The festive-season death toll on South Africa’s roads has dropped despite an increase in the number of cars and drivers, the Department of Transport said on Tuesday. Spokesperson Ntau Letebele said 1Â 366 people had died in 1Â 168 crashes over the December 2006 period — a drop from 1Â 454 deaths in 2005.
A century by Wasim Jaffer helped put India in a strong position on 254 for three at the end of the first day of the third and deciding Castle Lager Test against South Africa at Newlands on Tuesday. It was a hot and frustrating day for South Africa after India won the toss and chose to bat first on a pitch that is turning out to be a ”belter”.
Gold Fields executive vice-president Brendan Walker was killed in a car crash in the Eastern Cape over the weekend, the company announced on Tuesday. ”Brendan was not only a colleague but a friend. He was one of our brightest stars and his untimely death will leave a deep void,” said chief executive Ian Cockerill in a statement.
Former South Africa coach Bob Woolmer will seek to put his knowledge of local players and conditions to good use on Pakistan’s tour of South Africa which starts on Wednesday. Woolmer, who has coached Pakistan since 2004, was coach of South Africa between 1994 and 1999.
Pupils from the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls will be sent for HIV/Aids testing with their parents’ consent, said Oprah Winfrey at the opening of the school at Henley-on-Klip, Meyerton, on Tuesday. The school for girls from disadvantaged backgrounds was officially opened by Winfrey at a star-studded event.
A 15-year-old girl on Monday reported to police that she had repeatedly been raped by her stepfather since February 2006, Mpumalanga police said on Tuesday. Superintendent Abie Khoabane said the girl reported the rapes after enduring them for almost a year.
India made their best start of the series in the decisive third and final Test against South Africa at Newlands Tuesday. India were 61 for no wicket at lunch. The new opening pair of Wasim Jaffer and Dinesh Karthik batted soundly after captain Rahul Dravid won the toss.
City Press editor Mathatha Tsedu’s daughter-in-law is the sixth person to appear in court in connection with his son’s murder. Mulalo Unity Sivhidzo (28) appeared in the Krugersdorp magistrate’s court on Tuesday in connection with the murder of her husband, Avhatakali Netshisaulu, Tsedu’s son.
India won the toss and decided to bat in the series-deciding third and final Test against South Africa at Newlands on Tuesday. India suffered a blow when wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was ruled out because of an injury to his right middle finger that he suffered during the second Test in Durban.
An obese woman was freed ten hours after becoming trapped in a narrow passage in the Cango Caves, the Oudtshoorn metro said on Monday night. ”Normally guides tell people: ‘If you are too big or small you can’t go in.’ I don’t know why she went in there,” said an unnamed spokesperson.
United States talk show queen Oprah Winfrey is due to open her long-awaited school on Tuesday — fulfilling a promise she made to former President Nelson Mandela six years ago and giving more than 150 poor South African girls a chance for a better future. Mandela was invited to be among the dignitaries at the opening of the lavish Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in the small town of Henley-on-Klip.
The uncontrolled use of fireworks must be banned, the National Council of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) said on Monday. ”The effect on animals last night [New Year’s Eve] was horrific, absolutely horrific… the police workload is such that they cannot be expected to respond to calls about the illegal use of fireworks, the only solution is to ban them,” said spokesperson Chris Kutch.
Twenty-one awaiting-trial prisoners escaped from police cells in the North West province on Sunday night. Police spokesperson Captain Elsabe Augoustides said on Monday that the prisoners had overpowered police officers at Lehurutshe, between Zeerust and Groot Marico, who had inspected the police cells at about 6pm.
Four people were rescued after their yacht capsized off Millers Point near Simons Town, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said on Sunday. Spokesperson Craig Lambinon said the NSRI Simons Town and the Vodacom Netcare 911 Surf Rescue helicopter were alerted to a distress call on Saturday afternoon at around 4.40pm.
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/ 31 December 2006
South Africans must use the resources and experience accumulated in 2006 to ensure a better life for every South African in 2007, President Thabo Mbeki said in his new year message on Sunday. ”We must be able to show practically that we have succeeded to realise the hopes of even more of our citizens than we have in 2006.”
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/ 31 December 2006
Indian captain Rahul Dravid said he believed his team could compete with South Africa despite a 174-run defeat on the fifth day of the second Test at Kingsmead on Saturday. Dravid admitted he was disappointed that his team were bowled out for 179 after most of the morning’s play was lost to bad light.
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/ 31 December 2006
Two relatives are among the six suspects arrested in connection with the murder of Avhatakali Netshisaulu, son of City Press editor Mathatha Tsedu, reported the newspaper at the weekend. City Press said a suspect arrested on Friday was a relative and was allegedly the ”mastermind, financier and recruiter of Netshisaulu’s killers”.
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/ 30 December 2006
Makhaya Ntini ended the year on a high note when he took five wickets for 32 runs to lead South Africa to a 174 run victory over India in the second Castle Lager Test at Kingsmead on Saturday. India were all out for 179 half an hour after tea. Heavily overcast conditions early in the morning of the fifth and final day cast a pall of gloom over the cricket stadium.
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/ 30 December 2006
The South African and Indian cricket teams were both anxiously watching the skies over Kingsmead on the fifth morning of the second Castle Lager Test on Saturday. The start of play was delayed by 55 minutes, and the players were taken off the field again half an hour later because of the heavily overcast conditions at the ground.
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/ 30 December 2006
A total of 1 277 people have died in 1 104 traffic accidents since December 1, the Department of Transport said on Friday. Spokesperson Collen Msibi said that while this was a slight decrease compared to 1 372 deaths in the same period last year, the department was concerned about the increase of fatal crashes involving pedestrians.
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/ 29 December 2006
The final day of the second Castle Lager Test between South Africa and India at Kingsmead promises to be one of high drama, with both sides still in with a chance of victory. When bad light stopped play half an hour after tea on the fourth day on Thursday, India, chasing 354 to win, had 38 for the loss of two wickets.
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/ 29 December 2006
The security guard who shot dead a Pick ‘n Pay manager and a taxi driver at the Workshop shopping centre in Durban has been arrested, police said. Superintendent Gugu Sabela said the man was arrested in Umlazi, south of Durban, at 1am on Friday.
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/ 29 December 2006
The second Castle Lager Test between South Africa and India at India took another twist on the fourth day on Friday when South Africa suffered a dramatic batting collapse to go to lunch on 192 for six. They have an overall lead of 280. Led by the exuberant youngster Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, India claimed six wickets for the addition of just 44 runs in nine overs and two balls.
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/ 29 December 2006
A Durban-Westville prisoner serving a seven-year sentence for rape obtained straight A’s to pass his matric with a distinction, prison officials said on Friday. Mbuso Zulu (23) who studies at the prison’s Usethubeni Youth School, was one of 42 prisoners who wrote their matric exams this year.
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/ 29 December 2006
Police are still investigating the circumstances surrounding Ekurhuleni metro police chief Robert McBride’s car accident in Centurion last week. A case of reckless or negligent driving was opened against McBride after he lost control of his car last Thursday. Controversy surrounding the crash has included allegations that McBride was under the influence of alcohol.
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/ 29 December 2006
Growth in credit demand by South Africa’s private sector slowed to 26,77% in the year to November, but was close to October’s record 27,24%, adding to risks of a further interest rate hike. During the same period the broadly defined M3 measure of money supply grew by 25,33%, from 23,51% in October, central bank data showed on Friday.
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/ 29 December 2006
eThekwini Pro Lifeguards on Thursday rescued 20 bathers who had been swept off a sandbank at the Wedge at Durban’s central beach, the National Sea Rescue Institute said. Spokesperson Craig Lambinon said a youth of 18 was still missing and rescuers would continue searching for him.
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/ 29 December 2006
Lack of oxygen has killed about 56 tonnes of fish in the Rietvlei Wetland Reserve where nutrients have gradually built up over 30 years, the City of Cape Town said. High nutrient levels combined with calm conditions and hot weather had led to high bacterial activity which depleted oxygen in the water, said acting nature conservation manager Dalton Gibbs.
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/ 29 December 2006
The police are searching for a security guard who shot dead a Pick ‘n Pay manager and a taxi driver at the Workshop shopping centre in Durban on Thursday night. Captain Gugu Sabela said the guard from Siza Security was on duty at the Pick ‘n Pay store in central Durban when he demanded money from a manager at about 7.30pm.
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/ 28 December 2006
Umpire Ian Howell on Thursday defended the decision to call play off early on the third day of the second Castle Lager Test between South Africa and India at Kingsmead. Play was suspended early for the third successive day. When the players left the field, South Africa had 64 without loss in their second innings, for an overall lead of 152 runs.
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/ 28 December 2006
The South African education system and the economy are failing the pupils of the country, the Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa) said in a statement on Thursday. ”The education system does not yet prepare learners for the world of work, as the recent policy reforms are not established enough to deliver tangible results in practice,” said general secretary Dennis George.
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/ 28 December 2006
Two wickets for Makhaya Ntini and three for Morne Morkel gave South Africa the edge at lunch on the third day of the second Castle Lager Test against India at Kingsmead on Thursday. At lunch, India had 183 for eight. India resumed play in the extended session on their overnight score of 103 for three, with the little master, Sachin Tendulkar, poised to score his first half century this year.