Koeberg ‘s unit two is still down after its turbine tripped while it was in the process of being re-started on Monday morning. Eskom said in a statement that unit two, which shut down last week following an accident with a crane, synchronised with the national grid at 5am on Monday. However, when its power level was being increased, its protection system caused a turbine trip.
Negotiations to resolve the ongoing Metrobus strike continued on Monday, the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) said. Samwu spokesperson Dumisani Langa said the union and the City of Johannesburg management went back to the negotiating table on Monday. He would not discuss the current status of negotiations.
South Africa will use extra tax revenues for the 2006/07 fiscal year, and a larger budget surplus, to cut debt and reduce government bond issuance, the Treasury said. The overrun would help widen the country’s first budget surplus to about 0,6% of gross domestic product from an earlier forecast of 0,3%.
A Boksburg hotel was evacuated after chemical smoke filled the hotel’s washing area, paramedics said on Monday. ER24 spokesperson Werner Vermaak said paramedics received a distress call from the Birchwood Hotel in Northrand road in Boksburg at about 10am.
The fraud trial of former national cricketer Garth le Roux resumed in the Wynberg Regional Court on Monday, with testimony from an auditor commissioned by the state to examine Le Roux’s books. Le Roux and his accountant, Deon van Heerden, have pleaded not guilty to 48 charges of fraud, and Le Roux to an additional charge of contravening exchange-control regulations.
South African manufacturing expansion increased in March as sales orders remained high but optimism was waning, pointing to a possible slowdown ahead, the Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) showed on Monday. The PMI index rose to 60,5 on a seasonally adjusted basis after increasing to 60,3 in February, Investec, which sponsors the index, said in a statement.
A strong, vibrant and democratic African National Congress Women’s League (ANCWL) was needed to fight poverty and empower women throughout the country, ANCWL president Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said on Sunday. She was addressing more than a thousand provincial delegates at the ANCWL national council in Esselen Park, Ekurhuleni.
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A South African court on Monday dealt a blow to former deputy president Jacob Zuma, ruling that prosecutors may ask Mauritius to release documents which could be used in new corruption proceedings against him. A former hero of South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle, Zuma says charges against him are part of a political plot in the ANC.
A director of Randgold and Exploration Company Limited, Andrew Christoffel Nissen has resigned, the company said on Sunday. This follows an announcement made on March 15 that the company might merge with the Johannesburg Consolidated Investment Company Limited, the company said in a statement.
Bloemfontein Celtic pushed Amazulu deeper into the relegation zone when they beat them 1-0 in a PSL game played at Seisa Ramabodu Stadium on Sunday. Celtic striker Nthokozo Sikhakhane opened the scoring in the 39th minute when he beat Amazulu goalkeeper Tshepo Motshwening in the far right corner.
Orlando Pirates beat a determined Benoni United 3-2 in a fast and entertaining PSL fixture played at Ellis Park Stadium on Sunday. Two former Leopards players Mulondo Sikhwivhilu and Rudzani Ramudzuli both scored to give Bucs the early lead in the first half.
Moroka Swallows disregarded the adage of not looking a gift horse in the mouth and failed to grasp the rare opportunity of beating a listless, 10-man Kaizer Chiefs in the 1-1 Premier League derby on Sunday afternoon. Swallows, who somehow contrived to make matters difficult for themselves against their traditional Soweto rivals, this time secured a point that earns them third place in the PSL log.
Following a dream run at Ellis Park this season, with three victories in four games, the Lions were brought down to earth on Saturday by a charged-up Brumbies outfit which beat the home side 14-9. The visitors’ fullback Julian Huxley led their crusade, scoring all 14 points, which included a try, two penalties and a drop goal.
Twelve people were killed when a minibus taxi overturned on a highway in the Western Cape, South African Broadcasting Corporation radio news reported on Saturday. Five people were seriously injured in the accident, which occurred as members of the same family were taking a corpse to the Eastern Cape province for burial.
The Gautrain project fell victim to April Fool’s Day in two Sunday newspapers. The Sunday Times reported that low budget airline Kulula.com had announced a bold plan to take on the Gautrain by launching a flight service between Pretoria, Sandton and OR Tambo International Airport.
If a South African ”footballer of the year” for the 2006/07 season had to be nominated now, it would not need a soothsayer to predict that the choice would be Godfrey Sapula. And on Saturday night at a seething Loftus, the dynamic 33-year-old midfielder demonstrated exactly why this accolade is almost certainly heading his way.
There will be no lottery for at least a month, Trade and Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa said on Saturday. ”The sheer volume of work which had to be undertaken … made it impossible to conclude this work in time for me to make a new decision before the expiry of the current [lottery operator’s licence],” Mpahlwa said.
The Cabinet has dismissed suggestions that the government is insensitive to the plight of its employees.
South Africa’s trade balance improved in February but remained in deficit, while credit growth surged and petrol prices are to jump, backing the case for the central bank to resume raising interest rates. South Africa’s current account gap has weighed heavily on the economy and currency over the past year, partly due to huge oil imports, robust consumer spending and a penchant for luxury imports.
This is the CHEF 860 Zodiac XLE mobile braai,” said braai manufacturer Guile Lundgrin at Rand Show on Friday. ”You can cook with the lid open due to the high-pressure flame mechanism.” Having a stand at the Rand Show at the Johannesburg Expo Centre in Nasrec makes for good sales. Lundgrin should know — this is his 16th year at the show.
Housing Minister Lindiwe Sisulu handed 250 houses to new home owners in Olievenhoutbosch in Pretoria on Friday. The 250 subsidised houses are part of the inclusionary housing plan, which sees low-cost houses being built in the same area as high-cost houses.
South African Airways (SAA) passengers travelling to Australia will have to restrict the quantity of liquids, aerosols and gels in their baggage as from Saturday, the airline said. The restriction was imposed by Australia’s transport and regional services as an enhanced security measure.
Trade and Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa remained silent on the future of the national lottery on Friday afternoon — with only a day left before Uthingo’s licence expires. Uthingo is the current lottery operator. Save to say the minister would announce his decision before midnight on Saturday, officials of his department still could not indicate when an announcement would be made.
South African private-sector credit demand accelerated in February, denting expectations that the central bank will not need to raise interest rates next month. Reserve Bank data showed on Friday that private-sector credit extension grew 26,12% year-on-year (y/y) in February, from 24,83% in January, clouding the interest-rate outlook in Africa’s economic powerhouse.
South Africa recorded a smaller-than-expected trade deficit of R2,7-billion in February, down from R11,94-billion in January, the South African Revenue Service (Sars) said on Friday. Sars said exports rose 23% while imports fell 5%, compared with the previous month, thanks to a decrease in imports of mineral products including oil, base metals and machinery.
The Southern African Development Community’s (SADC) decision to appoint President Thabo Mbeki as mediator in Zimbabwe was both lauded and ridiculed on Friday. ”The Inkatha Freedom Party [IFP] welcomes the SADC’s decision to call on President Thabo Mbeki …,” IFP spokesperson Ben Skosana said in a statement.
Koeberg power station’s unit two will probably be shut down over the weekend after an incident when a crane came into contact with a line connecting the unit to the transmission system. Eskom initiated a controlled shutdown of the unit after the incident on Thursday and a team was still assessing the damage, the utility said on Friday.
President Thabo Mbeki should get a 57% pay hike, the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers has recommended. This would add R716 962 to the president’s package, bringing it to R1,89-million a year. Mbeki has in past years deliberately not taken the full amount of pay he is entitled to.
Members of Gauteng minister of safety Firoz Cachalia’s security detail shot at two men outside his Emmarentia home on Friday morning, police said. Spokesperson Sergeant Sanku Tsunke said the men were seen approaching Cachalia’s front gate by members of the security and protection services. ”One man was carrying a firearm,” he said.
Rather than scrapping provinces, South Africa should adopt a ”fully fledged federal system”, acting Democratic Alliance (DA) leader James Selfe said on Friday. In a weekly newsletter published on the DA’s SA Todaywebsite, he said a resurgence of regional identity was one notable feature of a globalising world.
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Murdered Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer’s memorial service will be held in Cape Town on Wednesday, according to a press release by the Bob Woolmer Trust Fund on Friday. The service will take place at the Wynberg Boys’ High School where former South African and Warwickshire fast bowler Allan Donald will be among the speakers.
The retail price of all grades of petrol will rise by between 68 cents and 69 cents per litre from Wednesday April 4, the Department of Minerals and Energy said on Friday. The price of 95 octane petrol was set to increase 68 cents per litre, while that of 93 and 91 octane would increase 69 cents respectively.