AN inquiry into why Trevor Tutu, the wayward son of Truth and Reconciliation Commission chairman Desmond Tutu, failed to appear in court last November to face reckless driving charges has been scheduled for May 17. Tutu, who was found guilty on a charge of reckless driving on April 19, will also be sentenced on that […]
THE Rwandan former mayor convicted of war crimes by a Swiss court martial last week has appealed against his life sentence, the court said on Tuesday.Fulgence Niyonteze (35) who was found guilty on Friday of murder, attempted murder and violations of Geneva conventions — charges relating to the 1994 genocide in Rwanda — is expected […]
THE Organisation of African Unity committee on conflict resolution and states of the Indian Ocean region met Tuesday in Maputo to examine the situation in the Comoros after the 30 April coup d’etat and an agreement reached in Antananarivo 23 April aimed at solving the country’s crisis. The participants vehemently condemned the coup and called […]
OWN CORRESPONDENT, Dunedin | Tuesday 1.30pm. SOUTH Africa are favourites to win the World Cup in Wales later this year, according to All Black coach John Hart. Hart said he believed South Africa has more depth overall than New Zealand and the other teams in the tourney, reports the New Zealand Press Association. Hart said […]
ZIMBABWE’S former president Canaan Banana has been defrocked by the Methodist church because of his conviction on charges of homosexual assault, the head of the church in Zimbabwe said on Wednesday.Bishop Farai Chirisa said the church decided to strip Banana of the ministry after he was convicted in the High Court earlier this year on […]
FOUR Zimbabwean soldiers are confirmed killed and 32 others injured in an accidental explosion at a military engineering camp in the capital Harare on Monday, an army spokesman said Tuesday. Lieutenant Colonel Ben Ncube said that of the surviving 32, several are in critical conditions with one still in intensive care. Ncube said the blast […]
OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Wednesday 2.00pm. GUINEA club Kaloum sprang the biggest surprise during a weekend of African action with a 3-0 Champions League victory over Shooting Stars of Nigeria, while Sundowns failed to impress and Pirates made good headway in the Cup Winners Cup. Mamadouba Bangoura dealt the first blow to the West African […]
A REPRESSIVE Nigerian military law allows the continued detention of 31 Nigerian Muslims, the Civil Rights Congress watchdog group said on Monday. The CRC said in a statement that the 31, whom it named as members of the Islamic Shiite Brotherhood group, are being held under a 1984 law, the so-called Decree 2, permitting indefinite […]
JOHNNIES Industrial Corporation (Johnnic) said Monday it has disposed of its 8,1% stake in Adcock Ingram valued at R340-million as part of its debt retirement programme begun in January this year. The sale, which brings the company’s debt under R1-billion, is part of a process of disposing of non-core assets to refocus the company into […]
MONDAY, 12.00NOON: THE Golden Cats lost their eighth successive match in the Super-12 tournament against a fired-up Queensland Reds at Ellis Park on Sunday afternoon. The Cats relinquished a 16-5 half-time lead to lose 20-16, after going off the boil in the second half. The Cats played well in the first half, however, but mistakes […]
MONDAY, 5.00PM: PRESIDENT Nelson Mandela on Monday said that investment needs of Africa’s vast telecommunications and information technologies markets cannot be met by the public sector alone, but require the input of the private sector. Speaking at the opening of Africa’s largest telecommunications exhibition and conference, Africa Telecom 98, Mandela said a partnership between the […]
OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Tuesday 8.35pm THE African National Congress on Tuesday announced its revised election candidates’ lists, which saw ANC Women’s League president Winnie Madikizela-Mandela moving up to position number nine. Presidential spokesman Parks Mankahlana’s name no longer appears on the list. Also removed from the lists were the names of Deputy Finance Minister […]
SOUTH Africa’s first private Catholic university looks on target to open in July — pending approval of its academic programmes by the South African Qualifications Authority. Business Day reports that the university is the brainchild of a group of Catholic lay academics, clergy and business people and its to be funded by local and international […]
POLICE on the weekend reopened investigations into the disappearance of five young girls in the late 1980s thought to be linked to paedophile Gert van Rooyen. Four child protection unit detectives arrived in Stanger on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast from Pretoria on Sunday to investigate claims by a clairvoyant that Van Rooyen may have buried […]
COMORAN strongman Azali Assoumani plans a mixed civilian-military government, without party politicians, informed sources said on Monday. The army chief of staff seized power in a bloodless putsch on Friday. In the next few days, Azali plans to bring together the delegates who, in Antananarivo on April 23, signed an accord on broad autonomy for […]
EASTERN Cape legislature finance director Bejile Fatuse was fired last Thursday amidst accusations that he allegedly used legislature administrative resources for his money lending business, the Daily Dispatch reported on Sunday. Legislature secretary Mandisile Mdleleni dismissed Fatuse, alleging that he also abused his powers by not following the proper procedure in deducting money from staff […]
FOREIGN Minister Alfred Nzo has asked to have his name removed from the African National Congress’ election list, a spokesman said this week, an indication he will step down from his post after elections on June 2. Transport Minister Mac Maharaj, Education Minister Sibusiso Bengu and Defence Minister Joe Modise have previously said they will […]
POLICE said on Sunday that they suspect a political motive for the murder of an African National Congress election worker in Soweto at the weekend. Police spokesman Inspector John Shiburi said Simon Ngubane (47) was on Saturday found dead in his car with two bullet wounds in the right eye and another in the back […]
OVER a hundred United Democratic Movement supporters are due to appear in the Krugersdorp Magistrate’s Court on Monday on charges of trespassing, SABC news reported. Police spokesperson Patrys Greyling said 113 people were arrested after invading municipal land in Kagiso on the West Rand on Sunday. The invaders were warned to vacate the land but […]
MORE Nigerian public sector workers will lose their jobs to enable the government pay a new agreed minimum wage, a top official in one of Nigeria’s 36 states said on Monday. Colonel Aminu Kotangora, administrator of northern Nigerian state of Kano, said on Sunday his government will have to cut its 37000 workforce to 20000 […]
BUS routes around the country started on a sluggish note on Monday after an agreement on Friday between unions and management ended a two week old strike. The South African Bus Employee’s Association and the four unions supporting the strike — the Transport and General Workers’ Union, the Transport and Allied Workers’ Union, the Western […]
THE Democratic Party’s election campaign received a boost on Monday when an organisation for the unemployed, which claims to have about 32000 members, pledged its support for the party in the June 2 poll. The Unemployed Masses of South Africa’s economic principles are in agreement with the DP’s, which it believes are the most likely […]
THE Constitutional Court on Tuesday adjourned without making a decision on the application by Federal Alliance leader Louis Luyt requesting that five judges recuse themselves from a case involving himself and President Nelson Mandela. Luyt alleges the five judges — Arthur Chaskalson, Johann Kriegler, Pius Langa, Albie Sachs and Zac Yacoob — should not hear […]
GOLD mines Randfontein Estates and Western Areas turned in satisfactory, although not sparkling, results for the March quarter, mineowners JCI said on Friday. The company said in a statement Randfontein boosted its profit from gold by 31% to R44-million, from R33,7-million in December. Production costs for the quarter were 3,5% higher than the December quarter, […]
MILLY Wasserzug won the national singles bowls title in Port Elizabeth last week, but on Saturday she lost in the first round of the Spar women’s tournament in Florida. Wasserzug — who added the national singles title to the runners-up prize to the Masters she won earlier this year and was recently named as South […]
SOME three floors of a ministerial complex in Parliament were severely damaged on the weekend after someone trying to extinguish a small fire in the dustbin failed to switch off the hose. Cape Town police spokesman Captain Andre Traut said the fire is suspected to have started in a dustbin on the fourth floor at […]
BURUNDIAN president Pierre Buyoya on Saturday announced in a Labour Day speech in Bujumbura the reduction by half of citizens’ contributions to the National Solidarity Fund. All civil servants have contributed 6% of their monthly salaries while farmers and craftsmen gave 1,000 Burundian francs yearly to the fund as part of Burundi’s “war effort” since […]
THE Justice Department on Tuesday denied claims that changes to section 49 of the Criminal Procedure Act, governing force used by police when making arrests, is hampering the efficacy of police work. Department spokesperson Paul Setsetse said that the new section 49, due to come into effect in August, will in no way hamper police […]
BUILDER-to-automobile leasing group Barlows said on Monday that it has sold 31 of its Federated Timber building materials outlets to a black empowerment company for R56-million. Barlows said that the deal with an arm of the National Association of Black Contractors (Nabcat) will “create the first black-owned builders’ merchant chain in SA” and employ around […]
ENGINEERING and building contracting group, Murray and Roberts, announced in Johannesburg on Monday it has won a $70-million contract to build a marina mall in the oil-rich Gulf state of Abu Dhabi. M&R said it has received a letter of intent to proceed with the project — a joint venture with its Middle East partner […]
OWN CORRESPONDENT, Lagos | Tuesday 1.45pm. FUEL shortages struck Nigeria’s economic capital Lagos on Tuesday, paralysing business and social activities. Officials have responded by calling the scarcities artificial. Officials blamed the shortages on panic buying resulting from a rumour that oil unions will join a public sector strike in Nigeria. Many workers were stranded at […]
THE search for two missing Welkom miners continued on Monday after they were trapped in the Matjhabeng mine when an earthquake hit the Free State town on April 23. Anglogold spokesman Andries van Zyl said teams are still working around the clock to locate Lawrence Tsolo (40), and John Delekile (53). Van Zyl said the […]