EVERGREEN “Baby” Jake Matlala is likely to challenge WBU flyweight champion Peter Culshaw in England on May 15 in a bid to win his fourth world title, boxing promoter Rodney Berman said on Wednesday. If victorious, 37-year-old Matlala — the current IBA junior flyweight title holder and former WBO flyweight and WBO junior flyweight champion […]
SOUTH Africa’s third opponent in the pool stages of the Rugby World Cup in Wales this year is undecided despite reports that it will be Tonga or Georgia, Sarfu spokesperson Alex Broun said on Wednesday. South Africa play Scotland on October 3 followed by Spain on October 10, both in Edinburgh. Their third opponent, whom […]
THE Banking Council and the trade and industry department have agreed to make changes to the Companies Amendment Bill that will make the new legislation less stringent. The bill is set to force disclose on nominee shareholding accounts. The original bill required nominee shareholders to compare the number of shares which they hold on behalf […]
POSTS, Telecommunications and Broadcasting Minister Jay Naidoo announced on Monday the four foreign groups shortlisted for a management partnership with the state-owned post office. Naidoo told Parliament South Africa has asked Canada Post, Deutsche Post, France’s La Poste and a joint venture between New Zealand Post and Britain’s Royal Mail to submit further proposals. Final […]
THE National Sports Council said on Wednesday it will support the United Cricket Board’s “Pledge to the Nation” document to help make the national team more representative. In a statement in Johannesburg, the NSC said it had discussed the document at a weekend meeting. “The UCB’s programmes have succeeded in creating a critical mass of […]
AFTER starting with more than 35000 staff five years ago, the Mpumalanga education department has managed to trim its staff by more than 2600. Tabling his departmental budget speech for the 1999/2000 financial year, education MEC David Mabuza on Tuesday said the 35474 posts he started with in the department have since dropped to 32804. […]
THE Zambian government flew journalists on Tuesday to the western town of Zambezi on the border with Angola to show that Zambia is not involved in arms deals with Unita rebels. Journalists inspected an airstrip in the area. The move follows repeated Angolan government accusations that the airstrip was being used by some top Zambian […]
THE United Cricket Board of South Africa cleared recently retired off-spinner Pat Symcox late on Tuesday of misbehaving on an aeroplane flight last month. A board disciplinary committee heard from Symcox and South African Airways staff but was “unable to establish exactly what transpired, and accordingly, Pat Symcox is exonerated”, it said. Cabin crew had […]
BOWLS South Africa, which governs the sport, has announced an investigation into an on-pitch remark that sparked a walkout of Jewish bowlers from a Central Gauteng Bowling Association (CGBA) meeting on Monday night. The CGBA reduced a two-year suspension of Neil Carroll to a six-month ban suspended for a slur against a team mate. The […]
AUSTRALIA continued to reclaim their form in the five-test hockey series against South Africa on Tuesday in Potchefstroom. The Wallabies left SA behind 3-1 in the third test, after leading 1-0 at halftime, and take a 2-1 lead in the best of five series. James Elmer, Michael Brennan, and Scott Webster all scored for Australia, […]
ERNIE ELS is ranked third in the world according to Official World Golf Rankings based on players’ performance throughout the world through March 8. The ranking is computed on a two-year rolling basis weighted toward the current year. Players earn points based on finish and strength of field: 1. Tiger Woods, United States, 12,70 points. […]
AFRICAN trade with the United States last year counted for less than 1% of US merchandise exports worldwide — an increase of less than 0,1% from 1997. Only 1,4% of US imports — including crude oil — came from the continent, down from 1,9% in 1997. , However, the US sourced 26% of its crude […]
FIREFIGHTERS in the Boland in the Western Cape are battling to control a bush fire on the outskirts of Franschhoek. Winelands District Council fire chief Danie Wilds said the flames are being fanned out of control by a south-easter wind and warned farmers near Franschhoek to prepare to evacuate their homes should the flames reach […]
SOUTH Africa and Pakistan agreed on Tuesday to share science and technology information by exchanging scientists, researchers and scholars. Roger Jardine, the director general in the Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology, signed the agreement with Pakistani foreign affairs secretary Shamshad Ahmad in Pretoria. Jardine said on Tuesday that the two nations will jointly […]
THE Zambian government’s suspension of Aero Zambia’s operating permit has been stayed by the Lusaka High Court and the airline’s operations are expected to resume soon, the Zambian newspaper The Post reports. According to an Aero Zambia press release on Monday evening, the airline regrets “the unfortunate action by the ministry of communication and transport” […]
CORRECTIONAL Services have reversed an earlier decision to allow convicted assassin Janusz Walus to marry gospel singer Berril Roy in Pretoria Maximum Security Prison. Walus is serving time for the murder of Communist Party leader Chris Hani in 1993, plotted with fellow prisoner and former Conservative Party MP Clive Derby-Lewis. Prison authorities say that the […]
THE Sharks have made four changes for their Super 12 showdown against the Cats at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on Saturday. Former Free State wing Stephen Brink replaces the injured Henry Pedro on the left wing, Shaun Payne comes in for Deon Kayser at centre, Hentie Martens gets an opportunity at scrumhalf at the expense […]
THE South African Police Union threatened on Tuesday to create its own pension fund after government said it is to slash its contribution to the government employees’ pension fund from 17% to 15%. Sapu national negotiator, Andy Miller, demanded that the government pay out Sapu contributions to the government pension fund so that the union […]
THE South African Revenue Services said on Tuesday that it is exploring ways to speed up the prosecution of tax dodgers. Deputy commissioner of the revenue services, Pravin Gordhan, told the National Assembly’s finance committee that it is thinking of setting up special courts to prosecute people for tax offences — or establishing special facilities […]
SOUTH African Druggists Ltd (SAD) said on Wednesday that it has received a proposal from Fedsure Holdings and Aspen Healthcare who are to co-operate to make an offer for SAD’s ordinary shares. SAD also said that a separate, conditional offer from Aspen and a third company, Macmed Healthcare Ltd, has lapsed. The Fedsure/Aspen bid comes […]
MPUMALANGA’S roads department is considering privatising some of the province’s roads, said provincial roads MEC Jackson Mthembu on Tuesday. In his budget speech, Mthembu said discussions have been held with national and international companies interested in private public partnerships. He said one PPP option is for a private company to construct and maintain roads, at […]
ABOUT 100 people were killed when two rival Kenyan tribes fought during a cattle rustling raid in the north-western Turkana district last week, a local newspaper reported on Tuesday. The Daily Nation newspaper quoted Bishop Stephen Kewasis as saying that he counted the bullet-riddled bodies of 100 people at the scene of the fighting, which […]
GERMAN coaching instructor Peter ‘Corporal’ Ueberjahn has been widely tipped to take over the hot seat of the senior national Namibian soccer team coach now that the the contract of Seth ‘Orlando’ Boois has expired. Although acting Secretary General of the Nambian Football Association John Madimba declined to confirm the rumours, Ueberjahn is the strong […]
IN a surprise move, Guinean President Lansana Conte appointed the head of the supreme court, Lamine Sidime, as the country’s new prime minister late on Monday. Sidime replaces Sidya Toure, a technocrat named to the premiership in July 1996 to revive Guinea’s economy. News of Toure’s sacking came on the eve of a special parliamentary […]
ETHIOPIAN Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has warned African diplomats that he views Eritrea’s acceptance of a peace plan in their border dispute “with skepticism,” national television reported on Monday. Eritrea’s acceptance “lacks clarity and is open to interpretation,” Zenawi told African delegates from the Organisation for African Unity, which drew up the plan. Eritrean President […]
THE cost of international calls drops from Wednesday, when Telkom rates will drop between 1,7% and 29,3% during weekdays between 8am and 8pm. Telkom said on Monday that it has now dropped its international call charges five times in the last two years. When the cuts were first announced in late 1998, it was clear […]
THE Banking Council claims the proposed Companies Amendment Bill, which would require greater disclosure of nominee shareholders and reporting of share movements beyond certain thresholds, will be inefficient and expensive. The Trade and Industry Department believes the Bill will help contain insider trading on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Banking Council general manager Kevin Daly said […]
WALLABY wing Ben Tune, who has been sidelined with a knee injury since last season, will make his comeback for the Queensland Reds to play ACT Brumbies in their Super 12 match on Friday night. Tune played the last 15 minutes of the Reds’ match against Waikato last weekend but Friday will be his first […]
SOUTH African Breweries plc on Monday received confirmation from the London Stock Exchange that its ordinary shares will be admitted to the official list of the London Stock Exchange with effect from 9am (London time). At that time, 11am local time, SAB’s shares on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange moved to trade unconditionally.
FORMER Springbok flyhalf and centre Hennie le Roux says he will not be available to play for the Cats in their Super-12 campaign. In a move that has probably ensured he will never return to international rugby, Le Roux told Cats coach Andre Markgraaff on Monday that he will only play Currie Cup and Vodacom […]
THE head of South Africa’s bid to stage the 2006 World Cup finals says Germany are in pole position in the race to be the hosts. Irvin Khoza, chairman of the South African bid committee, said the Germans present the most formidable opposition South Africa’s bid to stage the 2006 World Cup finals. “They are […]
IN his sixth first-round knock-out this year, Wayne Ferreira went down 6-3 6-2 to Francisco Clavet in the first round of the Champions Cup in Indian Wells, California, United States, on Monday.