Breastfeeding is not detrimental to the health of HIV-positive mothers, according to a study published in the latest edition of <i>Aids</i>.
Prince Yormie Johnson, a former rebel leader, has returned to Liberia from nearly 12 years of exile in Nigeria to carve out a new career for himself in civilian politics. The former army officer has warned Liberia’s transitional government against setting up a war crimes tribunal.
South African mobile communications group Vodacom, in which Telkom has a 50% stake, has signed a five-year management egreement with Econet Wireless Nigeria. Econet Wireless Nigeria will start trading under the Vodacom brand with immediate effect and the Vodacom Group will provide several additional group services.
As the national roadshow by the Information, Communications and Technology (ICT) Charter working group draws to a close, the group has started collating public comments received so far before drawing up a final draft. In Johannesburg in early May, the group will host a "consolidation of information event".
South African investors remain wary of equities, even though the share market has rebounded strongly after its last slide bottomed out a year ago, unit trust company Stanlib said in a statement on Thursday. Stanlib reached this conclusion after its regular face-to-face sessions with investment advisers nationwide.
<img src="http://www.mg.co.za/ContentImages/41909/10-X-Logo.gif" align=left>Inkatha Freedom Party leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi has blamed the South African Communist Party (SACP) and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) for the "dramatic increase" in unemployment. He says Cosatu and the SACP blocked government efforts that would have improved the situation.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3_fl2.asp?o=40922">Special Report: Elections 2004</a>
If South Africa develops into a one-party state, democracy will be eroded, rendering futile the incalculable energy, sacrifice and effort expended to realise a democratic society. But just what is the basis of this gloomy doomsday scenario? To what extent should South Africans fear an ANC majority?
Ten years ago today things were touch and go for the country and for the election that would deliver the new South Africa. Democracy almost did not dawn, but with a little Chinese maths and a whole lot of political will South Africa muddled through. It’s a different world now.
The US has approved the use of oral fluid samples with a rapid HIV test kit that provides screening results with more than 99% accuracy.
Nedbank, a wholly owned subsidiary of Nedcor, on Wednesday reported a headline loss per share of R36,29 for the year ended December compared with a profit of R15,21 the previous year. This was on the back of an attributable loss of almost R1,8-billion from a previous profit of R969-million.
The remake of <i>Dawn of the Dead</i>, Goths on film, creative decorating with Post It Notes, the How Liberal Are You? test, Disney Urban legends and innovative ways to stash your cash … Sharp-tongued Ian Fraser trawls the web to bring you the creative and the crazy.
Financial and risk services provider Alexander Forbes has been awarded a BBB rating by independent economic empowerment rating agency EmpowerDEX. A triple-B rating denotes that it is a satisfactory broad-based black economic empowerment (BEE) contributor with an unrestricted operational capacity.
There were 189 black economic empowerment (BEE) deals totalling R42,2-billion in South Africa in 2003, compared with 104 deals during 2002 totalling R12,4-billion. This is according to Ernst & Young’s 13th annual <i>Mergers & Acquisitions</i> book released on Tuesday.
Zimbabwean electoral officials on Monday said a by-election that was marred by violence, intimidation, vote buying and rigging at the weekend had been won by President Robert Mugabe’s ruling party. The weekend election was marred by violent clashes culminating in the shooting dead of an opposition supporter.
Former security policeman Gideon Nieuwoudt on Tuesday faces interrogation by Advocate Kessie Naidu, the man who had South Africans glued to their television screens as leader of evidence in the recent Hefer commission hearings. Naidu was appointed at short notice to replace advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?ao=33347">Nieuwoudt mum on ‘interrogation'</a>
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/pd.asp?ao=33337">Nieuwoudt sorry for saying ‘terrorist'</a>
With the way technology is advancing towards all-in-one devices these days, I won’t be surprised if the next cellphone that lands on my desk is a phone-cum-camera-cum-lipstick-holder-cum-golf tee-cum-eyebrow plucker. But in the mean time, the Nokia 6 600, a nifty little triband phone, will suffice. There are all the standard Nokia features we’re accustomed to — and much more.
<img src="http://www.mg.co.za/ContentImages/41909/10-X-Logo.gif" align=left>The African National Congress is demanding a public apology from the <i>City Press</i> newspaper following what the party calls "false" reporting of its campaigning in Ulundi, KwaZulu-Natal, at the weekend. The ANC said the newspaper had reported that the ANC campaign there had "ended in disarray".
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3_fl2.asp?o=40922">Special Report: Elections 2004</a>
Global steel prices remained very strong in the first quarter of 2004 with the CRU international steel price index average for the March 2004 quarter having increased by 30% from the December 2003 quarter, South African steel producer Iscor said on Monday.
Former security policeman Gideon Nieuwoudt apologised on Monday for using the word "terrorist" to describe trained guerrillas who infiltrated apartheid-era South Africa. His application for amnesty for the 1989 car bomb murders of three black colleagues and an informer at Motherwell is being heard afresh in Port Elizabeth.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/pd.asp?ao=33325">Motherwell bombing hearings resume</a>
Anglo American’s sale of its 20% stake in Gold Fields was the story of the day on the JSE Securities Exchange South Africa (JSE) just before midday on Monday, giving impetus to the rand, which dragged the overall market lower. Volumes were impressive with more than R8-billion-worth of shares changing hands.
Global resources group Anglo American announced on Monday it has sold it 20% stake in South African gold miner Gold Fields to MMC Norilsk Nickel, through its wholly owned subsidiary Norimet, for R7,631-billion, or approximately $1,16-billion.
Gauteng wants to be a smart province, like Dubai, and Blue IQ wants to spur "smart" industry in Gauteng, along Dubai lines. The aim, according to Pradeep Maharaj, Blue IQ CEO, is to move the province away from its reliance on mining into a "hub" for tourism and high-value manufacturing. But the Dubai model is misleading.
The election race, such as it is, is on. Posters swinging from the lamp-posts in the major urban areas tell us more or less where everyone is at. “Whites unite: don’t vote,” says the Herstigte Nasionale Party. “Sê nee vir die ANC,” says another. “South Africa deserves better,” says the Democratic Alliance.
<img src="http://www.mg.co.za/ContentImages/41909/10-X-Logo.gif" align=left>President Thabo Mbeki announced at two rallies in Limpopo on Saturday that he is going to deploy Limpopo Premier Ngoako Ramatlhodi to parliament next month, to represent the people of the province. Ramatlhodi’s replacement will come from within the African National Congress, Mbeki said.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3_fl2.asp?o=40922">Special Report: Elections 2004</a>
Israel’s intelligence and military chiefs have told Ariel Sharon that Hamas is on the retreat in the wake of the assassination of its founder and spiritual leader, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. They have said that the organisation no longer poses a major obstacle to the prime minister’s plans to carve out a Palestinian state on his terms.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/pd.asp?ao=33260">First attempts to avenge Yassin fail</a>
<img src="http://www.mg.co.za/ContentImages/41909/10-X-Logo.gif" align=left>Coloured people are the stepchildren of South Africa, only remembered by political parties during elections, Westbury residents near Johannesburg told New National Party leader Marthinus van Schalkwyk on Friday. Van Schalkwyk was on a door-to-door election campaign in the area.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3_fl2.asp?o=40922">Special Report: Elections 2004</a>
<img src="http://www.mg.co.za/ContentImages/41909/10-X-Logo.gif" align=left>President Thabo Mbeki launched a scathing attack on the Democratic Alliance and Inkatha Freedom Party on Friday, saying voters will decide the fate of this "right-wing coalition". He accused the IFP of siding with various right-wing groupings to protect "white interests" since 1992.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?ao=33240">Haiti inspires Africans, says Mbeki</a>
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3_fl2.asp?o=40922">Special Report: Elections 2004</a>
<b>Win H20 tickets and CDs</b>
Michiel du Plooy must be a nervous man. The Free State businessman is expected to be a key witness in the next corruption case to be launched by the Lesotho prosecuting authority in connection with bribes paid by international construction firms to secure contracts in the $8-billion Lesotho Highlands Water Project.
I’m using my space this week to get a few whinges off my chest. Some commercial and social sins don’t deserve a full column. Let’s start with <i>National Geographic</i>. And then we’ll move onto a gripe about SABC, e.tv and M-Net, closing off with a swipe at DStv’s DMX.
Dutch authorities on Thursday cleared Amsterdam’s central train station and the station in Roosendaal near the border with Belgium after receiving two bomb alerts, a spokesperson for the Dutch railways said. All train traffic to and from Amsterdam was halted.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?ao=33168">Terrorist plan to attack Milan revealed</a>
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?ao=33154">Fear of attacks on French railways</a>
To the extent that the ANC will continue to dominate South African politics in the foreseeable future, there has not been any electoral contest since 1994. Predictably and understandably, this raises the ire of opposition parties. After all, they don’t want to be seen to be cheering the ANC by conceding this point. But without realising it, they are propping up the ANC in power.