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/ 6 September 2007

Union opposes SAA restructuring plan

The South African Transport and Allied Workers’ Union on Wednesday vowed to counter a South African Airways (SAA) restructuring plan, saying management had lied to it and that ”the laws of the jungle shall now apply”. The union issued a statement after the airline’s chief executive, Khaya Ngqula, told media on Wednesday that it was essential to revise work packages.

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/ 6 September 2007

Egypt lead list of Nations contenders

Holders Egypt head the list of heavyweight contenders seeking to confirm their qualification for next year’s African Nations Cup finals this weekend. A win in Burundi on Sunday would ensure Egypt finish top of their group and join the seven teams already through to the 16-team finals being hosted by Ghana in January.

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/ 6 September 2007

Mboweni: Tentative signs of spending easing

South African Reserve Bank Governor Tito Mboweni said on Thursday that while there were some tentative indications of a slowdown in consumption, such as vehicle sales, it was still "early days". Mboweni said that while the current account deficit was being adequately financed by financial inflows, there might be inflationary pressures in the future if the deficit widened.

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/ 6 September 2007

Brangelina’s car

General Motors (GM) is making a point of acknowledging girl power with the launch of the Chevrolet Captiva. Using the blockbuster movie <i>Mr & Mrs Smith</i> as a premise, GM went to great lengths to accentuate the versatility and over all appeal of its latest SUV.

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/ 6 September 2007

Black diamonds and emaciated white girls

”Regardless of the BEE types’ penchant for emaciated white girls whose figures might be attributed to the sort of galloping bulimia offensive to any self-respecting peasant living below the bread line, it is time to ensure transformation occurs at all levels of society. Including the air-heads,” writes Niren Tolsi.

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/ 5 September 2007

SA to celebrate under one cloud of braai smoke

Archbishop Desmond Tutu and thousands of South Africans will soon ”thank heavens it’s Braai Day”. Its purpose — to unite all those who live in the country — is close to Tutu’s heart, who was made the first patron of National Braai Day on Wednesday. The day will coincide with National Heritage Day on September 24.

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/ 5 September 2007

Loots Bosman to face disciplinary hearing

Proteas opening batsman Loots Bosman is to face a disciplinary hearing following comments he allegedly made about being excluded from the Twenty20 World Championship team because of a back injury. Cricket South Africa (CSA) said on Wednesday that Bosman will appear before CSA disciplinary commissioner Michael Kuper SC.

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/ 5 September 2007

SABC slammed over Sanef withdrawal

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) had demonstrated nothing but arrogance in pulling out of the South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) over reports about Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, said the Media Institute of Southern Africa on Wednesday.

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/ 5 September 2007

Cops: Pupils were aided in ‘witchcraft’ burnings

Youths who allegedly burnt two 60-year old women to death over a witchcraft claim are believed to have received the assistance from the local community, police said on Wednesday. Police spokesperson Jabulani Mdletshe said police believed the double murder was pre-planned and that residents from the Manguzi area in northern KwaZulu-Natal had assisted.

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/ 5 September 2007

Manto theft question rouses Assembly

There was an uproar in the National Assembly on Wednesday when a Democratic Alliance MP was ordered to leave after a written question he posed to the health minister was ruled out of order. The question was whether the minister had been convicted of theft and whether she had disclosed this information to President Thabo Mbeki.

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/ 5 September 2007

SAA talking to unions on restructuring

South African Airways (SAA) is finalising the standardisation of working conditions with trade unions in its ”deep and fundamental” restructuring process, chief executive Khaya Ngqula said on Wednesday. He also said the process of grounding SAA’s costly Boeing 747-400 fleet by November is on track.

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/ 5 September 2007

Manuel: Provincial govt spending has improved

The latest spending patterns by provincial departments show a measurable improvement, Finance Minister Trevor Manuel said on Wednesday. Although provinces still face capacity challenges, there is improvement, he told journalists during the Treasury’s tabling of provincial budgets and expenditure review in Parliament.

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/ 5 September 2007

Lekota defends Umshini Wami remarks

African National Congress national chairperson Mosiuoa Lekota has defended his negative remarks about people singing freedom songs such as Umshini Wami, saying the issue was not about ANC deputy president Jacob Zuma, but about policy. ”These liberation and freedom songs are not pop songs … which we sing for personal entertainment here and there,” he said.

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/ 5 September 2007

Boks take the pressure off Proteas

South African all-rounder Shaun Pollock believes the start of the Rugby World Cup in France on Friday has taken some of the pressure off the cricket team ahead of the ICC Twenty20 tournament. ”We’re a sports mad country, but I think a lot of the expectations are focussed on the Springboks,” Pollock said at a press conference on Wednesday.

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/ 5 September 2007

DA loses Morkel, Brynard to ANC

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Western Cape suffered a further blow on Wednesday with the defection of two of its senior MPLs to the African National Congress (ANC). The defecting members are DA provincial chairperson Kent Morkel and Kobus Brynard, who is a member of the provincial executive.

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/ 5 September 2007

Court finds Staggie not guilty

Reformed Hard Livings gang leader Rashied Staggie was on Wednesday found not guilty of the revenge murder of taxi driver Mogamat Ryklief. Staggie appeared in the Cape High Court before Judge Nathan Erasmus, who labelled the only state witness, Donavan Richards, as a ”good liar who manipulated words to suit himself”.

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/ 5 September 2007

Suspect linked to nine ATM bombings

South Africa’s most wanted ATM suspect has been linked to nine ATM bombings across the country so far, police said on Wednesday. Police spokesperson Captain Thulani Zwane said he had been linked to nine bombings in areas including Vereeniging and Soweto in Gauteng and northern KwaZulu-Natal.

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/ 5 September 2007

SA business confidence slips to year-low

South Africa’s business confidence slipped further in August to its lowest level in 2007, affected by global financial market turbulence, the South African Chamber of Business (Sacob) said on Wednesday. The Sacob Business Confidence Index declined to 98,1 from 99,6 in July, confirming a downward trend as most of the indicator’s sub-indices deteriorated during the month.

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/ 5 September 2007

Benni back for Bafana after Bond-like operation

With the stealth of a covert James Bond operation, the South African Football Association on Tuesday successfully ”smuggled” Benni McCarthy into the country for his first game for Bafana Bafana in 19 months. He will play in the African Nations Cup qualifier against Zambia at Newlands Stadium on Sunday.

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/ 5 September 2007

JSE up and down in see-saw session

The JSE was in the red at midday on Wednesday after vacillating between positive and negative territory during early trade as investors took profits on stocks that have recovered from last month’s losses. The JSE’s all-share started in the red, but inched into positive territory within the first 15 minutes of trade, and by midday it had fallen back into the red.

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/ 5 September 2007

Judge dismisses discharge applications by Boeremag

The judge in the Boeremag treason trial on Wednesday ruled that enough evidence had been presented by the state on which a reasonable person might convict the 21 accused on charges of high treason, terrorism and sabotage. Judge Eben Jordaan dismissed applications by nine of the accused for their discharge on all of the 42 charges against them.

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/ 5 September 2007

A great Gift squandered

For his first real taste of paid football, Gift Leremi, who was killed in a car accident on September 3, came on as a late substitute in a charity match against Kaizer Chiefs. Orlando Pirates, who had in the off-season promoted him to their first team, were trailing by a goal.