A MAN has appeared in court, charged with the Charlene Smith rape that made headlines two weeks ago. Police have opposed bail for the man, who also has an outstanding murder charge against him. Smith reports that abusive phone calls from the rapist, which she received several times a day both before and after the […]
EGYPTIAN President Hosni Mubarak inaugurated the first subway line beneath the Nile River on Sunday. Cairo started expanding an underground commuter railway a decade ago to relieve traffic congestion and has just finished phase three. The third portion of the city’s second metro line links Sadat station in central Tahrir Square, site of the Nile […]
PROFESSIONAL golfer Wimpie Botha was killed in a car accident after the third round of the Vodacom Tour’s Lombard Tyres Classic at the Krugersdorp Golf Club on Friday. The accident occurred only a few kilometres from the club after Botha, 28, had left the pro-am prizegiving on Friday night. Botha, in his sixth year as […]
NORTHERN Province Premier Ngoako Ramatlhodi’s office is being probed for allegedly abusing government officials and equipment for party political purposes. Provincial director general Bennedicta Manching Monama confirmed on Friday that she is probing the irregular use of government staff, facsimile machines and computers in Ramatlhodi’s office to distribute African National Congress speeches to the media. […]
POLICE on the weekend finally identified the first of five decapitated people believed to be the victims of a muti-murder gang operating in the small farming towns of Sundra and Delmas in Mpumalanga. Farm labourers stumbled on the most recent victim, a decomposing and headless middle-aged woman, two weeks ago. Three other badly decomposed and […]
FALCONS have signed four Tongan players for the next Currie Cup campaign. Coach Phil Pretorius, who is also a coaching adviser to the Tongan national team, has agreed to bring backrow forwards Johnny Koloi, Vic Tulutu, scrumhalf Sililo Martens and centre Salesi Finau to South Africa. The quartet will join the Falcons in May once […]
AIDS is killing around 1 200 people a week in Zimbabwe, President Robert Mugabe said on Sunday. Mugabe revealed the figures at a rally to mark the country’s independence anniversary. “The diseases situation in 1998 was dominated by the growing HIV/AIDS epidemic. With an estimated average of some 1 200 AIDS-related deaths per week, AIDS […]
RUGBY should be an Olympic sport in the 15-man code and not just for the seven-a-side, International Rugby Board (IRB) chairman Vernon Pugh said on Thursday. Speaking at a meeting of the world rugby governing body in Buenos Aires, Pugh said he was determined to get Olympic status for rugby union although he knew that […]
A WOMAN was shot and wounded in Durban on Friday, apparently by a reveller on his way to witness President Nelson Mandela receive the freedom of the city. KwaZulu-Natal police spokesman Director Bala Naidoo said the shot accidentally discharged when a man put a firearm into his pocket. The bullet ricocheted and caused the injury. […]
THE public feud between Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and ex-husband President Nelson Mandela took another turn on Friday when she accused her ex-husband of using apartheid-era laws to try seize the home they shared in the 1960s. Madikizela-Mandela has launched a court challenge to the president’s claim to ownership over the tiny house in Soweto. Mandela bought […]
SOUTH African number seven seed Wayne Ferreira beat Dennis van Scheppingen 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 in the second-round of the Japan Open on Wednesday. Number one seed Richard Krajicek, of the Netherlands, was gifted win when his injured opponent, compatriot John van Lottum, retired retired after four games due to neck and shoulder strain. Andre Agassi, […]
LOCAL Super 12 favourites, the Fedsure Stormers, thrilled a capacity crowd as they powered to a 28-19 win over the Canterbury Crusaders at Newlands. They scored three tries and came so close to another two, but will be happy for the crucial victory. Full match report to follow.
NIGERIA’S military ruling council said on Friday that it will not impose Islamic Sharia law on the country. Provisional Ruling Council member rear admiral Taiwo Abiodun Odedina said at the end of a four-day council meeting in Abuja that no plan exists to impose Islamic law. He said the military government will continue to recognise […]
SUNDOWNS snatched a 3-1 win over lowly Santos through three goals at the Newlands cricket ground on Wednesday night. Striker David Notoane took the home side into the lead in the 66th minute but pulled a muscle doing so and was forced to leave the field. Sundowns super sub Kenny Niemach netted the leveler in […]
HOME Affairs Minister Mangosuthu Buthelezi on Friday launched an investigation to probe allegations that his director-general Albert Mokoena ran a basketball team from his office. Buthelezi said that the investigation will be conducted by Public Service and Administration deputy director-general Mpumelelo Sikhosana. Mokoena allegedly used the department’s telephone and fax to run his basketball team. […]
MANNING Rangers were ejected from the race for the Castle Premiership by Chiefs and Sundowns on Wednesday night. Both teams won their mathces and are tied at 60 points, but Chiefs took their points directly from Manning Rangers in a 4-1 blowout. Pollen Ndlanya and Thabang Lebese snatched two goals apiece against fittingly named Solo […]
A BROKEN finger has ruined plans for an IBO world middleweight title fight in South Africa between defending champion Mpush Makambi and Dingaan Thobela — and has also thwarted the comeback plans of former promoter Thinus Strydom. Makambi advised Strydom that he had broken the finger in training and would not be able to go […]
MANNING Rangers have said coach Gordon Igesund will not be for sale to any club for less than R1-million, underscoring the value they place on his guidance this season. Two clubs have expressed interest in Igesund, whose reputation has soared in the wake of Rangers’ remarkable season. Rangers’ boss KC Reddy says he is negotiating […]
ORLANDO Pirates ground down Cape Town Spurs 2-1 while Jomo Cosmos spanked Hellenic 2-0. Pirates went ahead 2-0 against Spurs on goals by Nigerian Sam Pam and Phumlani Mkhize. Spurs came back with one in the 80th minute on a strike from Vassili Sofiadelis, but both teams gave lacklustre preformances with poor finishing and attacking. […]
AN identification parade for the suspected torturers of three alleged United States mercenaries took place in Harare on Friday, a spokesman for the defence lawyers said. The three Americans are charged with sabotage and terrorism after they were arrested in Zimbabwe on March 7 in possession of arms of war in their luggage as they […]
THE Botswana Football Association is courting premier league coach Jefff Butler to lead the national team. Butler, who has coached PSL sides such as Kaizer Chiefs, Sundowns and Seven Stars, as well as several other African sides, has confirmed that he is considering taking the position of national coach, but that nothing has yet been […]
FRIDAY, 12.00NOON: IT was tough times for the South African Fed Cup team playing their final round-robin tie against a fired-up Romanian side at the Europe/Africa qualifying tornament in La Manga, Spain, on Thursday. Both Jessica Steck and Mariaan de Swardt were in trouble in their respective matches, facing tough challenges from opponents whose skills […]
John Matshikiza:WITH THE LID OFF I ran into my old friend, Tiger, in Yeoville the other day. Tiger is looking pretty good, wearing a suit and tie with all the trimmings nowadays, and Ray-Bans that never leave the bridge of his nose. But he still has that foxy, township tic of never looking you in […]
exports Mungo Soggot The taxman is part of a team tasked with probing the way the state evaluates diamonds following an unprecedented finding that De Beers undervalued gems due for export. Minister of Minerals and Energy Penuell Maduna appointed the team of civil servants this week after meeting with De Beers. It emerged last week […]
As South Africans prepare to confirm the new era at the polls, Howard Barrell looks at what happened to the kings of old When last seen, Barend du Plessis, the man who was placed in charge of the national finances after his computer company had gone bust, looked like an aging beauty queen. Consultant, director […]
Sharon Hammond A game ranger who fought the bureaucracy of the Kruger National Park for more than 10 years put the world-renowned reserve in the dock this week, exposing an inner ring of senior managers more intent on empire building than conservation. Wayne Lotter has brought a case of constructive dismissal before the Commission for […]
Peter Makurube It can only happen in South Africa: the most popular morning show radio host in the country is hardly known beyond his audience of 1,7-million. DJ Chomane Chomane started out at Lesedi FM as a junior presenter, and he had to deal with the bureaucrats of the old SABC. At the time each […]
AN East Rand bomb disposal unit defused two mini-limpet mines found by railway workers under railway tracks between the Lindella and Katlehong stations on Wednesday, police said. Police spokesman Captain Andy Pieke said the mines’ detonators were destroyed in a controlled explosion by a bomb disposal expert. He said the mines appeared old and could […]
Michael Finch Athletics South Africa’s top athletes and their agents have turned down Athletics South Africa’s (ASA) latest contract offer, saying that athletes will have too many obligations, but agree that a settlement is imminent. The initial deadline to sign the contracts was April 1, but due to disagreements over the amount of money being […]
Acclaimed by many as the most vibrant act at Womad this year, British Asian group Fun-da- mental is as politically uncompromising as it is musically innovative, writes Nashen Moodley Fun-da-mental’s performances at Womad will remain etched on the memories of all who watched them for several reasons. Womad, though a wonderful experience by all accounts, […]
ZIMBABWEAN authorities on Wednesday postponed without explanation an identification parade for the suspected torturers of three alleged United States mercenaries, defence laywers said. The three US citizens are facing terrorism charges after arrested on March 7 in possession of arms of war in their luggage as they attempted to board a Swiss Airline to Zurich. […]
If peace talks are unsuccessful, Sierra Leone’s capital could suffer new rebel assaults, reports Peter Moszynski from Freetown The beleaguered capital of Sierra Leone is waiting in trepidation for the outcome of peace talks in Togo next week with the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels whose offensive devastated Freetown in January. Unless the talks succeed, […]