The South African Municipal Workers’ Union on Friday threatened to go on strike if Ekurhuleni metro police chief Robert McBride was not suspended. ”We are going to say to the municipality, suspend Robert McBride or municipal service delivery is going to be hampered,” said Samwu branch secretary Koena Ramotlou.
The Mail & Guardian newspaper on Friday denied disregarding an interdict barring it from publishing the details of a draft internal report into alleged abuse of power at the South African Broadcasting Corporation. ”We completely deny it … we have a paper trail of every step taken to comply with the order,” said M&G editor Ferial Haffajee.
Diamond beneficiation, whereby stones mined in South Africa are also cut and polished in the country, will be enforced, Minerals and Energy Minister Buyelwa Sonjica said on Friday. She said was seriously concerned about De Beers’ director Jonathan Oppenheimer’s comments on the costs of beneficiation earlier this week.
The fourth round of gold-sector wage talks will start on Monday in Johannesburg, the Chamber of Mines said on Friday. Chamber spokesperson Jabu Maphalala said gold-mining companies represented by the chamber and trade unions would meet at the chamber’s offices in Johannesburg.
The South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) has welcomed a recent Supreme Court of Appeal judgment that, it says, effectively makes the sub-judice rule outdated. ”This means that recourse to this legal excuse to avoid public discussion of an issue — a favourite ploy of politicians — is no longer valid, and those using it can be called to account,” Sanef said on Friday.
The government’s reluctance to allocate adequate resources towards the fight against substance abuse has contributed to the sharp increase in drug-related crimes in the country, Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille said on Friday. Writing in her weekly newsletter, Zille blamed the fuelling of substance abuse in provinces such as the Western Cape on state inaction.
Dilhara Fernando grabbed a career-best haul of 4-24 to script Sri Lanka’s 70-run victory over Bangladesh in the opening one-day international on Friday. The 28-year-old fast bowler took all his wickets in a lively opening spell as Sri Lanka dismissed Bangladesh for 164 after posting 234-6 to gain a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Getting all South Africans to agree on how to tackle affirmative action and build a non-racial society was one of the bigger challenges facing the country, President Thabo Mbeki said on Friday. He said the problem was ”we cannot get everyone to sing from the same hymn sheet on the important question of how to build a non-racial South Africa”.
The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is launching an international news channel to compete with CNN and the BBC, joining the growing ranks of news outlets seeking to challenge media stereotypes about Africa. But media watchdogs say the SABC should focus on bolstering editorial independence at home.
Johannesburg metro police have launched a search for a taxi driver who fired shots at an officer on Friday morning. Metro police spokesperson Inspector Edna Mamonyane said the taxi driver jumped a red robot in the CBD at about 8.45am. Metro police saw him and stopped him.
South African athletes have won only seven medals on the first two days of the athletics competition at the ninth All Africa Games in Algiers. Sixteen events have so far been completed and the results show that SA athletes managed three silver and four bronze medals.
The public has the right to know about complaints against medical practitioners, the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) said on Friday. HPCSA registrar Boyce Mkhize said in a statement that the public had a right to check the credentials and misconduct record of healthcare practitioners in South Africa.
Ekurhuleni metro police chief Robert McBride appeared briefly in the Pretoria Regional Court on Friday morning and was granted bail of R1Â 000. McBride faces charges of driving under the influence of alcohol, defeating the ends of justice and fraud. McBride also faces alternative charges of reckless or negligent driving, conspiracy and incitement.
For two of Soweto’s great footballing institutions, Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs, the coaching succession debate is over. Chiefs have chosen Muhsin Ertugral, with whom they won seven trophies. Pirates have given Bibey Mutombo another term in office, despite him being one of the least-loved coaches to have coached the Orlando side in all their 70 years.
Ekurhuleni metro police chief Robert McBride appeared briefly in the Pretoria Regional Court on Friday morning and was granted bail of R1Â 000. McBride faces charges of driving under the influence of alcohol, defeating the ends of justice and fraud.
Riots, marches on Parliament and the lynching of a local official have highlighted growing unrest at the failure to improve the lives of South Africans who bore the brunt of apartheid. ”It is like we are not living in South Africa, we are not part of the democracy everyone enjoys,” says Ngethembi Myaka.
The Mail & Guardian has been gagged. Again. In the early hours of Friday morning in the Pretoria High Court, a judge interdicted the M&G from publishing the details of an explosive final draft of an internal report into alleged corruption, abuse of power and intimidation at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC).
The African National Congress (ANC) has expressed disquiet at rumours reflected in a documentary on President Thabo Mbeki linking him to the 1993 assassination of South African Communist Party leader Chris Hani. ”The suggestions, made without any reference to any evidence in any form, are deeply hurtful and patently irresponsible,” the ANC said on Thursday.
South Africans will soon say goodbye to cheap electricity, Eskom said in its 2007 annual report released on Thursday. ”The cheap-electricity era is coming to an end, here and in all other markets,” chairperson Valli Moosa warned in his message. South Africa’s electricity is the cheapest in the world.
There was much ado this week over a dress.
The Communications Workers’ Union (CWU) will continue with its protests outside Vodacom premises, the union said on Thursday. CWU spokesperson Mfanafuthi Sithebe said the union would defy the interim interdict granted to Vodacom to prevent striking workers from entering, interfering with or obstructing access to the company premises.
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Former president Nelson Mandela will share a birthday cake with youngsters in Johannesburg on Tuesday at his annual children’s party. Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund spokesperson Tumi Mdwaba said the cutting of the cake will be the day’s highlight.
A South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) official has claimed that Israeli security strip-searched him at OR Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park. Samwu first vice-president Xolile Nxu claimed he was detained and interrogated about three weeks ago on his departure for a conference in the West Bank village of Bil’in.
The water in the Blaauwpan Dam near OR Tambo International Airport — contaminated when jet fuel was spilled in November — is now clean, the Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) said on Thursday. ”The latest tests conducted on water samples taken from the dam have indicated that the water is clear,” general manager at the airport Chris Hlekane said.
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The most important part of former president Nelson Mandela’s legacy is that our common humanity matters more than our differences, former United States president Bill Clinton said on Thursday. ”Our differences are wonderful, they make life more interesting, but our common humanity matters more,” said Clinton.
A woman who allegedly sent rude SMSs to politician Patricia de Lille — and then refused to appear in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court — was sent for psychiatric observation on Thursday. Lara Johnstone (40) is charged with crimen injuria, and prosecuting authorities are yet to decide whether to add intimidation to the charges.
July is the month most South African employees take sick leave due to influenza, a study released on Thursday showed. The study of 7 000 employees by Corporate Absenteeism Management Solutions shows that flu absenteeism hits companies the hardest in the winter months of May, June and July.
The tiny Southern African kingdom of Lesotho has declared a state of emergency over worsening food shortages caused by a drought that is threatening the food supplies of hundreds of thousands of citizens. More than 400Â 000 people are predicted to be in need of relief supplies by the end of the year.
The substance that Zaphanias Mathe, father of prisoner Annanias Mathe, tried to smuggle to his son was not lethal, the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court heard on Thursday. The 80-year-old Mathe appeared in court on Thursday only to hear that his case was postponed to July 30.
Inspectors have found that the Mittal Steel company contravenes environmental laws at their facilties in Vereeniging, the Environment Affairs and Tourism Department said on Thursday. Spokesperson Mava Scott said some of the company’s activities had been taking place without proper environmental authorisation.
The drunk-driving case against Judge Nkola Motata of the Pretoria High Court was postponed in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Thursday. Motata was arrested on January 5 after crashing his car into a wall in Hurlingham in Johannesburg.
Potchefstroom will pay a reward to anybody positively identifying people who vandalise traffic signs or street-name signs, the municipality said on Thursday. Municipal spokesperson Kaizer Mohau said the reward was 10% of the value of the property, with a minimum of R50 and a maximum of R500.