Inner Johannesburg and its surrounding areas suffered an electricity blackout on Monday, Johannesburg City Power said. Spokesperson Kgaladi Ncube said the blackout was traced back to a substation and that there was a problem with one of the transformers. ”Areas in the north and south-east of Johannesburg were affected.”
A photograph stored on a hijacker’s cellphone has led to his arrest, Ekurhuleni metro police said on Monday. Metro spokesperson Vusi Mabanga said a man was robbed of his Volkswagen Golf at gunpoint in Reiger Park on the East Rand on Friday. On Saturday, the victim and his friend searched for the stolen vehicle.
The National Democratic Convention’s (Nadeco) national executive committee has come out in support of a Pietermaritzburg High Court ruling last week that the party’s members should choose their leaders. The court ordered two camps within Nadeco to hold an inaugural federal congress to choose the party’s office bearers.
Lack of access to finance, poor business management and a dearth of skills are some of the challenges women face in the construction sector, Minister of Public Works Thoko Didiza said on Monday. Didiza was addressing the start of a two-day conference aimed at levelling the playing field for women in the construction sector.
A 28-year-old man was arrested after a chopped-up body was found dumped in a pit toilet in Tubatse near the border of Mpumalanga, Limpopo police said on Monday. A head, legs, hands and private parts were found severed from the rest of the body and in the toilet.
The disciplinary hearings of former Bitou mayor Euan Wildeman and suspended municipal manager George Seitisho got under way in Plettenberg Bay on Monday morning, as a new row erupted over Seitisho. The Democratic Alliance has laid a criminal complaint against Seitisho after allegedly finding him and his lawyer making photocopies in the municipal offices on Sunday night.
Air transport’s contribution to the South African tourism industry has helped tourism become the only sector that has grown in gross domestic product and in employment contribution to the economy, according to Minister of Transport Jeff Radebe. Speaking on Monday, Radebe said that air transport generates about 470Â 000 direct and indirect jobs across Africa.
Two boys died near Cofimvaba after picking up hand grenade they found while hunting, Eastern Cape police said on Monday. ”Police explosives experts said it is an M26 hand grenade of South African origin,” said Superintendent Edwin Taleni after the police explosives unit went to the scene on Monday to identify the type of explosive.
Springbok coach Jake White said on Monday he was optimistic he would have a full squad of 28 to choose from for Saturday’s Tri-Nations Test against New Zealand in Pretoria. ”We’ll see after training this afternoon, but I’m very hopeful the medical staff will give everyone the all-clear,” White told reporters in Pretoria.
Tata Steel KwaZulu-Natal on Monday celebrated the start of construction of its R670-million ferrochrome plant at Richards Bay with a groundbreaking ceremony in the Industrial Development Zone, at Alton North area, in the largest port city in KwaZulu-Natal. A plaque was unveiled by Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.
While the health ministry attacked Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille for urging Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang’s dismissal, others backed the call for the minister’s head on Monday. The ministry said in a statement it was disappointed by the level of ignorance demonstrated by De Lille during a radio interview.
Two Somali men were found shot dead at a cash store in Khayelitsha, Cape Town police said on Monday. Superintendent Billy Jones said police found the bodies at the cash store in Bonga Drive at 9.45pm on Sunday. Police were told they had been robbed of cash by a group of men.
The government payment of R50Â 000 per vehicle in the taxi recapitalisation programme should be doubled or trebled and supplemented with a subsidy, the National Taxi Alliance said on Monday. The alliance said some taxi drivers are illegally overloading because they cannot afford the new standards.
The revelation that the official opposition Democratic Alliance allegedly received a donation from slain businessman Brett Kebble points to the need for serious reform in the party political funding regime in South Africa, says Independent Democrats MP Lance Greyling.
Parliament is calling on all South Africans to get artistic and take part in designing its new emblem. According to the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde, Parliament belongs to the people, hence the need to involve all South Africans to partake in designing its new identity.
A Moroka Swallows team with a new, improved plumage provided fair warning to the more fancied teams remaining in the competition when they swooped into the SAA Supa8 semifinals at Germiston’s Herman Immelman Stadium on Sunday afternoon with a workmanlike 2-1 win over Silver Stars.
Mbulaeni Mulaudzi, South Africa’s brilliant 800m runner and winner at the Zurich Weltklasse Golden League meeting a few days ago, added another outstanding victory in a fast one minute and 44,14 seconds to his impressive list in Monaco on Sunday. He competed at the Herculis IAAF Super Grand Prix.
Some promising morning performances placed the South African team in a good position to add to their medal count at the Pan Pacific Championships in Victoria, Canada, on the final day of competition on Sunday. Roland Schoeman and Lyndon Ferns will be going all out in the 50m freestyle final.
South Africa’s health minister on Sunday defended her HIV/Aids policies after a blistering attack by a top United Nations official, but newspapers said she had made the country a laughing stock and demanded her resignation. Manto Tshabalala-Msimang blamed South Africa’s poor media coverage at last week’s global Aids conference in Toronto on the Treatment Action Campaign.
Hundreds of frightened South Africans attended the funeral on Saturday of five women believed to be the victims of a serial killer blamed for as many as nine murders near Johannesburg. Nine bodies have been discovered since January, dumped in open fields near the town of Centurion, north of Johannesburg.
Western Province kept up their charge at the top of the Currie Cup table with a sixth consecutive victory as they downed the Pumas 43-10 at Newlands on Saturday. It was a largely scrappy encounter and WP seldom moved out of third gear as they dominated almost every facet of the game.
Trailing 13-11 at half-time, defending Currie Cup champions the Free State Cheetahs showed their mettle when defeating Griquas 31-20 in very warm, early-spring conditions in Kimberley on Saturday afternoon. There was very little to choose between the teams in the first half.
The Lions continued to upset the apple cart as they carved out a memorable 22-21 victory over the Sharks in their Currie Cup encounter at Ellis Park on Saturday evening. For the better part of this encounter the Sharks had looked like the stronger side and seemed to deserve victory more.
A bemused and bewildered Orlando Pirates were snatched from the jaws of victory in a bizarre Supa8 quarterfinal at Loftus on Saturday night. Supersport United secured victory by a 6-5 margin in the penalty shoot-out after the teams had finished level 1-1 after extra time. A 10-man Pirates appeared to have secured victory in the 119th minute.
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, will hold talks with Sasol chief executive Pat Davies and several government officials during a two-day visit to South Africa this week, said the Department of Foreign Affairs on Sunday. South African imports from Iran — chiefly of oil — amounted to R14,3-billion last year.
Minorities of whatever race, creed or culture are best protected when the rights and values of all citizens are defended and actively fought for, Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Tony Leon said on Saturday. Leon was speaking at the DA’s provincial congress in KwaZulu-Natal.
The South African government has received no formal request for mediation in the peace process in Uganda, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Saturday. ”We have been inundated with calls about whether South Africa has been asked to mediate in Uganda,” departmental spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa said.
If public-service unions want meaningful wage increases, they must be ready for a fight and possibly a strike, Congress of South African Trade Unions general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi told health workers on Saturday. ”Serious battles are never won in the boardrooms,” Vavi said.
Parliament on Saturday said it has taken note of Constitutional Court rulings this week relating to the Abortion Amendment Act and the cross-boundary municipalities law, among others. ”The two judgements are of critical importance to the legislative procedures of Parliament,” Speaker of Parliament Baleka Mbete said.
United Nations special envoy to Africa Stephen Lewis ”is not Africa’s Messiah” and does not understand South Africa’s HIV/Aids programmes, said the Department of Health on Saturday. ”We reject with contempt the statement made by Stephen Lewis with regard to response of South African government to the challenge of HIV and Aids,” the department said.
A taxi owner was shot dead and four others were wounded by a gang of gunmen that opened fire on them on Friday night at a long-distance taxi rank in Khayelitsha, said Western Cape police. Three passengers — two men and a woman — were also wounded in the shooting, said Superintendent Billy Jones.
The South African cricket team arrived in Johannesburg on Saturday morning, after withdrawing from a triangular one-day tournament in Sri Lanka earlier this week. Coach Mickey Arthur said the players were relieved to be home, although they were disappointed at having to pull out of the tournament.