WEDNESDAY, 11.00AM GOLD continued its downward spiral on Tuesday, hitting a new four-and-a-half-year low of $333,60/oz at London’s morning fix, before trading a fraction up at $333,70, then slipping as low as $333,10 in late trade. Bullion prices at these levels mean that several SA mines are producing at cost or below. Deelkraal, ERPM, Evander, […]
WEDNESDAY, 11.00AM THE United States Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday gave the green light to an ambitious billion-dollar global satellite telephone network which is heavily dependent on a $350-million pledge by SA black empowerment group Vula Communications. The FCC granted Washington-based Mobile Communications Holdings Inc a licence to launch its 16 Ellipso satellites, which will […]
WEDNESDAY, 4.30PM The head of the Anglican church in SA, Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane, on Wednesday called on all church members who were involved in the perpetuation of apartheid to appear before the truth commission. The call was made in a statement by Ndungane on the Anglican Church of the Province of Southern Africa’s submission to […]
WEDNESDAY, 10.15AM: BRITISH Lions manager Fran Cotton complained of bad refereeing, stampings and a bad pitch after their game against Northern Free State on Tuesday. The Lions won 67-39. “There were two or three stampings on the head which is totally unacceptable and there were several other incidents which put our players at risk,” said […]
WEDNESDAY, 3.30PM AS sporadic artillery fire continued in the Congolese capital Brazzaville on Wednesday, France and the United States began “joint steps” to convince the warring parties to come to the negotiating table. Announcing the initiative, French foreign ministry spokesman Jacques Rummelhardt did not elaborate on the measures, but noted that the foreign ministry’s African […]
WEDESDAY, 11.30AM The department of transport on Tuesday announced the opening of tenders for the construction of the R1,2-billion N3 toll road between Heidelberg in Gauteng and Cedara in KwaZulu-Natal. Also announced were a concession contract on the R1-billion Platinum Road project to link Walvis Bay in Namibia with Maputo in Mozambique via the Trans-Kalahari […]
WEDNESDAY, 11.00AM ON the first day of relaxed exchange controls on Tuesday, in which South Africans can invest up to R200 000 offshore, only R15-million left the country, according to deputy Reserve Bank governor James Cross. The amount was far lower than even the Bank’s most optimistic scenario. Said Cross: “Should the demand for dollars […]
WEDNESDAY, 5.00PM FORMER security policeman Colonel Andre Erwee denied on Wednesday that one of his colleagues executed a wounded Umkhonto we Sizwe soldier, after interrogating him following a shootout near the Botswana border on July 10, 1986. He was testifying on the third day of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s amnesty hearing in Pietersburg. Another […]
WEDNESDAY, 9.30AM: The hard-tackling midfielder and South African international, Eric Tinkler, signed for the newly promoted English premier league soccer side Barnsley earlier this week. Tinkler, who joined Italian Series A Cagliari last year after a successful African Cup of Nations, said that to play in England is a dream come true. Barnsley paid 650 […]
WEDNESDAY, 10.30AM GROSS reserves held by the Reserve Bank in June rose only R300-million form the previous month, to R22,1-billion — well below expectations. The figures were released after Tuesday’s close of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. The day had seen the relaxation of exchange controls and a 16-month high in the bond market, based on […]
TUESDAY, 12.30PM The gold price slipped ever lower on Tuesday, hitting a four-and-a-half-year low of $224,05/oz before recovering slightly to close in London on $334,55. With real fears that bullion could fall through the $330 barrier, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange gold index fell 3% on the day, losing 29,8 points to close at 965. With […]
TUESDAY, 10.00AM AXED housing director-general Billy Cobbett has been appointed to head Cape Town’s sonn-to-be-formed housing department. Cobbett’s position as director general expired at midnight on Tuesday and it is believed he could take up his new post in days. Confirming that he had accepted the post, one of a number of job offers he […]
TUESDAY, 4.30PM JUSTICE Minister Dullah Omar has introduced a new State of Emergency Bill to Parliament, which will allow the declaration of a state of emergency in conformity with the new Constitution. In terms of the Constitution, a state of emergency may only continue for 21 days unless extended by the National Assemble, in which […]
TUESDAY, 11.00AM: THE United Cricket Board of South Africa has announced its support for the Australian proposal to allow international series matches to be played under lights. Floodlights have been used to eliminate poor visibility and to finish the overs in one-day cricket, and the rule may soon be extended to series matches, if the […]
TUESDAY, 4.30PM ZIMBABWEAN President Robert Mugabe, in his opening address to parliament, unveiled his most comprehensive plan yet to strip whites, foreign nationals and foreign companies of a total of 8,3-million hectares of land, intended for redistribution among the country’s 11,5-million black people. A tax that will make large holdings unaffordable, a “one man one […]
TUESDAY, 12.30PM THE Financial Services Board is motivating for regulation of foreign-based investment products being offered to South Africans, in an attempt to protect local investors following the lifting of exchange control regulations. Rob Barrow, the FSB’s deputy executive officer said that foreign-registered unit trusts are not regulated in SA, so much so that it […]
TUESDAY, 4.00PM PRELIMINARY results from last year’s census show that there are 37,9-million people in South Africa, the Central Statistical Service said on Tuesday. According to the CSS figures released today, 18,2-million (48%) of the total are males and 19,7-million (52%) females. KwaZulu-Natal is the most populous province with 7,7-million inhabitants (20,3% of the total), […]
TUESDAY, 11.00AM: SOUTH African Football Association general manager Dennis Mumble confirmed on Monday that Bafana Bafana will play World Cup ’98 hosts France on their home ground in Lens in October. This World Cup build-up will be South Africa’s second match on European soil. They lost to England 2-1 in May. In order for South […]
TUESDAY, 5.30PM FORMER Mozambican rebel leader Alfonso Dhlakama flew to his wartime headquarters in Maringue on Tuesday after riot police there detained three members of his Mozambique National Resistance (Renamo) during “disturbances”. “I am going to put an end to acts of intimidation on our people by riot police,” Dhlakama said before leaving. “Maringue is […]
MONDAY, 11.00AM The team of management experts drafted to investigate the transformation of the SA Tourism Board say the probe copuld result in the demise of the board, to be replaced by an efficient new national marketing structure. Satour interim executive director Michael Farr said a forensic audit has been instituted, which is likely to […]
TUESDAY, 10.30AM: KAIZER Chiefs and Orlando Pirates are frontrunners for qualification for the 12th Annual Iwisa Charity Soccer Spectacular, which is to take place at the FNB Stadium on July 19. Both teams have scored more than 10 000 votes from the people who have phoned in to support their teams. Mamelodi Sundowns and Moroka […]
TUESDAY, 12.30PM The rand fell to a five-month low against the US dollar on Monday as banks stockpiled dollars ahead of today’s relaxation of foreign exchange controls. The rand traded between R4,528 and R4,531 to the dollar on local markets, its lowest level since February 5. However, despite the tribulations of the currency, financial markets […]
TUESDAY, 12.00NOON: WITH all the South African singles Wimbledon players eliminated, hopes are high that the doubles players will fare better. In second-round matches on Monday, Chris Haggard and American partner Bill Behrens won against Pablo Albano of Argentina and Slava Dosedel of Czechoslavakia, 7-6, 6-7, 7-4. Piet Norval and Neil Broad (UK) beat Cristian […]
BOMB THREAT THE African National Congress’s Shell House headquarters in Johannesburg received a bomb threat on Monday night. The police searched the building but nothing was found. The entire block was cordoned off overnight SAMWU STRIKE ALMOST 80% of all municipal workers in Greater Johannesburg took part in a strike by the South African Municipal […]
TUESDAY, 5.30PM NORTHERN Province Premier Ngoako Ramatlhodi axed several prominent members of his executive committee in a reshuffle announced in Pietersburg on Tuesday. In a widely expected move following a series of administrative crises surrounding exams, schools and teacher appointments, education MEC Dr Aaron Motsoaledi makes way for former health MEC Dr Joe Phaahla. Phaahla’s […]
MONDAY, 11.15AM: LEONARD CHEUNE retained the presidency of Athletics South Africa (ASA) at the national body’s annual meeting at Esselen Park on Saturday. This was after the Western Province Athletics boss, Alex Marshall, withdrew his nomination for president and vice-president, leaving Cheune unopposed for the top position. The Gauteng North chairman, Stix Stiglingh, won the […]
MONDAY, 9.00AM: SOUTH African rugby has hit a crisis of confidence with Saturday’s 18-15 defeat of the Springboks to the touring British Lions. Despite an inspired performance, the Boks lost the game and, with it, the series because of the lack of a consistent goal kicker. Meanwhile, flanker Ruben Kruger is ruled out of further […]
MONDAY, 10.30AM SOUTH Africa may acquire two Ukrainian-built floating hotels for use as prison boats, following a personal inspection of the vessels by Correctional Services Minister Sipo Mzimela. The vessels will cost about R5-million each, with afurther R2-million required to transport them to SA and an additional R40-million to convert them into prisons, making them […]
BIG FREEZE TEMPERATURES plummeted across the country overnight as a new cold front swept inland, with daytime temperatures not expected to top 12 degrees C. Snow is falling in the Western Cape mountains and in Lesotho and the eastern Free State. Meanwhile, President Nelson Mandela and Welfare Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi will on Monday visit flood-hit […]
MONDAY, 10.15AM: SOUTH AFRICAN golfer Retief Goosen set a new record and stormed his way to a win at the French Open golf tournament in Paris on Sunday. Despite heavy rain falling over the weekend, Goosen finished with a 17-under-par 271. Jamie Spence came out of nowhere to take second place, and a disappointed Martin […]
MONDAY, 11.00AM THE Central Statistical Service said at the weekend that the SA economy lost 71 000 jobs last year in the non-agricultural formal sector, in a blow to government’s hopes of creating 126 000 jobs. Government’s growth, employment and redistribution strategy (Gear) projected 126 000 jobs would be created last year, with a further […]
MONDAY, 9.30AM A GROUP of 135 members of the Federated Long Distance Taxi Association was arrested at Bushbuckridge on Sunday morning, charged with public violence, theft and assault. The drivers will appear in the local magistrates’ court on Monday morning. They were arrested after preventing taxis from the rival SA Long Distance Taxi Association form […]