Andrew Kay The 25-year-old Johannesburg Youth Orchestra (JYO), which had its annual subsidy cut without warning last year, has formed the Orchestra Company to raise funds through the private sector for the various youth orchestras affiliated to it. Judging by their full concert schedule, and the enthusiastic reception they receive at recitals, the strategies seem […]
THE African Connection Rally, in which Post and Telecommunications Minister Jay Naidoo participated, ended on Wednesday at Cape Agulhas — the southern tip of the continent — after a 22-day drive through Africa. It was met by members of the Cape Agulhas and surrounding communities, as well as dignitaries from around South Africa. The rally […]
Niki Barker The already cash-strapped KwaZulu-Natal Nature Conservation Service faces further financial stress, with the disclosure this week that a considerable sum of money deposited with the embattled New Republic Bank (NRB) in Durban has been frozen as a result of NRB being placed under receivership. It is claimed that the conservation service deposited R48- […]
THURSDAY, 5.00PM: THE Zimbabwean government has ordered its auditors to investigate an “indigenous” private bank owned by controversial affirmative action campaigner Roger Boka, the Finance Ministry announced on Thursday. The urgent investigation comes after black-run United Merchant Bank closed its doors on Friday, sparking rumours that the bank is heading for a collapse due to […]
Respected journalist Max du Preez was axed this week by the SABC. This is his version of the events of the past 10 days “He who is scared of a hyena’s howling, is he who has smeared himself with fat” – old Shona proverb. Forgive me, I have just discovered a book on Shona proverbial […]
Wally Mbhele and Makhosini Nkosi There was stunned silence at an African National Congress national working committee meeting this week when Deputy President Thabo Mbeki announced his decision to axe both the Gauteng and Mpumalanga premiers. Gauteng Premier Mathole Motshekga was summoned to Mbeki’s Johannesburg office this week where he was told of his fate. […]
Donna Block and Mungo Soggot One of South Africa’s top black businessmen, Dikgang Moseneke, this week conceded that New Africa Investments Limited (Nail) had made an error of judgment over the handling of its controversial R136-million share option windfall for him and three other top executives. Moseneke, MD of South Africa’s flagship black empowerment group, […]
Playing his own song in a huge American stadium is one of the highlights of Big Voice Jack life – and there’s a documentary film to prove it, writes Brendan Cooper Eighty thousand people can make a lot of noise, and when Dave Matthews leans in to his mic and says to the crowd, “Give […]
Loose cannon:Robert Kirby You know politics is getting eminently stupid when Pik Botha threatens to join the ANC. Foreign minister to foreign object in one easy step. What’s more, it’s entirely the wrong step. What Pik should really be doing is thinking about reviving that trusty old gang of crypto-fascists he used to help manage. […]
WEDNESDAY, 12.15PM: THE National Home Builders’ Registration Council Bill, which will make a five-year warranty standard for all new houses, will soon be tabled in Parliament. Builders will have to be registered with the council if they want access to bank mortgages. The council will become a statutory body, and all houses built will be […]
THE Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, which runs Nigeria’s airports, was on Thursday awarded the contract to build a $33-million new domestic terminal at Lagos to French group Bouygues. FAAN MD Peter Igbinedion said that the work on the 30-billion naira project is due to start next month and the contract is scheduled for completion […]
SA EXPRESS pilots are considering a strike to support a female colleague who was grounded for allegedly referring to a ground crew member as a kaffir, the Johannesburg daily, Beeld, reported on Thursday. The female pilot was suspended when a flight crew member heard the alleged remark and lodged a complaint.
THE American Universities Admission Program, which has surveyed foreign students at US universities, reported on Wednesday that 1851 South Africans were registered as students in the US during the 1997 academic year, of whom 39,5% were doing post-graduate studies. There were then also 288 South African professors working in the US. Among the undergraduates, 25,8% […]
THE Health Department said on Thursday that there is no proof that the drug AZT could prevent the transmission of HIV to rape victims. The department said in a statement it has done an extensive survey of all published scientific data on the relationship between rape, HIV, and AZT. “We have not come across a […]
THE South African Broadcasting Corporation on Wednesday said it will not be re-hiring Special Assignment presenter Max du Preez despite the public support the renowned journalist enjoys, and a possibility of legal action against the corporation. TV news head Phil Molefe told du Preez on Wednesday that the decision to drop his contract remains unchanged. […]
ANGLO American Platinum Corp (Amplats) said late on Wednesday that strike action at its Rustenburg and Union sections will have no immediate impact on its output. Amplats, the world’s biggest platinum producer, said some 18000 workers were affected by the strike action at the two operations which account for some 40% of the company’s platinum […]
THE Swaziland Electricity Board plans to cut ties with South African power supplier Eskom once the 400kv power line to Mozambique is complete. SEB has been importing additional electric power from ESCOM The Swaziland Environmental Authority Action Plan revealed that SEB is making arrangements to purchase electric power from Mozambique because hydro-power prices are lower […]
PAUL EJIME, Lagos | Thursday 9.00am. FORMER South African national coach Phillipe Troussier guided Japan to the final of the World Youth Championship against Spain on Saturday, after beating Uruguay 2-1 in a thrilling late night match here Wednesday. The Japanese youth team, trained by Troussier after he coached Bafana Bafana into the first World […]
WEDNESDAY, 3.30PM: SOUTH Africa is to be the only African member of a new grouping of nations — the G-22 — established in the United States last week, according to Finance Minister Trevor Manuel. The grouping, established by the US Federal Reserve, consists of the G-10 (most powerful economies) and 12 other economically important countries. […]
SABC TV news on Wednesday night reported that one of the suspects beaten by police in January, in front of BBC cameras, later died in hospital. The cause of his death has not yet been determined, but the incident is being investigated by the Independent Complaints Directorate.
THE Nigerian government is preparing to dismiss tens of thousands of “dead wood” civil servants before it hands over to the incoming civilian regimes, a senior minister said on Wednesday. “There are plans for a clearout of the dead wood. We cannot afford to keep people on who do not work and cannot hand on […]
TALKS in Antananarivo, Madagascar to reconcile rival factions in the Indian Ocean Comoro Islands inched forward on Wednesday after secessionists said they will drop a formal reference to their claim for independence in any peace deal. The two smaller islands in the Comoros chain, Anjouan and Moheli, declared independence from the main island, Grand Comore, […]
BRENDA Webb and daughter Colleen on Sunday wrote their own chapter in South African sporting history by becoming the first mother and daughter to win their sections in the singles event in a national championship. The two, playing in the women’s national in Port Elizabeth, reached the last 32 of the singles and play again […]
SOUTH Africa barred a top coach from joining Pakistan’s World Cup squad because of fears he may disclose playing secrets to their rivals. English-born Richard Pybus, who coached Border to both the first-class and limited overs provincial finals this season, was appointed on Thursday as Pakistan’s technical coach and fitness trainer for the World Cup. […]
SPRINGBOK and Northern Bulls centre Andre Snyman is out of the Super 12 with a knee injury. One of the stars of the bok backline, Snayman has had a lacklustre season so far. Meanwhile, controversial flyhalf/centre Hennie le Roux has turned down an SOS call from the Northern Bulls weeks after he refused to play […]
WOOLWORTHS Holdings Limited announced on Wednesday that it intends to acquire a strategic 13,5% stake in Netactive Limited, an internet service provider which listed on the JSE on Wednesday. It has been agreed in principle that Netactive will issue for cash 6,667 million ordinary shares to Woolworths, for a total consideration of R8-million. Commenting on […]
President Nelson Mandela will pay a state visit to China from May 5 to 7 at the invitation of President Jiang Zemin.
FALCONS hooker Stuart Williams has been banned from rugby for four years, two of which are suspended, for kicking Griquas flanker Hanu Nel in the face during Saturday’s Vodacom Cup rugby match at the Bosman Stadium in Brakpan. The sentence was meted out at a SA Rugby Football Union disciplinary hearing at Loftus Versfeld in […]
UGANDA drew 0-0 with Kenya in the second round return leg of the All Africa Games under-23 qualifying match played here on Saturday. Uganda qualified for the third round on a 2-0 goal aggregate, having won the first leg 2-0 in Kampala two weeks ago. Uganda now meets in the third round in July the […]
SOME 18000 Anglo American Platinum Corporation (Amplats) workers embarked on strike action at two if its mines on Wednesday. Striking workers, organised by the Mouthpeace Workers Union, came out on strike at the Rustenburg and Union platinum mines, to protest management’s insistence that National Union of Mineworkers be included in a task team to investigate […]
ANGOLA, Mozambique and Namibia have sacked their national coaches following disappointing African Nations Cup qualifying results. Brazilian Djalma Cavalcante replaces Yugoslav Vesselin Jelusic after Angola crashed 2-0 at home to Mauritius and Mozambique fired Joao Albasine following a 6-1 humiliation by Cameroon in Maputo. Namibia dumped Seth Boois when they lost 3-0 in Cote d’Ivoire […]
SWAZILAND, with a population of less than one million, now has the third highest rate of HIV infection in the world. (South Africa has the highest.) More than 300000 Swazis are already living with HIV. It is estimated that between 2000 and 2015 between 30 – 40000 people will die of Aids each year. The […]