THURSDAY, 3.30PM AN African National Congress security guard on Thursday told the Shell House inquest that he heard one of his colleagues firing an AK-47 rifle at a crowd of advancing marchers after their commander gave an order to open fire. The Johannesburg High Court inquest, presided over by Judge Robert Nugent, is probing the […]
WEDNESDAY, 1.00PM THE Democratic Republic of the Congo’s national radio station has announced a ban on meetings by political parties, public protests and any public meetings. The ban, similar to those Laurent Kabila imposed in areas under his control during the civil war, is for an indefinite period. Opposition political parties, which have planned marches […]
WEDNESDAY, 9.00AM PARLIAMENT’S finance committee has thrown out Trevor Manuel’s proposed changes to the tax on housing benefits — because it could hurt low and middle income earners who would lose an estimated 20% of their net income. The amendment was proposed to close a widely abused loophole, but critics have warned that it imposes […]
WEDNESDAY, 3.00PM IN continuing testimony before the inquest into the deaths of 19 people during an Inkatha march in March 1994, the Johannesburg High Court on Wednesday heard that the number of staff guarding the African National Congress’s Shell House headquarters was doubled and additional firearms issued after promised police reinforcements failed to arrive. Shell […]
WEDNESDAY, 2.30PM PARLIAMENT’S finance committee on Wednesday recommended that Public Protector Selby Baqwa investigate financial irregulairites in the Independent Broadcasting Authority with a view to possible prosecutions. In its report on the auditor general’s special investigation of the IBA, the committee added that hotel costs and daily allowances paid to councillors when they stayed in […]
WEDNESDAY, 10.30AM GOVERNMENT has received non-binding offers from the four preferred bidders for a 100% stake in parastatal Sun Air ranging from R60-million to R120-million. Rethabile-Comair, a wholly black-owned consortium supported by Comair leads the race with the highest bid of R120-million, while Malaysia Airlines, which has no black empowerment partner and may not make […]
WEDNESDAY, 10.00AM TRADE and Industry Minister Alec Erwin has given Hyundai Motor Company’s Botswana assembly plant 48 months to comply with local content regulations or face tough action. Erwin said action would be taken, even though it would likely cause “a major clash between the SA and Botswana governments”. “In the short term, certain actions […]
WEDNESDAY, 11.30AM AN American trade delegation visting South Africa has warned parliament that US pharmaceutical companies will freeze investment in SA over planned legislation to cut the cost of drugs to consumers by relaxing restrictions on generic medicines. The Medicines and Related Substances Control Amendment Bill aims to encourage the use of cheaper generic drugs […]
WEDNESDAY, 11.00AM: BAFANA BAFANA management have added seven players and an injured Gavin Lane to the 23-man squad that faced England last weekend, in preparation for the upcoming matches against Holland and Zambia. Kaizer Chiefs’ Mark Williams and Thabo Mooki, and former Chiefs striker Pollen Ndlanya have been named along with Orlando Pirates player Brendon […]
WEDNESDAY, 11.30AM TENSIONS are running high at the Amandebult section of the Amplats mine near Rustenburg, where 5 000 workers have been on strike since Monday, and and four people, including a manager, are under investigation for torture. There have been repeated clashes between the National Union of Mineworkers and a populist faction called the […]
Two South Africans held by Zimbabwean police on suspicion an assassination attempt of Mandela were innocent, sources say.
TUESDAY, 9.30AM NEW JCI chairman Mzi Khumalo faces his toughest test yet, with the probable decision to retrench thousands of workers at Randfontein Estates, after the mine posted a R2,9-million loss in the first quarter of this year. A company spokesman agreed that “downsizing” talks have been held with the National Union of Mineworkers for […]
TUESDAY, 8.00AM NEW AGE Beverages, the troubled local Pepsi bottler, halted production yesterday, and refused to allow workers into the plant. Workers, who gathered around the gates, were told to come back on Wednesday. They have been paid until the end of May. (See below) Shares in Standard Bank Investments, which financed the Pepsi bottler, […]
TUESDAY, 12.00NOON: SOUTH AFRICAN cyclists Garen Bloch and Jean Pierre van Zyl both won bronze medals at the World Cup qualifying event at Cali in Colombia at the weekend. Bloch came third in the points race, and Van Zyl did the same in the Kierin race. Bloch also set a new South African record when […]
TUESDAY, 12.00NOON: TENNIS star Amanda Coetzer of South Africa continued in top form on Monday, the opening day of the French Open in Paris. Coetzer played to an easy victory over Italian Rita Grande in their women’s singles first round match, beating her 6-4, 6-0. Fellow South African Joannette Kruger had a dismal first round […]
TUESDAY, 11.00AM: IAN WOOSNAM stayed ahead of the pack and won the British Volvo PGA golf tournament in Wentworth on Monday, with 275. Ernie Els of South Africa put in a brave effort, jumping up the ranking in the last rounds to finish second with 277, together with Nick Faldo and Darren Clarke. Colin Montgomerie, […]
MONDAY, 10.30AM BUSINESS Map consultants said yesterday that foreign direct investment commitments since the 1994 democratic elections have surpassed R31,6-billion. The business intelligence consultants made the statement on the eve of the release of its 1997 SA Investment Report, which will show that foreign direct investment commitments for the first four months of this year […]
TUESDAY, 3.30PM PRESIDENT Nelson Mandela on Tuesday said it would be suicidal for Laurent Kabila, the self-proclaimed president of the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), to allow free political activity before he had a firm grip on the country’s government. Speaking after talks with Kabila ally Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, who is in SA […]
TUESDAY, 10.30AM TRANSPORT Minister Mac Maharaj on Monday announced a five-year plan to upgrade SA’s international airports, at a cost of R1,2-billion. The money is to be spent on transforming major airports and developing dormant land around SA airports. Maharaj also announced that no fewer than eight international airport authorities had shown an interest in […]
TV CHIEF QUITS JILL CHISHOLM, cheif executive of SABC television, will leave in June when her two year contract expires. Chisholm said she had never intended staying at the SABC longer than two years, and would continue to assist as a consultant. NEW NATION CLOSES NEW NATION newspaper will publish its last edition on Friday, […]
MONDAY, 8.00AM MPUMALANGA Premier Mathews Phosa moved swiftly on Saturday, firing safety and security MEC Steve Mabona and suspending traffic director Henry Brazer and departmental head Stanley Soko. The three men were blamed by chief magistrate Heinrich Moldenhauer for corruption within the traffic department that allowed the widescale issue of fake drivers’ licences. Phosa, who […]
MONDAY, 8.00AM POLICE CHIEF George Fivaz has been quick to welcome the weekend appointment of SA Breweries boss Meyer Kahn as chief executive of the SA Police. Fivaz said he hoped Kahn would fight for better status, salaries and working conditions for police, and leave him to get on with crime fighting. Deputy President Thabo […]
MONDAY, 11.30AM: MOROKA SWALLOWS and Real Rovers played to a goalless draw in their Castle Premier Soccer League match at the Rand Stadium in Johannesburg on Sunday. Rovers face being relegated if they do not boost their performance soon. Kaizer Chiefs and Qwa Qwa Stars called off their match, after rain left the Free State […]
MONDAY, 8.00AM JUNIOR soldiers in the Sierra Leone army have staged a coup, calling on senior officers and government officials to report to the military barracks. The rebels, whose spokesman is a corporal, say that president Ahmed Kabbah has fled the country. The coup was sparked by rivalry between soldiers and a paramilitary group called […]
MONDAY, 8.00AM HOUSING director general Billy Cobbett, who denies that he has resigned, will report to work as usual this morning — to find out whether he still has a job. On Friday, the Mail&Guardian reported that Cobbett had been fired after asking the auditor general to investigate the award of the R185-million Mpumalanga Housing […]
MONDAY, 4.00PM The national executive committee of the Pan Africanist Congress on Saturday upheld a party discplinary tribunal’s decision to expel former party leader Clarence Makwetu for three years. PAC president Bishop Stanley Mogoba said: “After almost four hours of deliberations on the disciplinary committee’s verdict, the NEC endorsed Mr Makwetu’s expulsion from the party […]
MONDAY, 10.30AM The growth in the small car market, corporate income constraints and changes top fringe benefits taxes have hit the super-luxury end of the new car market, with last year’s sales nearly half of 1995’s figures. While 1995 sales in the category totalled 1 504, last year only 872 units were sold. And the […]
MONDAY, 1.00PM: AUCKLAND trampled over the Natal Sharks in their Super 12 semifinal clash in Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday, winning 55-36. It was a thorough victory, with Auckland dominating the field all the way through, leading with 45-5 at one point. Sharks coach Ian McIntosh said Natal was responsible for the loss, making […]
MONDAY, 11.00AM: THE British Lions began their South African tour in style with a 39-11 win over Eastern Province XV in Port Elizabeth on Saturday, but not without a fight. The Lions played hard and fast rugby, with skilful tries in the first half four, but then EP fought back to an 11-10 lead and […]
MONDAY, 10.00AM NEW Age Baverages, the local Pepsi bottler which last week applied for voluntary liquidation after Pepsico US refused a guarantee a bank lifeline, owed creditors more than R419-million at the end of April, the Witwatersrand High Court heard on Friday. Major creditors are Standard Merchant Bank, where NAB held a R195-million overdraft, which […]
MONDAY, 11.30AM: ERNIE ELS is homing in on the leader Ian Woosnam in the Volvo PGA championships at Wentworth, North Carolina, after finishing with a 67 in the third round on Sunday. Woosnam carded 70, bringing his total to 205, and Darren Clarke kept close on his heels with a total of 206. Els is […]
MONDAY, 10.00AM: A CONTROVERSIAL goal by English striker Ian Wright gave England the match on Saturday, in the clash against Bafana Bafana at Manchester’s Old Trafford. Wright admitted afterwards to touching the ball before it went through the posts 16 minutes before the end of play, but the referee passed it, and England won the […]