Mungo Soggot The government has snapped into action=20 over the potentially disastrous drought=20 effects on the economy of El Ni=A4o. Several government departments are=20 contributing to a Cabinet memorandum on the=20 climatic phenomenon in an initiative driven=20 by Constitutional Affairs Minister Valli=20 Moosa, who chairs a Cabinet committee to=20 handle disasters. According to the Director=20 […]
Madeleine Wackernagel Hard on the heels of the successful Ikageng public share offer by Johnnic comes one from African Harvest, which is listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange on October 1. Says African Harvest chair Mashudu Ramano: “This issue doesn’t compare in size, or price, but through our alliance with the National Empowerment Corporation [NE […]
A mega-project to transform the city Will winning the bid transform or destroy=20 Cape Town? That is the burning question as=20 the city awaits the announcement on=20 September 5 John Young Supporters of Cape Town’s Olympic Bid say=20 the city will be unrecognisable in 2004 if=20 it hosts the games. They insist there will=20 be […]
Janet Smith South African children watch very little=20 children’s TV, and one of the most=20 important reasons for this could be that=20 most South African children are not home=20 and free to watch television until after=20 supper. When superb productions like the specially- packaged import Open Sesame (now broadcast=20 in Zulu and Sesotho) and the […]
Andy Duffy Government’s drive to transform education is going off the rails in the provinces. Provincial audit reports show many provinces don’t know many teachers they employ, and lack the money, the will or the expertise to implement new education policies. The report represents a further blow to Education Minister Sibusiso Bengu’s transformation initiatives. Not […]
FRIDAY, 11.00AM: LATEST economic data released on Thursday evening by the Reserve Bank are likely to be taken as good news by Bank governor Chris Stals. Despite an apparent rise in inflation in July, growth in the extension private domestic credit dropped sharply to 14,78% year-on-year, from 16,39% in June. M3 money supply growth rose […]
THURSDAY, 5.30PM NEW Movement Process leader Roelf Meyer on Thursday said he intends giving the Truth and Reconciliation Commission details about the national security management system under the previous government. “The information could be vital for the commission,” he told reporters in Pretoria. Meyer is one of several former cabinet members asked to testify before […]
THURSDAY, 8.00AM THE LEADING candidate for the vacant post of National Party leader, Wstern Cape Premier Hernus Kriel, announced on Wednesday he will not stand because he is “of the same era” as predecessor FW De Klerk and a younger leader is required. There was also continued talk yesterday that the National Party might return […]
THURSDAY, 4.00PM POLICE rushed reinforcements to the Richmond area in KwaZulu-Natal on Thursday after a group of youths was attacked on Wednesday night. After the attack, gunfire was heard throughout the area until Thursday morning. Police and army sources said gunfire was heard early on Thursday morning in Isimozomeni, where five African National Congress members, […]
THURSDAY, 12.30PM: FREE State rugby selectors have made two changes to the team to play against Natal in a Bankfin Currie Cup match at Kings Park Stadium in Durban on Sunday. Os du Randt, who did duty for the Springbok,takes over as lossehead prop and MJ Smith has recovered from an injury and will play […]
Foreign Minister Ali Alatas on Thursday declined an offer from South African President Nelson Mandela to host talks between East Timorese factions.
BALLOT TO CHOOSE PREMIER OUTGOING Gauteng Premier Tokyo Sexwale, who is retiring in January, said on Thursday that the election of a new premier will now be put to a party ballot. The African National Conmgress has been unable to select a replacement because of disagreement within the party over the two candidates, Advocate Mathole […]
THURSDAY, 12.30PM: OLYMPIC double gold medallist Penny Heyns clocked 2min 32,13sec and finished fourth in the 200m breaststroke final at the World Student Games in Sicily, Italy on Wednesday. Masami Tanaka of Japan won the race in 2min 30,24sec. Heyns qualified for the final after winning her heat in 2min 31,98sec earlier in the day.”Personally […]
THURSDAY, 4.00PM: BUSINESS in South Africa is losing out on millions of dollars in World Bank-financed projects because SA companies are not taking full advantage of opportunities on offer, the World Bank’s resident representative in South Africa, Judith Edstrom, said on Wednesday. Speaking at a briefing session at the Port Elizabeth Regional Chamber of Commerce […]
THURSDAY, 12.00NOON: ACCORDING to the latest consumer price index published by the Central Statistical Service, the inflation rate in July increased by 0,3 percentage points to an annualised 9,1%. The major causes of the increase are food and housing, mainly due to a 15% increase in the price index for assessment rates and a 13,4% […]
WEDNESDAY, 11.00AM: THE SA Telecommunications Regulatory Authority has sent a letter to the SA Callback Association and 10 callback operators saying it will not initiate criminal prosecutions pending the outcome of a high court decision on the legality of the services. The letter has been taken by callback operators to mean that the September 1 […]
WEDNESDAY, 12.00NOON: DESPITE sliding into the red on the back of decreased iron ore exports, production problems at its Vanderbijlpark plant and continuing losses at its Pretoria works, Iscor has beaten market expectations by reporting headline earnings of R384-million, or 15,2c a share, for the year ending June 30. The previous year’s 25c a share […]
THURSDAY, 12.30PM: FOUR South Africans — Wayne Ferriera, Joanette Kruger, Grant Stafford and Amanda Coetzer — advanced to the third round of the US Open in New York on Wednesday. Ferriera, who is ranked 55, outclassed 26th-rated Alberto Berasategui of Spain 6-7 2-6 6-3 6-1 6-3. “I’m grateful to win. Five sets make you realize […]
THURSDAY, 12.30PM: TWO goals by Bafana Bafana midfielder Clinton Larsen and one by striker Simon Makhubela helped Manning Rangers maintain their unbeaten record this season. Rangers beat Orlando Pirates 3-2 in their Premier Soccer League match played in front of 25 000 spectators at Chatsworth Stadium in Durban on Wednesday. Larsen opened the score for […]
WEDNESDAY, 1.30PM: BAFANA BAFANA coach Clive Barker said on Tuesday he will meet with the South African Football Association (Safa) next week to discuss his future as the national coach. Before the Congo match, Barker said he would not necessarily remain as coach after the team had qualified for the World Cup finals in France. […]
WEDNESDAY, 1.30PM: SOUTH African Rugby Football Union CEO Rian Oberholzer and four principal rugby sponsors — M-Net, Bankfin, Winfield and Vodacom — met at Ellis Park Stadium on Tuesday, following claims of lack of transparency on the part of the union. The meeting was called after the sponsors delivered a letter to Sarfu president Louis […]
WEDNESDAY, 1.30PM: WESTERN Province will be without Springbok wing James Small because of flu, but Percival Montgomery and Pieter Rossouw are in the team to face Mpumalanga Pumas in a Bankfin Currie Cup match at Newlands on Saturday. Meanwhile, Chaka Willemse is back in the Mpumalanga Pumas team to travel to Cape Town for their […]
WEDNESDAY, 6.00PM: SHARES on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange had a mixed day on Wednesday, with industrials boosted by selective buying while gold shares sat in the doldrums of minimal demand. Overall trade was thin, with institutions buying selectively in a search for bargains setting a solid foundation for the day’s trade, but most traders were […]
WEDNESDAY, 1.30PM: OLYMPIC silver medallist Hezekiel Sepeng ran his slowest time of 1min 52,66 to advance to the semifinals at the World Students Games in Sicily, Italy on Tuesday. Sepeng, who came from second last to win the the race, said the race was easy and he didn’t work hard. “I thought I mustn’t bump […]
WEDNESDAY, 4.00PM THE Truth and Reconciliation Commission will within the week press criminal charges against three former Civil Co-operation Bureau (CCB) operatives who refused to co-operate with its investigative unit, TRC acting deputy chairman Dumisa Ntsebeza said on Wednesday. CCB managing director Joe Verster, operative Abraham “Slang” Van Zyl and regional director Wouter Basson, appeared […]
WEDNESDAY, 1.30PM: M-NET on Tuesday announced the acquisition of exclusive television rights of all international rugby matches played in England including the Five Nations tournament and the World Cup in Wales. But SABC viewers are not likely to be left in the cold as negotiations with M-Net are at an advanced stage. “In fact, we […]
TUESDAY, 6.00PM: RESERVE Bank governor Chris Stals, in his annual address on Tuesday to the bank’s board, scotched hopes of an early cut in interest rates, stressing the need for financial caution in the months ahead. “In the present situation, the Reserve Bank feels that a cautious monetary policy remains justified,” Stals said. He said […]
WEDNESDAY, 1.30PM: NAMIBIAN Frankie Fredericks won the 100m race with an event-record time of 9,99sec and a share in the 20kg gold at the IAAF Berlin Grand Prix meeting on Tuesday. Fredericks surged in the final meters and powered past world record holder Donovan Bailey of Canada, who shared the second spot with Tim Montgomery […]
WEDNESDAY, 1.30PM: THE Premier Soccer League (PSL) received a massive boost on Tuesday when BP announced a sponsorhip deal worth R4,5-million for the next three years. The company will contribute R1,25-million this yaer, with the amount escalating by 10% each year. BP were the sponsors of the BP Top Eight Cup for the past 25 […]
WEDNESDAY, 12.00NOON: GENCOR, in its last results as a unified company, has psoted a 41% rise inheadline earnings to R2,1-billion in the year to June. The results come off strong performances from the group’s platinum, coal, aluminium and titanium operations, with the only counter being a slump in earnings at the group’s steel and ferralloys […]
WEDNESDAY, 3.30PM NATIONAL Party executive director Marthinus van Schalkwyk, 37, has confirmed his candidature for the race to succeed FW de Klerk as party leader, the only confirmation thus far, according to a NP source. Other contenders, including Western Cape Premier and provincial NP leader Hernus Kriel, 55, have still to officially announce their candidature. […]
WEDNESDAY, 1.00PM THE United Staes government has sent representatives of four federal law enforcement agencies to SA in a bid to improve co-operation in the fight against international crime syndicates and to help in local police training programmes. The four agents represent the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Agency, the US Customs Service […]