A new train — the Soweto Business Express — is set to entice car commuters to use public transport, Transport Minister Jeff Radebe said, launching the service in Soweto on Tuesday. According to the South African Rail Commuter Corporation, the train’s allure lies in its comfort, speed and extra facilities.
The Pretoria Commercial Crimes Court on Monday dismissed an application by former National Intelligence Agency boss Billy Masetlha for a warrant of arrest for Intelligence Minister Ronnie Kasrils for failing to appear in court, the South African Broadcasting Corporation reported.
Between 510 000 and 740 000 new jobs a year are needed to meet the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (Asgisa) target of halving unemployment by 2014, according to Merrill Lynch. The economy has grown by more than 4% a year over the past three years and figures show this has added only about 500 000 jobs each year.
A total of 65 arrests have been made since the start of the National Arts Festival, Grahamstown police said on Monday. This was ”far less than expected”, especially as the end of the month coincided with the start of the festival, Grocott’s Mail reported.
Both Public Protector Lawrence Mushwana and his deputy, Mamiki Shai, have vowed to continue their legal tussle until one or the other apologises. In a statement issued by his office on Monday, Mushwana said he had been approached by Kader Asmal ”with a view to encourage a settlement of the court action”.
Less than 3% of Vodacom employees downed tools on Monday after wage negotiations with the Communication Workers’ Union broke down last week. ”Our business and our services were not disrupted in any way,” said spokesperson Dot Field.
Education Minister Naledi Pandor and leaders of teachers’ unions will meet on Tuesday to discuss an education recovery plan designed to help pupils catch up on the 10 days of schooling missed during the recent public-sector strike. Also expected to be discussed is a review of the results of the interrupted June examinations.
The Gauteng department of health believes that the chances of recovering at least 40% of R426-million in outstanding patient fees is ”doubtful”, the department said on Monday. Steps taken to recover the money include having a credit bureau verify patient details because some patients avoid providing the correct details to evade payment.
A Paarl local councillor was stabbed in the cheek with a screwdriver on Monday after cornering an alleged cellphone thief, the Independent Democrats said. Conrad Poole, newly elected ID councillor for Amstelhof, chased the man through the streets of his ward, the party said in a statement.
A meeting between the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and the Premier Soccer League has been postponed to Tuesday. ”It was postponed because people who are dealing with the matter are busy with other issues,” SABC spokesperson Kaiser Kganyago said on Monday. He said the postponement was a joint agreement between the two parties.
Six more youths have lost their penises as a result of bungled circumcisions in the Eastern Cape, the provincial health department said on Monday. Spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo said 18 would-be initiates were admitted to hospital in Port St Johns last week, of whom four had to have their septic penises amputated.
A meeting to resolve a continuing pay dispute and prevent a possible action at Eskom will take place this week, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said on Monday. Three unions together representing over 20 000 Eskom employees have threatened industrial action should the parastatal fail to meet their 12% wage demand.
Climate change in South Africa could drive thousands of species to extinction in the next 50 to 80 years, Science and Technology Minister Mosibudi Mangena said in Port Elizabeth on Monday. Mangena was opening the annual conference of the Society for Conservation Biology, an organisation that advances the science and practice of conserving biological diversity.
Cuba has sent about 60 doctors to Angola to reinforce the African nation’s crumbling health system and strengthen ties between the two Cold War allies, Angola’s state-run news agency said on Monday. The surgeons, paediatricians and other specialists who make up the Cuban group began arriving in Luanda on Saturday, Angop reported.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) awaits the release of crime statistics with bated breath, the party said on Monday. Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula is expected to release the crime statistics on Tuesday. The DA spokesperson on safety and security said the party hoped the crime statistics would restore the public’s faith in the police’s ability to fight crime.
South Africa’s Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) slipped for the third consecutive month to 56 in June, on a seasonally adjusted basis, after falling to 57,2 in May. The measure of the country’s manufacturing activity was weighed down partly by a drop in inventories while growth in new sales orders also moderated.
The South African Football Association (Safa) has denied that members of its executive committee are seeking R500Â 000 each for supporting South Africa’s successful bid to host the 2010 Soccer World Cup. Safa has now agreed to pay an honorarium of R30Â 000 to members who supported the bid.
The three biggest gold firms in South Africa offered workers a 6% wage hike on Monday, a union official said. Unions declared a dispute, the first legal step towards going on strike, on June 20 after mining firms failed to present an offer on the first day of formal negotiations, but later agreed to return to talks.
Construction company Group Five has won a R1,8-billion contract from Transnet to widen Durban’s harbour by 100m and to increase the depth by six metres. Working with Belgian company, Dredging International, Group Five Civil Engineering is responsible for the civil portion of the contract, valued at R1,1-billion.
Former Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) leader Motsoko Pheko has been expelled from the party he joined soon after its formation in the 1960s. Pheko’s expulsion was decided in his absence by the party’s national executive committee. He was accused of misappropriating party funds. However, Pheko denied knowledge of his expulsion.
A total of R22-billion will be spent in the next seven years on upgrading and expanding Gauteng’s highways. The Ben Schoeman highway between Johannesburg and Pretoria will get an additional lane in each direction and two lanes will be added to the R21 highway in each direction.
The African National Congress (ANC) has dismissed a media report on its national policy conference in Midrand last week. The report in the Sunday Times was ”wholly and deliberately fabricated”, the ANC charged in a statement released late on Sunday night.
Party leader and head of state Thabo Mbeki narrowly won the first round in the battle for the future of the African National Congress (ANC), but faces a bruising fight ahead as the divided party prepares to select new leaders. The ANC’s key policy conference this week recommended no changes to the way the party elects its leadership.
Veteran wing John Daniels scored the match-winning try as Boland shocked neighbours Western Province (WP) 15-10 in their Currie Cup match at the Boland Stadium on Saturday. It was a remarkable reversal of fortunes from the previous week when WP beat the Lions 18-13 and Boland were annihilated 91-3 by the Cheetahs.
A decision on winter schools in KwaZulu-Natal is expected on Monday when various stakeholders will meet to discuss it, the provincial department of education said on Saturday. Similar plans are afoot in North West and the Western Cape to recover from the effects of the lengthy public-service strike.
African National Congress (ANC) president and head of state Thabo Mbeki says he will stand for a third term as head of the organisation if asked to do so by its leadership. The ANC policy conference that ended on Saturday produced a compromise resolution on this and several other high-profile issues.
Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi has proposed to Parliament that there should be a separation of powers between the head of the government and the head of state in the country, the South African Broadcasting Corporation reported on Saturday.
Seven prisoners regarded as ”dangerous” escaped from a holding cell at an Eastern Cape police station on Saturday. A police spokesperson said the seven, arrested for crimes including murder and armed robbery, overpowered a police officer, grabbed the keys to the holding cell and locked him inside at the central police station in Mthatha.
The South African Communist Party (SACP) plans to purge African National Congress Cabinet ministers failing to support the party’s political campaigns, the Sunday Times reported. Those facing the chop include Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula and Local Government Minister Sydney Mufamadi, the report said.
The Lions shrugged off a spirited effort by the Sharks to win 14-0 in their Absa Currie Cup match at Ellis Park on Saturday night. The Sharks had most of the try-scoring opportunities, but they went into half-time without scoring as the Lions led 3-0. The visitors created all the play.
After leading 13-3 at half-time, Griquas defeated the Blue Bulls 26-18 in a hard-fought Currie Cup fixture at Absa Park on Saturday afternoon. The visitors were most unfortunate to lose the services of their lively and capable scrumhalf Heinie Adams, who had the misfortune to break his left fibia in a tackle.
There had been no ”bitter conflict” at the African National Congress’s (ANC) policy conference this week, party president Thabo Mbeki said in his closing address on Saturday. He told the 1Â 500 delegates at Gallagher Estate in Midrand that the meeting had been highly successful.