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.
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.
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.
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.
The Western Cape’s newest — and potentially second largest — cycle race, Die Burger Fietstoer, was unveiled on Friday and will take place on Sunday December 2. This road race will take place in and around Stellenbosch and is an official seeding event for the Cape Argus Pick ‘n Pay Cycle Tour.
The Free State Cheetahs had few problems beating the Valke by 45-11 at the Bosman Stadium in Brakpan on Friday night. The visitors patiently waited for the home side to make mistakes, on which they then pounced. Most of the visitors’ six tries were against the run of play, with the Valke failing to protect their own ball.
The South African Football Association (Safa) shenanigans of the past week regarding accusations levelled against Sbu Mngadi, the former CEO of the national association’s commercial wing, SA Football, continued unabated on Friday — much to the detriment of the reputation of the administration of soccer in South Africa.
President Thabo Mbeki departs for Accra in Ghana on Saturday for the African Union summit meeting, the Department of Foreign Affairs said. The summit for heads of state and government runs from Sunday to Tuesday. The AU summit is due to discuss the political and economic integration of the continent.
A pilot had to be airlifted to hospital by helicopter on Friday afternoon after he crashed his light aircraft into a tree outside Tzaneen, said Limpopo police. Superintendent Ronel Otto said the pilot was practising for an annual air show in Tzaneen on Saturday when he developed problems with the plane.
The African National Congress’s (ANC) policy conference enters its final day well ahead of schedule on Saturday at Gallagher Estate in Midrand, with a closing address by party president Thabo Mbeki set for 10am instead of 3pm as originally planned. On Friday, there was a ”strong call” at the conference for a women’s ministry.
The African National Congress (ANC) has come up with a compromise that leaves the way open for either Thabo Mbeki or Jacob Zuma to stand for the party presidency at the end of the year. The succession battle has loomed large over the organisation’s policy conference in Midrand despite a call by Mbeki for members to remain focused on policy.
The St Lucia Wetlands Park is in danger of being destroyed by sea water is flowing into it, the Wetlands Park Authority warned on Friday. The estuary mouth was breached by high seas last month after being closed for five years. The large quantity of sea water flowing into the St Lucia lake was already having a negative effect on vegetation, birds and fish.
Cocaine with a street value of R23-million was seized in the cargo of South African Airways (SAA) flight SA206 from São Paulo, Brazil, on Friday, the airline said. The 51,6kg haul consisted of 33 foil-wrapped parcels hidden inside a dough-making machine in a crate on a cargo pallet.
There can be ”no turning back” on the restructuring of South African Airways (SAA), chief executive Khaya Ngqula said on Friday, releasing SAA’s financial results for the year ending March 31. SAA posted an R883-million loss, with operating costs of R21,3-billion outstripping income at R20,6-billion.
Wrapped in a blanket, sitting near the heater, a steamy mug of hot chocolate in one hand and the other resting on the armrest your favourite chair — what could be better to beat the bleak chills of winter? Other than experiencing the National Arts Festival from Grahamstown in the comfort of your own home at the same time, that is.
The African National Congress (ANC) succession battle has loomed large over the party’s policy conference in Midrand despite a call by President Thabo Mbeki for members to remain focused on policy. At a media briefing on Friday, ANC secretary general Kgalema Motlanthe confirmed to reporters that the issue had been strongly on the agenda.
The Children’s Act is set to come into force on Sunday, except for those sections still needing regulations, Social Development Minister Zola Skweyiya said on Friday. ”The bulk of the Act deals with matters that must be implemented on a practical level, which means that regulations will be required before these matters can be operationalised,” he said in a statement.
A total of 46 327 people are awaiting trial in prisons across the country, the South African Prisoners’ Organisation for Human Rights (Sapohr) said on Friday. Golden Miles Bhudu of Sapohr said the organisation was creating awareness of people languishing in prisons without knowing when their cases would be heard.
The Durban High Court has ruled that the eThekwini municipality can go ahead with controversial plans to rename several of the city’s streets and landmarks. South African Broadcasting Corporation news reported on Friday that the court rejected an application by the Democratic Alliance to force the municipality to put a hold on street name changes.
The African National Congress (ANC) said on Friday it hoped to reach consensus this week on how to elect its next leader, a decision that could rule out national President Thabo Mbeki. ANC secretary general Kgalema Motlanthe told a news conference delegates were debating a number of non-binding proposals on how to resolve the leadership debate.
One solution to South Africa’s land-reform problem is to make available some of the ”huge tracts” of state-owned land around the country, says Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Helen Zille. ”This land is currently unproductive, under-utilised and under-resourced,” she said in her weekly newsletter, published on the DA’s SA Today website on Friday.
Growth in demand for credit from South Africa’s private sector slowed marginally to 24,84% year-on-year in May, data showed on Friday, easing slightly pressure for more interest-rate increases. Private-sector credit extension slowed from 25,08% year-on-year in April, the South African Reserve Bank said, below forecasts of a 25,6% rise.