New Prosecuting boss Menzi Simelane is “undeterred” by the court bid that the DA will launch today (Friday) to challenge his appointment. And, says National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesman Mthunzi Mhaga, the DA’s court bid will have no impact on the stability of Mr Simelane’s leadership of South Africa’s prosecutors. DA leader Helen Zille will […]
MORE MINISTERS SPLASH OUT ON LUXURY CARS
Deputy Correctional Services Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize has splashed out on a Porsche Cayenne that cost nearly R760 000, while her boss, Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, has splurged on a Lexus LS 460 that cost about R970 000. The combined cost to the department-which overspent its budget by R500 million in the last financial year – was […]
‘BENIGN TREND’ THREATENED BY RISE IN IMPORTS
SA’s deficit on the current account, its broadest measure of trade in goods and services, shrank in line with expectations during the third quarter of this year, official data showed on Thursday. The shortfall narrowed to 3,2% of gross domestic product (GDP) — its lowest ratio since the second quarter of 2005 — from a […]
31 HOME AFFAIRS OFFICIALS SUSPENDED
Thirty-one Home Affairs officials were suspended for alleged involvement in the fraudulent registration of births of foreign nationals, Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said on Thursday. “The fraudulent registration of births of foreigners constitutes a serious threat to national security, undermines the stability of our democracy and costs the state millions of rands meant for reconstruction and […]
ZUMA GETS 9 OUT OF 10 FOR CHARM FROM ZILLE
Helen Zille, the leader of the Democratic Alliance, gives President Jacob Zuma nine out ten for charm, but only one out of ten for his defence of the constitution. So his overall rating in the eyes of the DA is three out of ten. It’s that time of the year when arbitrary judgments are made […]
MALEMA LEAVES CONGRESS AFTER BEING BOOED
ANC Youth League president Julius Malema stormed out of the SA Communist Party’s special congress after he was booed by delegates. He was later followed by ANC National Executive Committee Member Tony Yengeni, who also left the University of Limpopo hall in a huff. Delegates at the congress in Polokwane booed Mr Malema and ANC […]
PRESIDENT OBAMA TALKS WAR, PEACE
President Barack Obama evoked the concept of the ”just war” on Thursday when he accepted his Nobel peace prize, nine days after sending 30000 more US troops into battle in Afghanistan. He promised to use the prize to “reach for the world that ought to be”. President Obama became the first sitting US president in […]
NEW FORMS OF XENOPHOBIA ON THE RISE, WARNS UN
Attacks on foreigners in South Africa are “gravely alarming” and the Government should implement laws to prevent further outbreaks of violence, the United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights said on Thursday. A South African native herself, Navi Pillay said it was worrying that South Africa, which only emerged from apartheid in 1994 and has prided […]
SOUTH AFRICA ACCUSED OF UNDERMINING G7
South Africa will lodge a formal complaint with the Group of 77 (G77) plus China after South African negotiators were harshly criticised for trying to disrupt the unity of the developing nation bloc at climate talks in Copenhagen. The G77’s Sudanese Chairman, Lumumba Di-Aping, during an emotional meeting with African civil society earlier this week, […]
DEVELOPING WORLD SCORNS DANISH SCHEME
As tensions grew at the United Nations (UN) climate change talks it emerged on Thursday that the world’s major emerging economies, led by China and SA, were calling for a “binding” amendment to the Kyoto Protocol requiring rich countries to slash carbon pollution by more than 40% . A previously unseen 11-page draft “Copenhagen Accord”, […]