THE International Monetary Fund and Ghana on Monday signed a $209-million dollar-year loan program, with a first tranche of $30-million available immediately, the Fund said. The 1999-2001 program aims to reach economic growth of 6% from 5,6% in 1998, and to beat down inflation to 5% by 2001 from 19,3% last year, the Fund said […]
Name: Kary Mullis Institution: Independent Field: Invented polymerase chain reaction Only rarely can you say of a scientist that, without him or her, the world would be a different place. But it is true of Kary Mullis, who is an integral part of the history of the genetic revolution. Mullis is an unlikely member of […]
Neil Manthorp Cricket As far as rankings tell us anything, South African cricket lovers will find it very hard to keep a self- satisfied grin off their faces when they see the latest list of the world’s top 10 all-rounders in one-day cricket. Four of the top six are South African, including Hansie Cronje who […]
Something very odd is happening on Wall Street. As the Dow Jones powered towards the 11 000 landmark this week, applauded enthusiastically at the closing bell, Nasdaq, home of the glamorous technology and Internet stocks, has been moving in the opposite direction. The two markets are increasingly being decoupled. On some 40% of trading days […]
THURSDAY, 7.15PM: HESITANT international markets battered an already weak Johannesburg Stock Exchange on Thursday, forcing most indices to close softer. The all gold index lost more than 2,5% of its value as bullion plunged through the $300 an ounce level, trading at $298,25 at 4.00pm. Accordingly the all gold index fell 25,6 points to a […]
HEAVY machinegun and light arms fire resumed in Bissau on Friday morning near the presidential palace and other areas.Weapons had fallen silent overnight after government and rebel forces in Guinea Bissau traded heavy artillery and light arms fire for three hours on Thursday evening breaking a truce of more than three months and endangering a […]
Matthew Simpson Attempting to confine the effect of being at a THC gig to words is much like attempting to explain the Aurora Borealis to a blind person. But I suppose it can be found somewhere in the wild, bemused grins plastered on the faces of the audience, in the intricate tap and thump of […]
ocean’ Ann Eveleth The sale of up to 10-million ounces of International Monetary Fund (IMF) gold reserves will do little to break the 30-year cycle of debt that has trapped Africa in poverty for decades. The R9-billion to R18- billion such a sale could generate is a mere drop in the ocean of developing-world debt. […]
people Aaron Nicodemus After getting over the initial shock of being told that he was HIV-positive, Oziel Mdletshe (31) wrestled with informing his family, his girlfriend and his closest friends. Once he was assured he had their love and support, he struggled with telling everyone else in KwaMashu, a community outside Durban that has a […]
THURSDAY, 11.30AM: BAFANA Bafana will play fellow World Cup qualifiers Romania in Bucharest in their final warm-up game in preparation for their opening World Cup match against France on June 12. The South Africans were scheduled to play Slovakia in their final warm-up, but South African Football Association CEO Danny Jordaan said the change was […]
Krisjan Lemmer Jnr:FRIDAY DISPATCHED The world was shocked this week by the disclosures made by the distinguished political scientist, Professor Schalk Lourens, visiting professor at the Pofadder campus of Naboomspruit University, that World War IV will break out in the Groot Marico at 9.05am on Friday July 1 1999. Prof Lourens made his chilling disclosure […]
Marianne Merten Uniondale, Oudtshoorn, Calitzdorp. Tiny towns representing the Western Cape hinterland, and for the PAC, a potential heartland of support. Pan Africanist Congress president Reverend Stanley Mogoba – “the bishop”, or more informally to those close to him, “bra Stan” – visited tiny rural towns this week before focusing his election campaign in urban […]
Matthew Krouse Down the tube However hard they may be trying, the SABC is finding it difficult to impart a sense of fun and bravery to its election programming. While the elements of sacrilege that do exist are arousing a bit of contention, to date things haven’t gone nearly far enough. Three of the six […]
THURSDAY, 11.30AM: MARCELLO RIOS, who was ranked men’s tennis world number one last month, lost his opening match of the German Open 2-6 7-6 6-3 to a resurgent Wayne Ferreira of South Africa. The top-seeded Chilean didn’t go down without a fight, though, hurling himself and his racquet about the court in a most entertaining […]
Samu Zulu Zimbabwean women have no rights in their country and should be considered virtual sex slaves. That is the effect of two recent court rulings. Last month the Zimbabwe Supreme Court ruled unanimously that “the nature of African society” dictated that women are not equal to men. According to cultural norms, the court said, […]
John Matshikiza It isn’t that easy to track down the leader of God’s People’s Party. Perhaps I was wrong to try to make contact by telephone first. The listed number rang for some time, and was then answered by a humble, black female voice. Her name was Elsie. I asked for her leader by name. […]
STEVEN SWINDELLS, Johannesburg | Thursday 8.45pm DE BEERS said on Thursday that it expects to resume diamond exports that have been blocked because of a pricing dispute with a government appointed valuator shortly. “We’re still not exporting. The dispute has not been settled yet but we hope to start exports again very soon … as […]
ANGOLA, one of the world’s most heavily mined countries, on Thursday finally joined the Maputo conference of parties to the Ottawa Convention banning landmines. A delegation headed by deputy minister of external relations Toko Serao arrived in the Mozambican capital amid speculation that its failure to turn up was connected to its continued violation of […]
THERE are now four bidders for South Africa’s third cellular network licence with the bid of Khoroni Telecommunications Consortium, made up of smaller newcomers to the industry. The bid is sketchy, lacking discussions of which technologies it will use, no hint of competitive strategy, and not naming any technology partners. Khoroni is led by SA […]
THE South African Football Association (Safa) overruled Bafana Bafan coach Trott Moloto’s wish to play an African Cup of Nations qualifier against Mauritius in Soccer City, returning the game to King’s Park in Durban. The park has been double booked, however, since a rugby match between Western Province and Border is also scheduled for that […]
THE National Medical Alliance has affiliated to the South African Medical Association after nearly five years of negotiations, SAMA announced on Tuesday. The NMA, representing the SA Medical and Dental Practitioners, Society of Dispensing Family Practitioners, Family Practioners’ Association, Dispensing Family Practitioners Association, and the Eastern Cape Medical Guild, took up seats on SAMA’s board […]
SOUTH African James Kingston scored an improbable victory in the Maekyung Daks Open on Sunday after beating Myanmar’s Kyi Hla Han in a sudden-death play-off. Kingston, who also won the Thailand Open last year in extra time, holed a 12-foot birdie putt to defeat Han on the fourth play-off hole, after the diminutive Myanmar golfer […]
MENINGITIS has claimed at least 1467 lives in Sudan, with a total of 20119 cases reported since December, the Akhbar al Youm daily reported on Wednesday.Health Minister Mahdi Babu Nimir, speaking to a National Assembly committee here on Tuesday, said that no reports are being received from outlying regions and warned that the epidemic will […]
WEDNESDAY, 1.00PM: CRITICISM of the South African Reserve Bank has been rejected by its governor, Chris Stals, who pointed out that any “attacks on its independence” are likely to provoke a negative response from international investors. Speaking to Reuters, Stals said: “Very serious attacks have been made on the Reserve Bank … that transactions entered […]
MICHAEL METELITS, Johannesburg | Wednesday 6.00pm. WEAK international markets and profit-taking brought the Johannesburg Stock Exchange to its knees on Wednesday, as most major indices closed down over 1% and bonds and the rand slipped. Dealers blamed a mixture of unwinding long equity positions to reap profits and generalised caution in the markets for the […]
NIGERIA’S highest ruling body has approved a new constitution ahead of the May 29 handover to an elected civilian president, a member of the body said late on Tuesday.Major General Abdul Sarki Muktar told reporters in Abuja that the new document was approved by the Provisional Ruling Council after two days of deliberations.The constitution, which […]
MICHAEL METELITS, Johannesburg | Wednesday 3.00pm. MANNING RANGERS’ coach Gordon Igesund, himself the subject of speculation about switching teams, has put 12 Rangers players on the transfer list, saying he wants to change the Durban-based club’s style next season. Igesund will not name the players on the list, although in consultation with the club’s directors […]
THE Tsogo Sun group withdrew its application against KwaZulu-Natal premier Lionel Mtshali regarding casino licences in Durban. The group will pay all court costs. No reason was given for the withdrawal. The move comes while opposition parties in the province are complaining about the Inkatha Freedom Party’s Gambling Amendment Bill and what the call the […]
KENYA’S posts and telecommunications monopoly is to be split in June to facilitate liberalisation and privatisation of the country’s telecommunications and postal sector, officials said on Tuesday. A communications commission has already been established to oversee privatisation of the state-owned Kenya Posts and Telecommunications Corporation ). The Communications Commission of Kenya is expected to license […]
THE SHUFFLE at the top of New Africa Investments ltd (Nail) may put fresh life into negotiations between Nail and the Caxton publishing group for the purchase of Johnnic’s 43% stake in Caxton. Johnnic gave Nail a three-month option to purchase its stake in Caxton in early March as part of a deal to get […]
ANDRIES Rabalao continues his build up for the Avis marathon in two weeks time with a convincing win in the Steers half marathon in Krugersdorp on Sunday in 67:34. He, Israel Moneng and James Mokoele dictated the pace up front for most of the race but with 2km to go the burly Gold Fields security […]
SUPERSPORT United displayed character when they beat Bloemfontein Celtic 2-1 in a Castle Premier League soccer fixture at the Caledonian Stadium on Friday night, despite finishing a man down.The Bob Save Super Bowl finalists were reduced to 10 men in the 49th minute when national defender Clyde Mahlangu was sent off by referee Herman Nkuna […]