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/ 26 October 2007

Zille faces call to quit over spy row

The African National Congress (ANC) called on Thursday for the head of opposition leader Helen Zille over claims that taxpayers were made to foot the bill for an investigation into a political opponent. In its latest attempt to unseat Zille as Cape Town mayor, the ANC tabled a statement in Parliament urging her to resign.

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/ 25 October 2007

Icasa rules against FXI over SABC blacklist report

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) on Thursday dismissed an application by the Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) to get the full record of the blacklisting inquiry at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC). The FXI had asked Icasa to subpoena the record to help it defend its complaint that the SABC had violated licensing conditions.

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/ 25 October 2007

Springbok emblem: Let the debate begin

Minister of Sport and Recreation Makhenkhesi Stofile has said South Africans would be given an opportunity to take part in a national debate regarding the Springbok emblem. He said the debate would not only focus on the Springbok emblem, but would include all the other sports emblems in the country.

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/ 24 October 2007

ANC backs media diversity

The South African Broadcasting Corporation would be within its rights not to run a story on Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, but media diversity is important in ensuring that other outlets can run it if they choose to, African National Congress (ANC) politician and businessman Saki Macozoma said on Tuesday.

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/ 23 October 2007

Great debate about Manto records

Under no circumstances should a patient’s medical records be disclosed unless he or she gives personal consent, a seminar hosted by the South African Human Rights Commission was told on Tuesday. A panel was discussing the implications of articles published by the Sunday Times about Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang.

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/ 23 October 2007

Manto’s records under the spotlight

Under no circumstances should a patient’s medical records be disclosed unless he or she gives personal consent, a seminar hosted by the South African Human Rights Commission was told on Tuesday. Chairperson of the South African Medical Association Dr Kgosi Letlape said medical records should not be disclosed without consent.

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/ 22 October 2007

ANC slams behaviour at Mashabane funeral

The conduct of certain people attending the funeral of former South African ambassador to Indonesia Norman Mashabane was ”despicable”, said the African National Congress (ANC) on Monday. The funeral took place in Phalaborwa on Saturday. ”We deplore the behaviour of these unruly elements. There is no room for such people in the ANC,” the party said.

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/ 19 October 2007

Sanef: No huge threat to SA media

There is no huge threat to the media in South Africa, but some planned laws are worrying, South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) chairperson Jovial Rantao said on Friday. Addressing a joint South African Broadcasting Corporation and Sanef conference, Rantao said: ”There is no huge threat against the media in this country.”

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/ 17 October 2007

KZN health boss suspended

The head of the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) provincial health department was officially suspended from her post on Wednesday. A statement released by the KwaZulu-Natal premier’s office said the ”cabinet endorsed the decision to suspend” the superintendent general of the department Dr Ruth Nyembezi.

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/ 10 October 2007

Call for SABC board to be reconsidered

Several labour and civil-society organisations have asked President Thabo Mbeki to hold back on appointing the new South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) board and return the list of names approved by the National Assembly last month. ”We have asked him not to appoint them,” the organisations said in a joint statement on Wednesday.

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/ 5 October 2007

Madisha offers to step aside for a month

Congress of South African Trade Unions president Willie Madisha has offered to step aside for a month while an independent commission of inquiry probes the R500 000 donation controversy. The commission of inquiry would consist of independent labour experts and was expected to report back in November.

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/ 4 October 2007

TAC stands by Qunta statement

The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) says it stands by its statement on South African Broadcasting Corporation board deputy chairperson Christine Qunta and on Thursday laid complaints against her and the company Comforters Healing Gift. On Wednesday, Qunta’s legal representatives demanded the TAC stop publishing defamatory material about her.

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/ 3 October 2007

Scorpions under spotlight again

The Scorpions crime unit is in the political spotlight again amid reports it was preparing to arrest the nation’s police commissioner, the latest high-profile official targeted by the elite force. Unease over the unit has been building within the ruling African National Congress since President Thabo Mbeki announced the formation of the FBI-style crime unit in 1999.

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/ 3 October 2007

Stop defaming me, Qunta tells TAC

South African Broadcasting Corporation board deputy chairperson Christine Qunta has demanded the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) stop publishing defamatory material about her. Qunta’s legal representatives sent a letter in this regard to the TAC on Wednesday, her lawyer, Athol Gordon, said.

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/ 1 October 2007

Government denies allegations over Pikoli

There were a number of instances where a breakdown in the working relationship with Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Brigitte Mabandla was discussed with suspended National Director of Public Prosecutions Vusi Pikoli. This is according to government spokesperson Themba Maseko, who was speaking at a press conference in Pretoria on Monday.

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/ 1 October 2007

DA lays charge against Qunta

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has laid a charge against South African Broadcasting Corporation board deputy chairperson Christine Qunta of contravening provisions of the Medicines and Related Substances Control Act. The charge was laid at Cape Town Central police station on Monday by DA spokesperson Mike Waters.

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/ 1 October 2007

Mbeki ‘must break his silence on Pikoli’

The Democratic Alliance is to ask President Thabo Mbeki questions in Parliament relating to National Prosecuting Authority head Vusi Pikoli’s suspension and the reported warrant of arrest issued for police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi. The party’s parliamentary leader Sandra Botha said it was "imperative that the president informs the nation".

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/ 29 September 2007

Casualties in the battle for succession

The country’s chief prosecutor has been suspended, its top cop may be wanted for corruption — and South Africans are wondering whether both are casualties in a battle for leadership of the African National Congress. The South African Broadcasting Corporation, reported on Thursday that a warrant had been issued for the arrest of police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi.

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/ 27 September 2007

SABC: Arrest warrant issued for Selebi

A warrant of arrest has been issued for police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) reported on Thursday. The state broadcaster said it had reliably learnt that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) obtained the warrant. NPA spokesperson Tlali Tlali would not comment on the report late on Thursday afternoon.

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/ 27 September 2007

TAC allegations defamatory, says Qunta lawyer

Allegations that South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) board deputy chairperson Christine Qunta is involved in a company selling medicines purported to cure HIV/Aids were ”irresponsible and defamatory”, her lawyer said on Thursday. Athol Gordon was responding to a comments by Zachie Achmat of the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC).

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/ 27 September 2007

Mbeki speaks out on Pikoli suspension

President Thabo Mbeki has responded for the first time on his decision to suspend the National Director of Public Prosecutions, the South African Broadcasting Corporation reported on Thursday. Mbeki was speaking to the broadcaster on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.