Staff Reporter

Here is an idiot’s guide to the 2004 election manifesto of another of the three most prominent political parties currently filling the airwaves and newsprint with great rushings of wind, promises, pledges, commitments, warranties, bargains, bonds and sureties. This week, a brief look at the Democratic Alliance Election Manifesto XP.

State-held Sentech is constantly rolling out wireless technology in major metropolitan areas despite minimal environmental disturbance to the city skyline, the company said on Thursday. Sentech Broadband Wireless technology is delivered via a high-powered radio signal, using high-site transmitters.

South African politics are clearly maturing as the country grapples with consolidating democracy. Compared with the political violence that racked the country in 1994 and the acrimonious relations between parties in 1999, there are positive signs that things are changing for the better. Interparty relations are much more tension-free and there is no apprehension that the 2004 election is under threat.

“If you’re both a) a smoker, and b) a complete bastard, then you’ll know the joys of stealing someone else’s lighter, as well as the horror, pain and outraged anguish when some sonovabitch has stolen yours. (It’s hard to believe but there are some people who think this is a double standard)." This week Ian Fraser brings us the lighter side of Lighter Thievery, among other things.

"The Treatment Action Campaign’s Nathan Geffen says ‘We do not know, never had known and probably never will know the exact number of people infected with HIV in any developing country.’ Well, yes. My point exactly," writes renowned author Rian Malan.

The authorities in Swaziland are doing little to stem the flood of bogus "miracle Aids cures" in a country with one of the world’s highest HIV infection rates, according to a report in the latest edition of Science In Africa.

Officials caught two suspects red-handed in the deadly attacks in Karbala on Tuesday, a security spokesperson said. "They were caught red-handed as they prepared to launch new mortar attacks," said Colonel Zdzislaw Gnatowski. Twin blasts in Karbala and Baghdad killed at least 125 people on Tuesday.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?ao=32059">At least 29 Shiites dead in Pakistan</a>

Online banking reached the one million mark in South Africa for the first time at the end of 2003. According to a new research report, <i>Online Banking in South Africa 2004</i>, the number of online bank accounts in South Africa grew by 28% last year, despite the online security scare that hit internet banking during 2003.

<img src="http://www.mg.co.za/ContentImages/41909/10-X-Logo.gif" align=left>In a departure from their long-held policy of not making political donations and in recognition of the country’s 10th anniversary of democracy, Standard Bank and the Liberty Group on Monday announced donations of R5-million and R1,5-million respectively towards national election funding.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3_fl2.asp?o=40922">Special Report: Elections 2004</a>

World number one resources group BHP Billiton on Monday announced its intention to enter into the Wheelarra joint venture with four of China’s leading steel mills. The joint venture will secure the sale to the mills of about 12-million tons per annum of iron ore.

For no particular reason that I can fathom, the Dirty Duck on the Waterside in Stratford-upon-Avon is shut tight at this crucial time of the year. It is a mighty shame that this is all happening now, when my dear friend and colleague, Sello Maake kaNcube, is about to strut the Stratford boards for the first time, in the tricky role of Othello.

Libyan leader Moammar Gadaffi’s insistence that all African armies should merge into a single military force delayed the closing ceremony of a major African Union summit by several hours on Saturday. "It’s never going to work, never. Nobody supports it," said one west African delegate.

This fusion of the traditional and modern is taking place in Tanga, a north-eastern region on the Tanzanian coast, where the Tanga Aids Working Group is combining modern voluntary counselling and testing methods with the knowledge of local healers in treating opportunistic infections associated with HIV/Aids.

In these times of pre-electoral fever the South African public is finding itself beset with a host of so-called party manifestos. People unfamiliar with the nomenclature and style of these usually imaginative exaggerations can easily be bewildered. In a short series of “For Dummies” explanations, this column will attempt to make things easier for those without the time or experience to learn the hard way.

In a statement issued on Thursday following the first of the monetary policy committee meetings for 2004, South African Reserve Bank Governor Tito Mboweni said the success achieved in bringing inflation down to levels last experienced in the 1960s has been a major accomplishment

The South African Reserve Bank’s monetary policy committee decided on Thursday to leave the repo rate unchanged at 8%. Bank Governor Tito Mboweni said the expectation of the committee is that inflation will remain within the target range during the forecast period while the economy continues to pick up momentum.
<li><a class=’standardtextsmall’ href="http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?ao=31824">Mboweni hails inflation success</a>