started in the local government election of 2006.

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/ 30 October 2007

SA adventurers break new ground

Two South African adventurers will be the first team to walk unsupported and unassisted to the South Pole, and one will be the first black person to accomplish this. Speaking at the Extreme Lifestyle Centre in Fourways, Johannesburg, on Tuesday, Alex Harris and Sibusiso Vilane said no one will be putting out food or rigging up tents for them.

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/ 30 October 2007

SA sees budget surplus over next three years

South Africa will record a budget surplus for the next three years due to higher-than-expected tax revenues and would invest more to boost infrastructure, the National Treasury said on Tuesday. In its Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement, the Treasury said robust economic growth over the past five years had provided for a more expansionary fiscal stance.

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/ 30 October 2007

Surviving Mathibela twin meets Madiba

Conjoined twin Mpho Mathibela was glad to meet former president Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg on Tuesday. Mpho is the surviving twin of the famous Mathibela conjoined twins, Mpho and Mphonyana. They hit headlines when they were born joined at the head at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital on December 7 1986.

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/ 30 October 2007

Mvela to buy up to 30% of Johncom media

South African investment firm Mvelaphanda has reached agreement with fund management group Allan Gray to buy up to 30% of Johnnic Communications’ media unit, it said on Tuesday. Mvelaphanda said it will buy a minumum of 25,1% and a maximum of 30% of Johncom’s media business, provisionally named Opco.

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/ 30 October 2007

Dube murder case postponed

The four men accused of the murder of reggae star Lucky Dube had their case postponed in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday. The case has been postponed until November 30. The men, Sifiso Mlanga, Julius Gxowa, Thabo Mafoping and Mbofi Mabe, face charges of murder, attempted hijacking and the possession of an unlicensed firearm.

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/ 30 October 2007

JSE a tad higher ahead of Fed verdict

The JSE rose modestly at noon on Tuesday as investors became more optimistic that the United States Federal Reserve would cut interest rates, which would bolster Wall Street. Investors cheered the news that Tokyo Sexwale’s Mevelaphanda group plans to buy up to 30% of Johncom’s to-be-formed Opco.

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/ 30 October 2007

PPC ups earnings on building boom

Africa’s biggest cement maker PPC on Tuesday posted a 16% rise in full-year headline earnings per share and forecast a healthy performance this fiscal year, as demand for building materials booms. PPC reported headline EPS of 263 cents and a 19% rise in revenue to R5,6-billion.

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/ 30 October 2007

White set to quit Springboks

South Africa’s World Cup-winning coach Jake White looks set to end his stint in charge of the Springboks after declining to re-apply for his job. The South African Rugby Union (Saru) said on Monday a four-man shortlist for the position of Springbok coach did not include him.