WEDNESDAY, 8.30AM ECONOMISTS were delighted by April’s producer inflation rates from the Central Statistical Services, the first in months to show a sharp decline. April’s inflation rate was 8,8%, against 9,6% in March. A key factor was the drop in world crude oil prices which brought the imported commodities component of the Producer Price Inflation […]
WEDNESDAY, 11.00AM: THE South African Springbok side broke their 1995 record winning score of 60-8 against Samoa when they trounced Tonga 74-10 in their one-off Test at Newlands in Cape Town on Tuesday night. South Africa ploughed through the Tongans right from the start, notching up 12 points in the first eight minutes, and finishing […]
MONDAY, 1.30PM THE National Assembly’s welfare committee on Wednesday unanimously agreed that the welfare department’s controversial proposals for child support benefits of R75 a month per child with an age limit of six years are inadequate, committee chairman Ismail Mohamed said on Wednesday. Mohamed said it appeared that all parties broadly agreed on several aspects […]
WEDNESDAY, 2.30PM THE National Party is to press ahead with its plan to take the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to court for a ruling on its accusations that the TRC has has been biased in its dealings with the party, NP justice representative Sheila Camerer said on Tuesday. Camerer’s statement comes in the wake of […]
WEDNESDAY, 8.30AM THE SA Telecommunications Regulatory Authority has begun its long-awaited hearings on the claims by parastatal Telkom to a five year monopoly over basic Internet access provision. Chariman Nape Maepa said the hearings are likely to take as long as three months, at the end of which, a regulatory framework would be set up. […]
WEDNESDAY, 4.30PM NINETY percent of SA minibus taxi associations have applied for registration, a sign that attempts to regulate the chaotic industry are on track, Transport Minister Mac Maharaj said on Wednesday. Illegal taxi operators, estimated to comprise half the industry, have until October 31 to register. Maharaj said the registration process has already placed […]
TUESDAY, 11.30AM: THE South African Rugby Football Union on Monday announced the Emerging Springbok team to play the British Lions in Wellington on June 17. The side, made up of the strongest young players from the provinces, will begin training on Sunday in Cape Town. Emerging Springboks: MJ Smith, Keon Kayser, Percy Montgomery, McNeil Hendricks, […]
TUESDAY, 11.30AM JOHNNIC’s Ikageng share scheme, involving a R600-million offer of 9,1-million shares in the industrial holding group to “previously disadvantaged” small investors, was 3,5 times oversubscribed, Ikageneg scheme chairman Hazel Ralefeta said on Monday. Launched by the National Empowerment Consortium, Johnnic’s new black controllers, in April, the Ikageng scheme raised R190-million before its close […]
TUESDAY, 11.30AM: THE South African men’s hockey team drew 3-3 with Italy in their international match at the Trefontane Stadium in Rome on Monday. The South Africans started off strongly, scoring two goals in the first quarter — one from Greg Nicol in the 10th minute, and the next from Mike Cullen three minutes later. […]
TUESDAY, 8.00AM FRANCE, which failed so dismally to intervene in the dying days of Zaire, proved yesterday that it is still a power in Francophone Africa by mediating a ceasefire between the Congolese army and the private militia of a former president. French officials announced on Monday night that President Jacques Chirac has extracted agreements […]
TUESDAY, 4.00PM SIERRA Leone’s new military leaders, led by Major Johnny Paul Koroma, have offered to relinquish power on payment of an undisclosed sum of money, the country’s ambassador to the United Nations said on Tuesday. However, a junta representative has dismissed the claim as a “blatant lie” and an attempt “to confuse people”. The […]
TUESDAY, 11.00AM: THE National Sports Council has retracted the statement it made on Sunday criticising the draft Sport and Recreation Bill as unconstitutional. The Council said on Monday the Bill has its support in principle, but the way in which it has been drafted is unacceptable. NSC president Mluleki George said the council’s executive committee […]
TUESDAY, 11.30AM JOHANNESBURG Consolidated Investments on Monday psotponed for the third time retrenchments at its Randfontein Estate Gold Mine to allow the National Union of Mineworkers time to complete a report on the proposed axing of 4 100 jobs. At the same time as it announced the new postponement, the company warned the NUM that […]
TUESDAY, 11.00AM: THE British Lions rugby team has lost yet another player to injury; Scott Quinnell flew home on Monday with a strained groin muscle. Quinnell is the third player to leave South Africa within 10 days, close on the heels of lock Doddie Weir and flyhalf Paul Grayson. Grayson has a hip injury and […]
TUESDAY, 11.30AM THE United States commerce department has made a preliminary finding that Iscor and Highveld Steel have been dumping steel plate in the US market by charging domestic consumers more than US importers. The department imposed duties of 31% and 16% respectively against Iscor and Hiveld to reflect the differences between domestic and US […]
TUESDAY, 5.30PM LESOTHO opposition parties on Tuesday called for strikes and a civil disobedience campaign in protest at what they call the coup by Prime Minister Ntsu Mokhehle. “We are going to make Lesotho ungovernable and the parliament unworkable,” said opposition leader Tseliso Makhakhe, who is a deputy and president of the ruling Basotho Congress […]
ECSTASY CHARGE DROPPED A CHARGE of possession of the designer drug ecstasy against Dr Johannes Koekemoer, 54, was withdrawn in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court last week. Koekemoer was arrested in February, allegedly in possession of 56 ecstasy tablets. The charge was apparently withdrawn at the request of the attorney-general. Koekemoer was arrested during police follow-up […]
TUESDAY, 10.30AM THE Reserve Bank on Monday waived the requirement for a tax certificate by individuals wishing to move funds into offshore investments. Continuing to set the scene for a general relaxation in exchange controls, Bank exchange control GM Eric Pike confirmed that individuals will now no longer be required to present a tax certificate […]
TUESDAY, 10.30AM The rand weakened to over R4,50 to the dollar on Monday, nearly 2c down on Friday’s close and its lowest level since February 5. The poressure on the local currency comes amid jitters causee by the imminent relaxation of foreign exchange controls. Market analysts believe the rand’s move above R4,50/dollar could see it […]
TUESDAY, 11.30AM SOUTH African Airways, the star Transnet subsidiary up for privatisation, has liabilites totalling R6-billion, and may even be technically insolvent, with liabilities exceeding assets by R600-million, which will get in the way of any potential privatisation of the state airline. SAA holding company parastatal Transnet has a R17-billion pension fund deficit, which may […]
MONDAY, 1.30PM THE 10th annual conference of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (Cites) kicks off in Harare on Monday, with the call by Botswana, Zimbabwe and Namibia for a limited resumption in the international ivory trade expected to dominate proceedings. For the next 10 days, representatives from 136 […]
MONDAY, 12.00NOON FIGHTING has broken out in the Congo capital of Brazzaville between armed supporters of former president Denis Sassou Nguesso and the army. Nguesso’s heavily armed supporters are reported to have taken control of the centre of he capital and surrounded key government offices. Hundreds are believed to have been killed in bitter fighting. […]
MONDAY, 2.00PM: THE National Sports Council has criticised the new draft Sports Bill, saying it will detract from the current autonomy of sporting bodies in South Africa. The draft Bill, if passed, will give the Department of Sport effective control over all sport, and proposes to establish 30 statutory national and provincial bodies to monitor […]
MONDAY, 11.00AM: THE British Lions suffered their first tour defeat on Sunday when Northern Transvaal beat them 35-30 at Loftus Versfeld stadium in Pretoria. The Blue Bulls, made up of young players, didn’t have to work very hard for their victory, as the Lions defence was weak in the first half. Lions coach Ian McGeecham […]
MONDAY, 10.30AM The rate on three-month treasury bills dropped 20 basis points at Friday’s weekly auction, from 15,64% to 15,46%, a sure sign of market expectations of an imminent drop in long-term interest rates. The bills are bought by commercial banks at a weekly Reserve Bank auction. The Reserve Bank pays the bills back with […]
MONDAY, 9.00AM: BAFANA BAFANA have one foot in France, after their 3-0 drubbing of Zambia in the World Cup qualifier before a crowd of 61 000 at the FNB stadium on Sunday. South Africa’s convincing three-goal victory will take them up against Congo on August 16 in their last qualifier before the World Cup in […]
MONDAY, 12.00NOON SIERRA LEONE rebels have won back the airport from Nigerian troops, preventing an air strike against them. The Nigerians have dithered over their promised attack against Freetown, allowing the rebels to strengthen their position. The rebels claim to have captured two Nigerian officers who had landed with a cargo of machine gun shells […]
MONDAY, 8.00AM THE African National Congress is believed to have offered Inkatha leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi a more senior cabinet post — probably the second deputy presidency vacated by FW De Klerk — in return for his stepping down as chairman of the KwaZulu Natal house of traditional leaders. An exploratory ANC document released to the […]
MONDAY, 11.30AM A THIRD licence to operate a cellular telephone network will be issued before year’s end, SA Telecommunications Regulatory Authority chairman Nape Maepa said at the weekend. “There is no reason to wait. The licence hs been on the cards since 1993,” he said. Satra last week announced it was appointing a consulting team […]
MONDAY, 11.00AM: THE South African Protea women’s netball team beat the Australian Institute of Sports 60-54 in Perth on Saturday, in their last match before they face the World Champions Australia in the third and final Test match on Wednesday. Team manager Lorraine Lewis said: “The team played a more relaxed game. It has given […]
MONDAY, 10.30AM FOLLOWING last week’s successful Samurai bond offer, Finance Minister Trevor Manuel and his team will jet off to New York next week on a roadshow to launch a $500-million 20-year Yankee bond issue aimed at further boosting SA’s foreign exchange reserves ahead of lifting forex controls. Meanwhile, the Reserve Bank is expected to […]
IS JOHN VORSTER STILL A SQUARE? The largest police station in Gauteng, John Vorster Square, held public hearings on a name change for the station on Monday. Members of the Johannesburg CBD community policing forum and various police unions submitted suggestions. Police spokesman Inspector Riaan Prinsloo said: “The change is happening because it was the […]