SEVERAL Zimbabwean soldiers are missing in the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but the army will only give details when the war ends, a Zimbabwean newspaper reported on Wednesday. “It is only at the end of the campaign that I … will compile a report which details all we have lost in […]
ABOUT 10 men armed with AK47 and R4 assault rifles robbed a coal mine in Secunda of over R1-million meant for salaries early on Tuesday morning, police said on Wednesday. Police spokesman Inspector Sibongile Nkosi said the men stormed the Sasol Brandspruit Coal Mine at about 4.30am when a security company delivered the money. “About […]
LEICESTER manager Dean Richards on Monday backed new England captain Martin Johnson to make a success of his dramatic and sudden promotion following Lawrence Dallaglio’s decision to step down. British Lions skipper Johnson, who led Leicester to the Premiership title this season, takes charge of England following Dallaglio’s resignation, announced at Twickenham earlier on Monday. […]
A PETROL bomb has exploded at the house of a leader of South Africa’s United Democratic Front in Nyanga, a black suburb of Cape Town, police said on Wednesday. Nobody was injured in the attack on Erasmus Ndakane’s home in the area where five politicians have been killed in the run-up to South Africa’s June […]
MORE than five million Malawians have registered to vote in general elections on June 15, the electoral commission said on Wednesday. Chairman James Kalaile said the voters represent 102% of the projected number of eligible Malawians. Voter registration has been hit by a number of problems, causing it to be extended twice and forcing a […]
OWN CORRESPONDENT, Cape Town | Thursday 7.15pm AN election rally by opposition United Democratic Movement president Bantu Holomisa was disrupted at the University of Cape Town on Thursday by a rowdy group of African National Congress-supporting youths. About 1000 rowdy ANC supporters almost took charge of the rally, jeering Holomisa when he tried to speak, […]
SOUTH African national under-23 coach Shakes Mashaba wants total commitment from his young Bafana Bafana for their first leg Olympic qualifier against Togo in Lome on June 13. “We will focus on tactical and technical work before we leave for Togo and will only play against local teams during our preparations for two weeks,” Mashaba […]
A TENTH neighbour of Safety and Security Minister Sydney Mufamadi has become a crime victim, justifying claims the Andrew Murray Road in Bryanston is “crime street”. The latest victim is Andre van Heuvel, whose house was the second robbed this week. No arrests have been made in connection wth the break-in.
THE Golden Lions and Griquas will face each other in the Vodacom Cup final on Saturday at 3.30pm at Ellis Park, it was announced on Monday.
SOUTH Africa’s trade policies toward Africa came under fire at the fourth summit of the Common Markets of Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) in Nairobi on Monday. Daniel arap Moi, incoming head of Comesa, said Kenya will be forced to review its trade with South Africa if current practices continue. Moi claimed existing bilateral trade […]
SIERRA Leone’s government has expressed opposition to a rebel proposal for a four-year transition coalition, ahead of a round of peace talks on Wednesday between belligerents in the Togolese capital. The government said it “lacked the [constitutional] power” to set up a transitional authority. A call for such a regime is the key proposal made […]
OWN CORRESPONDENT, Amstelveen | Wednesday 6.00pm. 5.30pm: SOUTH Africa’s relaxed approach to the Kenya match did not fail them as they comfortably won in 34 overs, reaching the 153 total with ease. The Proteas gave up only three wickets during their innings. South Africa needed batting only from Gibbs, Kirsten, Boucher, Kllis and Cullinan to […]
MPUMALANGA’S chambers of commerce are protesting against three toll gates erected along the 400-km highway between Witbank and Komatipoort. Two of the gates have already been opened at the towns of Middelburg and Machadodorp, costing motorists an additional R20 and R30 respectively. “A round trip Nelspruit to Gauteng will now cost the ordinary motorist R100,” […]
FOUR days ahead of the handover to a civilian government in Nigeria, bank workers began strike actions demanding better pay and conditions, union officials said. “We have sent out circulars to all our members nationwide. It is a stay-at-home order,” Shuaib Ibrahim, the general secretary of the National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions […]
A HOMEMADE incendiary device was found outside the Pretoria home of Gauteng Freedom Front leader Joseph Chiole at about 6am on Tuesday. Seeing the package marked “a gift to General Viljoen”, Chiole drove it to Viljoen’s home. When the package was inspected at 3.30pm on Tuesday an explosive device consisting of a three quarter full […]
TUESDAY, 1.30PM: A R2,4-billion merger is on the cards for Sasol, which is about to buy a 52,6% share in chemicals group AECI from Anglo American Industrial Corporation for around R29 a share. The companies’ cautionary period has been extended by the Johannesburg Stock Exchange until Wednesday. Negotiations have been delayed, despite the exchange of […]
THE Zambian government has given prison facilities for Rwandans convicted of the country’s 1994 genocide. Frederick Chiluba’s administration is about to sign a pact with the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda for the cells, the Times of Zambia reported. The paper said United Nations court, based in Arusha, northern Tanzania, is negotiating same facilities with […]
A HOMEMADE incendiary device was found outside the Pretoria home of Gauteng Freedom Front leader Joseph Chiole at about 6am on Tuesday. Seeing the package marked “a gift to General Viljoen”, Chiole drove it to Viljoen’s home. When the package was inspected at 3.30pm on Tuesday an explosive device consisting of a three quarter full […]
TUESDAY, 7.30PM: THE overall wage settlement level is down from an average 9,7% last year to 9,4%, calculated to the end of April this year, according to a report from labour researchers Andrew Levy & Associates. This matches employers’ resolve to settle on increases more closely aligned to inflation, now at its lowest level for […]
TUESDAY, 1.30PM: ECONOMIC growth managed to hit just 0,7% in the first quarter, short of the levels required to meet Finance Minister Trevor Manuel’s annual target of 2,5%. Manuel’s budget projections, which hoped for healthy growth, were based in part on optimism that there would be growth stimulated by an interest-rate cut this year. But […]
TUESDAY, 7.30PM: SHARES on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange ended off their lowest levels on Tuesday, but due to the 18% hike in the repo rate by the South African Reserve Bank, markets remained bearish. Dealers said that although the drastic measure was implemented to save the rand exchange rate, other markets were swamped by the […]
THE appeal of former president PW Botha (83) against his conviction for ignoring a Truth and Reconciliation Commission subpoena is to be heard in the Cape High Court on Friday. Botha was convicted last August for ignoring a summons to testify to the commission, thereby contravening the Promotion of National Unity and Reconciliation Act. If […]
UNEMPLOYMENT will be tackled by the incoming African National Congress, said President Nelson Mandela while campaigning in Sebokeng on Tuesday. Mandela promised that “A major national offensive will be launched against the scourge of unemployment and poverty,” and said “measures to combat unemployment are already in place.” Recognising that unemployment is at a 16-year low, […]
THE Malawi Electoral Commission (EC) says the country’s second multiparty general elections will now be held on June 15, the third postponement from the original election date of May 17. The EC decided on the new date following recommendations by an Extraordinary Session of Parliament held last week.
OWN CORRESPONDENT, Brisbane | Tuesday 2.30pm. THE selection of former Springbok skipper Tiaan Strauss in the Wallaby team has been criticised by a powerful Australian rugby club as sending a mixed message to local players. Strauss was on Monday named as a reserve forward in the Australian team to play Ireland in Brisbane on June […]
THE National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) is threatening to strike at Ferrometals and Columbus Steel near Middelburg, according to Stephen Nhlapho of Numsa. Nhlapo blames the potential industrial action on the firms’ refusal to address union concerns such as racism, failure to implement the Employment Equity Act, and planned job cuts. The […]
INKATHA Freedom Party leader Mangosotho Buthelezi signed an election pact with a group claiming to represent over 10-million unemployed South Africans at a rally in Durban on Monday night. Buthelezi signed a “Social Covenant” with the Unemployed Silent Majority Organisation (USMO) in which he pledged the IFP’s support to South Africa’s unemployed. USMO, which claims […]
A BRITISH police chief was critically injured when his car rolled several times near Oshoek on the border between Mpumalanga and Swaziland on Monday, police said on Tuesday. Police spokesperson Inspector Sibongile Nkosi said Chief Superintendent George Balchin, 49, of the London City police appeared to have fallen asleep at the wheel of his Land […]
WORKERS at the Ashanti Goldfields Company (AGC), Ghana’s most successful mining company, who have been on strike since May 13, have agreed to resume work, officials said late on Monday. The agreement followed a seven hour meeting held in Accra on Monday afternoon between the management of the company and representatives of the workers, the […]
STUDENTS at a teachers’ college in Mpumalanga who boycotted campus food last week have rejected proposals by the provincial education department to monitor the caterers while they prepare meals. Students at Mgwenya College of Education near Nelspruit insist that Don Catering Club be dismissed outright and resumed the food boycott on Monday. The 240 students […]
WELL over 70% of tenders for retail space in the international departures terminal at the Johannesburg International Airport have been awarded to black-controlled or empowerment companies, the Corporate Tender Board of the Airport Companies of South Africa announced on Monday. The board said that only 10% of the 38 local and international tenders awarded did […]
MORE African footballers could be playing in the English Premier League next season following the British government’s plans to relax work permit rules next month. This means the top English teams will be able tap young and talented African footballers before they are snapped up by teams in Italy, France, Belgium and Holland. There will […]