The National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) spokesperson Makhosini Nkosi on Thursday labelled calls for his resignation as an ”elaborate plan” to discredit him and the NPA. The Congress of South African Trade Unions in KwaZulu-Natal claims Nkosi lied when he said the NPA would be ready to proceed with its case against Jacob Zuma.
The South African Communist Party (SACP) threatened on Thursday to escalate mass action if Merafong — a cross-border municipality — is incorporated into North West. Merafong includes Carletonville and Khutsong, which were part of Gauteng. The remainder of Merafong, including Fochville, is part of North West.
African National Congress national executive committee member Tony Yengeni, who was swept to the gates of Pollsmoor prison on a wave of solidarity from party officials, suggested on Thursday that Parliament erred in its handling of his fraud case. He was addressing a crowd of supporters outside the prison’s gates.
Police used pepper spray to evict a group of Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) protesters from a Department of Correctional Services building in central Cape Town on Thursday. The protest was part of the TAC’s ”day of action” to pressure President Thabo Mbeki to sack Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) held a closed meeting of heads of State and foreign ministers over the economic troubles in member state Zimbabwe, South African Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Aziz Pahad said on Thursday. He was addressing a media briefing at Parliament — beamed to Pretoria — and said simply: "The fact that they met is important."
The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) in Bloemfontein on Thursday dismissed the South African Broadcasting Corporation’s (SABC) application for an order granting it leave to broadcast live the hearings of Durban businessman Schabir Shaik. To permit live television coverage could inhibit participants in Shaik’s case, SCA President Judge CT Howie said in his judgment.
The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) had decided to deliberately stage illegal protests because it was tired of the government’s failure to act on HIV/Aids, it said on Thursday. ”We deliberately did not apply for permission to protest and we don’t apologise for that because we are tired of government’s inactivity in the face of the Aids pandemic,” said the TAC’s general secretary Sipho Mthathi.
In the big clash of the day Western Province on Wednesday upset defending champions Southern Gauteng by a solitary goal on the third day of the Spar Interprovincial Women’s Hockey tournament being played at the Randburg AstroTurf in Johannesburg.
Santos gained three valuable points when they narrowly beat Bloemfontein Celtic 1-0 in a Premier Soccer League (PSL) match played at the Green Point Stadium on Wednesday night. Celtic played with a lot of fire and were quick in their tackles, but could not make use of the possession they had.
Rainfall has eased in the sodden southern Cape but more is expected, said the South African Weather Service on Thursday. In the 24 hours to 8am on Thursday, the weather service recorded 11,6mm in Riversdale, compared to 28mm the day before, 4mm in George (71,5mm on Wednesday) and 18mm in Heidelberg (25mm on Wednesday).
The South African Cabinet has given the nod to the Civil Unions Bill — which effectively allows recognition of same-sex marriages. Government spokesperson Themba Maseko on Thursday said the Bill takes into account the Constitutional Court judgement that found the common-law definition of marriage in the Marriage Act of 1961 was unconstitutional.
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Former deputy president Jacob Zuma should not pursue the race to become president of the African National Congress, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu said on Wednesday. He said although he liked Zuma, he could not condone his behaviour — admitting to having had sex with a woman young enough to be his daughter, and taking a shower to prevent HIV/Aids infection.
Twenty-five striking cleaners were arrested at a Pretoria railway station after forcibly undressing a woman who was on her way home on Wednesday, police said. Inspector Anton Breedt said the striking cleaners were at Rissik station at about 2pm when the woman — apparently not a cleaner — arrived to take the train home.
On a political and sentimental tour of the continent of his father, American Senator Barack Obama paid tribute on Wednesday to South Africans’ fight for freedom, saying they taught lessons to the world and helped inspire his own political career. Obama, the only black lawmaker currently in the United States Senate, toured Soweto.
Almost 300 people had to be evacuated from Riverville in Riversdale in the Southern Cape on Wednesday after persistent rain in the area, police said. Captain Malcolm Pojip said 285 people had to be evacuated from their homes, while five families have also been evacuated from an informal settlement near Klein Brak River.
Women working for the University of South Africa (Unisa) will receive about 20% less in medical-benefit payouts on retirement than their male colleagues, trade union Solidarity said on Wednesday. Jaco Kleynhans, spokesperson for Solidarity, accused Unisa of blatant gender discrimination.
Former LeisureNet boss Peter Gardener on Wednesday maintained steadfastly that it never crossed his mind to declare his interest in a multimillion-rand deal he negotiated on behalf of his company. Gardener was being cross-examined for the third day in succession in the Cape High Court.
A striking Shoprite employee has appeared in court after he and other strikers allegedly intimidated a 30-year-old woman in Butterworth, Eastern Cape police said on Wednesday. Captain Jackson Manatha said Zukisani Mboxwana made a brief appearance at the Butterworth Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
South Africa’s economic capital is drawing up a plan to make foreigners feel more welcome, including providing them with better housing and health care, Johannesburg Mayor Amos Masondo said on Tuesday. South Africa has faced growing criticism that it is unfriendly towards outsiders and that they are often the victims of police abuse and official indifference.
The South African government on Wednesday acknowledged that it has a major problem in tackling the country’s crime rate ahead of hosting the next Soccer World Cup in 2010. Lawmakers were told during a briefing on preparations for the tournament that a detailed survey of crime-fighting technology is under way in a bid to allay fears.
There is no leadership tussle within the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), the federation’s president told reporters on Wednesday. ”We work very closely with each other, and I can assure you that there is no war in the federation,” said Willie Madisha.
The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) is remaining tight-lipped hours ahead of a planned international day of action on Thursday. ”It is a secret,” said Rukia Cornelius, the TAC’s national manager, on Wednesday. The day will see protests at South African embassies and government institutions in South Africa, the United States and Europe.
The country’s biggest short-term insurer, Santam, on Wednesday reported a 16% decline in headline earnings to R583-million for the six months to the end of June. This equates to headline earnings per share of 498 cents against 599 cents for the previous comparable half-year.
Twelve years into a democratic South Africa access to education has not improved, the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) said on Wednesday. ”In the 1980s the issue was about race, but now it’s a class matter. The only black children who go to the best schools are those who can afford them,” said Sadtu president Willie Madisha.
On Thursday the Constitutional Court will hear an application on whether life partners in a same-sex relationship may inherit intestate estates as though they were spouses. The court’s senior registrar, Martie Stander, said on Wednesday that the case of Mark Gory versus Daniel Gerhardus Kolver and others was due to be heard on Thursday.
A police director of the South African Police Service (SAPS) who survived a car accident two years ago was killed in a hit-and-run accident in Kwamhlanga, Mpumalanga, police said on Wednesday. Director Kelly Chilli (41) was knocked down by a car on Monday, Commissioner Afrika Khumalo said in statement.
Centre Jean de Villiers is in the South African team to play New Zealand in Pretoria on Saturday but the Springboks were hit with another serious injury blow on Wednesday. Loose forward Juan Smith injured a left thigh muscle in practice on Wednesday and was ruled out of Saturday’s Test.
The ongoing strike at Shoprite Checkers is costing both the retailer and the strikers money, company head Whitey Basson said in Johannesburg on Wednesday. ”I don’t know if we pay or under pay … but our job is to balance the interest,” Basson said.
Tournament co-favourites Southern Gauteng and Western Province both had emphatic wins on the second day of the Spar Women’s Interprovincial Hockey championship being played at the Randburg Astroturf in Johannesburg on Tuesday.
Johannesburg serial child killer Sipho Dube swore when he was led to the cells after receiving 10 life sentences in the Johannesburg High Court on Wednesday. ”The accused showed no mercy at all to his victims,” said Judge Seun Moshidi. ”The crimes were clearly premeditated and well-planned.”
South Africa’s players in the manufacturing or sale of petroleum products have until September 17 — but effectively Friday September 15 — to lodge licence applications with the Department of Minerals and Energy Affairs, the chief director of hydrocarbons Nhlanhla Gumede said on Wednesday.
Senior members of the African National Congress in the Western Cape region will accompany politician Tony Yengeni, who has been convicted of fraud, when he reports to Pollsmoor prison on Thursday. ”The ANC provincial leadership will accompany Yengeni. We will be showing our solidarity with him,” said Max Ozinsky, the ANC’s deputy provincial secretary, on Wednesday.