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/ 16 October 2007

Pick ‘n Pay expects inflation to hit food sales

Chief executive of Pick ‘n Pay Nick Badminton told analysts in Cape Town on Tuesday that although food was often the last to be affected by inflation, "we feel that it will be a little tight in the next six months". He said that internal inflation within the group was showing a 7% increase for the full year, but warned that August showed inflation at 9,5%.

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/ 16 October 2007

JSE down on global concerns

The JSE extended its losses by midday on Tuesday as a sell-off in banks on Wall Street’s credit concerns and higher oil prices added to negative sentiment. Banks and financial stocks have pulled back throughout the morning session, after Citigroup in the United States lost 3,4% overnight, which triggered a sell-off on Wall Street and re-sparked global credit concerns.

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/ 16 October 2007

White set to step down after World Cup

Jake White is set to step down as South Africa’s national rugby coach if the Springboks triumph in this Saturday’s World Cup final against England. In an interview with the Star newspaper, White said the title of world champions had been his ultimate ambition ever since he took over three years ago and he was cool on the idea of being moved upstairs after the tournament.

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/ 16 October 2007

Bill could cut cost of broadband

Legislation paving the way for much cheaper broadband internet access is likely to be approved in the National Assembly on Wednesday. According to a memorandum attached to the Broadband Infraco Bill, the high broadband costs in South Africa compared to international counterparts have been investigated.

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/ 16 October 2007

SA, capital of white-collar crime

South Africa has the worst white-collar crime rate in the world, according to a survey released on Tuesday. Companies reported an average of 23 cases of fraud during the past two years, with each organisation losing an average of over R7,4-million in that period, according to the survey.

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/ 15 October 2007

Workers down tools at Sasol

About a third of the workforce at Sasol Mining near Secunda have begun a protected strike over wage increases, Sasol said on Monday. Sasol spokesperson Johann van Rheede said workers downed tools at Sasol’s five mines in Mpumalanga last Friday, continuing on Monday. The workers are members of the United People’s Union of South Africa.

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/ 15 October 2007

Burundi rebels to rejoin truce team

Burundi rebels will rejoin a truce-monitoring team they quit in July, the facilitator, South African Minister of Safety and Security Charles Nqakula, said on Monday, boosting efforts to bring a lasting end to a decade of conflict. ”The stalled Burundi peace process will be resumed on Saturday October 20,” Nqakula told a news conference.

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/ 15 October 2007

Najwa court hears of blank tapes

The man who sold Najwa Petersen’s family an allegedly encrypted police interview tape is a repeat fraud offender, it emerged on Monday in the Wynberg Regional Court. The tape, which the family believed would help prove her innocence, turned out to be blank, the court heard.

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/ 15 October 2007

University of Jo’burg to tighten security

The University of Johannesburg is to tighten security on all four of its campuses, management said on Monday. Vice-chancellor Ihron Rensburg said a group of sixty students disrupted a test that was in progress at the Doornfontein campus in the morning. ”We will not tolerate that sort of misconduct. They signed an agreement not to disrupt classes.”

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/ 15 October 2007

Ibsa meeting likely to bolster trade ties

The leaders of emerging powerhouses South Africa, India and Brazil will meet in Pretoria this week to bolster trade and energy ties as well as flex their collective muscle on world affairs. All three countries see their alliance, known as Ibsa (India-Brazil-South Africa), as an opportunity to push the concerns of developing countries in the southern hemisphere.

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/ 15 October 2007

SAA restructuring: 220 managers leave

More than 220 managers will have left South African Airways (SAA) by the end of the month as part of the national airline’s restructuring strategy, its spokesperson said on Monday. "SAA has approached the issue of labour in a phased manner, starting with management," said Robyn Chalmers, spokesperson for SAA.

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/ 15 October 2007

ANCYL wants Scorpions probed

The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) plans to ask the Public Protector to investigate whether the Scorpions’ investigating unit has a political agenda and is abusing its power, the league said on Monday. Spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said the ANCYL was in the process of making an appointment with the Public Protector to discuss its concerns.

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/ 15 October 2007

Eskom: No load shedding took place on weekend

Eskom officials breathed a sigh of relief on Monday after making it through the weekend, and South Africa’s crucial rugby victory against Argentina, without any power cuts. ”We all got to enjoy a good game of rugby,” said spokesperson Fani Zulu. He said there may have been small localised interruptions due to technical problems caused by storms and heavy rain.

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/ 15 October 2007

Former Witness crime journalist shot and killed

A former crime journalist was shot and killed while leaving church in Woodlands on Sunday, Pietermaritzburg police said. Superintendent Henry Budhram said Elaine Anderson -– a former crime reporter for the Witness newspaper — was allegedly leaving church in her car when she was confronted by two armed men on Sunday night.

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/ 14 October 2007

Concern over govt vs Sunday Times

Opposition parties and the South African National Editors’ Forum have expressed concern at reports of police plans to arrest Sunday Times editor Mondli Makhanya and journalist Jocelyn Maker over the theft of Health Minister Manto-Tshabalala-Msimang’s medical records.