No image available
/ 15 January 2007

Pedestrian torn to pieces on freeway

A pedestrian was run down and ”torn to pieces” by several cars on the R24 freeway between the OR Tambo International Airport and Johannesburg on Sunday night, Ekurhuleni Metro Police said. Inspector Mveli Nhlapo said the man, believed to be around 35-years-old, crossed the freeway near a pedestrian bridge when he was knocked down.

No image available
/ 15 January 2007

Balfour reads Yengeni the ‘riot act’

Fraud convict Tony Yengeni received two high-profile visitors at the Malmesbury Prison on Sunday –- African National Congress deputy president Jacob Zuma and Minister of Correctional Services Ngconde Balfour. While Zuma’s visit was a social one, Balfour’s was official, the department said in a statement.

No image available
/ 15 January 2007

Reports of abusive language in cricket Test

South African cricket bosses are expected to provide some clarity on Monday on incidents during the Test match between the Proteas and Pakistan in Centurion. Proteas coach Mickey Arthur said these included apparent abusive comments by a South African player, which were picked up by the stump microphone on Sunday.

No image available
/ 14 January 2007

SA cricket victory will be tough

South Africa were in a good position at the end of the fourth day of the first Castle Lager Test against Pakistan at Supersport Park on Sunday. Chasing 199 to win, South Africa had 69 for two. ”It’s going to be tough,” said Proteas coach Mickey Arthur. ”We’ll definitely have a restless night tonight.”

No image available
/ 14 January 2007

ANC reaches fork in the road

President Thabo Mbeki addressed the governing African National Congress (ANC) on Saturday to mark its 95th anniversary, at the start of what is likely to be his last year as party leader, which likely will see the volume turned up in the debate over who will succeed him.

No image available
/ 14 January 2007

Cheetahs outclass embattled Samoa

The Cheetahs completely outclassed a poor Samoan side 74-19 in a Super 14 warm-up match played in Kimberley on Saturday. The Cheetahs raced into a 22-0 lead by the 30th minute and never released the pressure as the embattled Samoan side faced a team at the top of their game.

No image available
/ 14 January 2007

Titans leap closer to retaining title

The Titans took a huge step to retaining their Supersport Series title — which they shared last season with the Dolphins — when they beat the Highveld Lions by seven wickets in their match at Sedgars Park on Saturday. In Durban, the KwaZulu-Natal Dolphins were staring down the barrel of an innings defeat against the Diamond Eagles.

No image available
/ 14 January 2007

Not even Schalk Burger could save Stormers

With a single ball yet to be kicked in the 2007 Super 14, the Bulls look to be the firm favourites to fly the South African flag in the competition after beating the Stormers 25-19 in a warm-up match played at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. The significance of the game was the return of Springbok flanker Schalk Burger.

No image available
/ 14 January 2007

Weather suspends play at Jo’burg Open

Argentina’s Ariel Canete tops the third-round leader board at the Jo’burg Open, co-sanctioned by the European and Sunshine Tours, where play was suspended just after 2pm on Saturday and called off at 5.45pm due to lightning. The 31-year-old Canete birdied the ninth hole to go to 12-under minutes before play was suspended.

No image available
/ 14 January 2007

SA discus champ starts year on high note

Elizna Naude, the Commonwealth, African and South African discus champion, started her 2007 campaign on an exciting note at Sasolburg on Saturday when she won her event at the Vaal Triangle Masters Athletics Championships with a throw of 60,1m. It was her best winning throw since winning the Commonwealth gold medal last year.

No image available
/ 14 January 2007

Man apprehended over Absa shooting spree

A 44-year-old man was arrested on Saturday in connection with the fatal shooting of his wife and the wounding of two of her colleagues at an Absa bank on Friday, said Gauteng police. Director Govindsamy Mariemuthoo said the man was arrested at a flat in Turffontein, south of Johannesburg, at 4.30pm.

No image available
/ 14 January 2007

Govt denies hiring back suspended official

A senior official who was suspended for alleged wrongdoing by the Eastern Cape department of social development has not been hired to oversee social-grant operations in that province, said the national Department of Social Development on Saturday. It said reports on Thursday that the man had been hired were incorrect.

No image available
/ 13 January 2007

SA-Pakistan match evenly poised

The first Castle Lager Test between South Africa and Pakistan was evenly poised at close of play on the third day, with Pakistan on 103 for two in their second innings, trailing South Africa by just one run. Ashwell Prince and Herschelle Gibbs resumed South Africa’s first innings on the overnight total of 254 for four.

No image available
/ 13 January 2007

Mbeki, Zuma dance at ANC rally

African National Congress (ANC) president Thabo Mbeki and his deputy, Jacob Zuma, showed a united front by dancing together in Witbank on Saturday. The pair danced on stage for a few minutes to the sounds of gospel singer Solly Mholo, shortly before Mbeki’s address at about noon at the party’s 95th birthday rally.

No image available
/ 13 January 2007

Langeveldt proves his worth against Titans

Highveld Lions speedster Charl Langeveldt weighed in with six wickets on Friday to put the brakes on the high-flying Titans in their Supersport Series match being played at Sedgars Park, Potchefstroom. The Lions started off encouragingly with Blake Snijman and Alviro Petersen putting on 73 for the first wicket.

No image available
/ 13 January 2007

Young golf stars triumphant at Links

In a dramatic final day at The Links at Fancourt, the 2007 Ernie Els Junior Tour came to an end with another new champion in the boys’ competition. It was Ernie Els and Fancourt Foundation member Keenan Davidse who triumphed after a magnificent two-under par 71 on Friday morning gave him an unassailable lead after the second round.

No image available
/ 13 January 2007

Amla, Prince, Gibbs help SA recover

Half-centuries by Hashim Amla, Ashwell Prince and Herschelle Gibbs helped South Africa to recover from a disastrous start to their first innings on the second day of the first Castle Lager Test against Pakistan at Supersport Park on Friday. At close of play, South Africa had 254 for four in reply to Pakistan’s first-innings total of 313.

No image available
/ 13 January 2007

Prison lifers to remain behind bars

The plight of 120 prisoners serving life sentences was reviewed last month, but none was found to deserve early release, South African Broadcasting Corporation news reported on Friday. The review was conducted by the National Council for Correctional Services, chaired by Judge Siraj Desai.

No image available
/ 12 January 2007

Focus on succession contenders

The African National Congress (ANC) is to celebrate its past 95 years in style in Witbank on Saturday — but thoughts about the future are more likely to dominate the minds of those attending. In nine months’ time, the ruling party has to make a watershed decision about who will be the new president of the ANC.

No image available
/ 12 January 2007

Africa must help Somalia, says Mbeki

Africa has no choice but to help bring peace to war-torn Somalia, President Thabo Mbeki said on Friday, but did not pronounce on whether South Africa was to contribute troops to any such effort. ”For the sake both of Somalia and our continent as a whole, Africa has no choice but to come to the aid of this sister African country,” he said in his first weekly newsletter for 2007.

No image available
/ 12 January 2007

E Cape tornado leaves dozens homeless

A tornado swept through four villages in Sterkspruit near Lady Grey, leaving 70 people homeless, Eastern Cape disaster-management services said on Friday. ”The tornado hit the Macacuma, Sunduza, Silindini and Magadla villages at about 6.45pm on Thursday,” said Ken Pitso of the Ukhahlamba district municipal disaster management.