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/ 13 August 2007

Mob runs riot in Diepsloot

A motorist was slightly injured when her car was stoned, then overturned by a rioting mob just off the R511, in Diepsloot, on Sunday night, said Netcare 911. She was taken to hospital with a laceration to her head, said Netcare 911 spokesperson Mark Stokoe.

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/ 12 August 2007

DA: Govt’s Zim refugee plan too late

The unveiling by the Department of Home Affairs of a resurrected plan for refugees has come too late for thousands of Zimbabweans, the Democratic Alliance (DA) said on Sunday. DA spokesperson for home affairs Mark Lowe said the failure of the department to admit to a refugee crisis was a reflection of ”incompetence and ignorance”.

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/ 12 August 2007

Regional integration on SADC agenda

The debate on a United States of Africa is set to continue at the Southern African Development Community (SADC) meeting scheduled to begin in Lusaka, Zambia, on Tuesday. In a statement released on Sunday, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said the SADC Council of Ministers would discuss a report on regional economic integration.

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/ 12 August 2007

Solidarity to embark on coal strike

About 3 500 Solidarity mine workers will down tools on Sunday over low salaries, the trade union said. Plans for the strike ”are on track”, said spokesperson Reint Dykema. The union is to go on strike at coal mines around the country over an inadequate pay offer, particularly for artisans.

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/ 12 August 2007

Bulls pummelled by Cheetahs

The Blue Bulls played better than the scoreline of 44-18 in favour of the Free State Cheetahs indicated in Bloemfontein on Saturday. Free State led 10-6 at half-time. The difference between the two sides was the impact the replacements made for the home team.

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/ 12 August 2007

Mbeki’s E Cape tour ends on positive note

President Thabo Mbeki wrapped up his two-day imbizo in the Eastern Cape on a positive note after interacting with stakeholders, communities and different spheres of government. Spokesperson Mukoni Ratshitanga said Mbeki was particularly pleased with the support the Ukhahlamba district gave to a R1,5-billion PG Bison Project.

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/ 11 August 2007

Province scrape home against Griquas

Leading 22-15 at half-time, Western Province, in spite of trailing 25-22 for all of 22 minutes during the second half, squeezed home 30-25 in a closely fought Currie Cup fixture played in Kimberley on Saturday. Scoring their match-winning and bonus-point-earning fourth try with 10 minutes remaining, Province returned home with a full-house five points.

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/ 11 August 2007

Lions made to work hard for victory

The Golden Lions secured a hard-fought win of 15-10 over a gallant Boland Cavaliers side in a mud bath in Wellington after leading 7-3 at half-time. With playing conditions almost impossible and several spots on the field ankle deep with water, both sides made several handling errors that led to scrum after scrum.

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/ 11 August 2007

No Kallis in SA Twenty20 squad

South Africa have left batsman Jacques Kallis out of the squad for next month’s Twenty20 World Championship that they are hosting, it was announced on Saturday. Kallis, South Africa’s leading run-scorer in Tests and one-day internationals, has been criticised in the past for slow scoring in limited-overs matches.

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/ 11 August 2007

Presidency breaks silence on Nozizwe

Former deputy health minister Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge was fired for her inability to work as part of the ”collective” and for undertaking a trip to Madrid against President Thabo Mbeki’s orders. This is according to the letter Mbeki sent to Madlala-Routledge on Wednesday firing her. The Presidency released the letter on Saturday to ”prevent further speculation.”

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/ 11 August 2007

Sharks too strong for gutsy Valke

The Sharks beat the Valke 45-22 in an Absa Currie Cup game at the Bosman Stadium in Brakpan on Friday night but only entertained their travelling supporters in the first half as they scored five tries to the Valke’s one. Prop Kees Lensing opened the scoring with a try as early as the third minute, which Rory Kockott converted.

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/ 10 August 2007

Mayor appears in court in connection with murder

The mayor of the Govan Mbeki municipality in Mpumalanga, arrested in connection with the murder of his deputy, will make a bail application next Friday, police said. Sipho Nkosi made a brief appearance in the Evander Magistrate’s Court on Friday and his bail application was postponed to August 17, Superintendent Sibongile Nkosi said.

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/ 10 August 2007

Rape protesters gather outside Jo’burg court

About a dozen protesters gathered outside the Johannesburg High Court on Friday to protest against how rape victims are treated by the law. Some protesters held placards and had their mouths taped shut, while others chained themselves to the court fence. ”Reporting rape equals being raped again in court,” read one placard.

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/ 10 August 2007

DA calls for SADC sanctions against Zim

President Thabo Mbeki must convince his counterparts in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) that the time has arrived to impose limited sanctions against Zimbabwe, says acting Democratic Alliance leader Joe Seremane. In his party’s weekly online newsletter, he said Mbeki had to admit the talks he brokered had ”gone nowhere”.

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/ 10 August 2007

Najwa Petersen still under observation

A hearing involving murder accused Najwa Petersen was postponed in the Wynberg Regional Court on Friday as psychiatric reports to determine whether she’s mentally fit to stand trial for the murder of Taliep Petersen have not yet been completed. The South African Broadcasting Corporation reported that the widow did not appear in court on Friday.

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/ 10 August 2007

Nozizwe: Mbeki didn’t have ‘all the facts’

Sacked deputy health minister Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge has confirmed she was dismissed by President Thabo Mbeki for her unannounced visit to East London’s Frere Hospital and her unauthorised trip to Madrid. Addressing a press conference broadcast live on Cape Talk radio on Friday, she said she wanted the facts, ”as I see them”, to receive an airing.

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/ 10 August 2007

SA stocks fall on global woes

South African markets reeled on Friday, caught up in a global flight from risky assets sparked by credit worries, with stocks falling nearly 4% and bonds sliding. ”Traders must be placed on suicide watch today [Friday], as the [stock] market is expected to bleed heavily during the day,” said Efficient Research in a note.

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/ 10 August 2007

Government mulls steel plant

South Africa’s Department of Trade and Industry this week indicated that it was considering building a state-backed, but privately operated, steel mill to compete with ArcelorMittal South Africa and Highveld Steel and Vanadium. According to the National Industrial Policy Framework, the department aims to finalise the feasibility study by March 2008.