The Presidency has defended President Jacob Zuma’s hotline after it emerged that 87 percent of all the calls made to the service went unanswered. Presidential spokesman Vincent Magwenya said yesterday they were addressing the hotline’s capacity problems. He also slammed the DA – which had been calling the hotline to lodge a number of complaints […]
Tag: South Africa
South Africa world's biggest welfare state
Social expenditure in SA will top R89bn this year making it the world’s largest welfare state, economists say. A R55bn property scheme to build accommodation for the Soccer World Cup appears to have turned bad and could force many leading property developers into liquidation. Johannesburg – Social grant expenditure is estimated at R89bn in the […]
Eskom tariff ruling wait is almost over
A barrage of important economic data this week may be eclipsed on Wednesday by the long- awaited decision on Eskom’s electricity price hikes over the coming three years. The power utility has scaled back its initial request to the National Energy Regulator of SA for a 45% increase, to 35%, but even that would take […]
Varsities' World Cup windfall
The universities have been accredited as one-star backpacking facilities for the duration of the cup. Johannesburg University spokesman Herman Esterhuizen said his institution had made a “substantial upfront investment” in upgrading its residences. “All the residences were renovated in the three years leading up to the event to comply with the standards set by the […]
US nuclear envoy visits South Africa
US President Barack Obama has sent a special nuclear envoy to South Africa to seek Pretoria’s support for more nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation and provision of peaceful nuclear energy to developing countries. These are the three pillars of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which is to be reviewed at a conference at the UN in New […]
SHOOTING THE MESSENGER – editorial
So far the tenure of Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa, his deputy Fikile Mbalula and Police Commissioner Bheki Cele, has been characterised by rhetorical bombast and ham-fisted populism. With deadly results. Their “shoot-to-kill” comments have led to the murder of at least two innocents. This week they dusted off apartheid-era legislation to subpoena e.tv’s news editor […]
FOREIGNERS BOUGHT NET R1.481 BILLION SA BONDS
Foreigners were net buyers of R1.481 billion worth of South African bonds including repurchase agreements in the week ended 15 January, after net sales of R1.041 billion worth of local bonds the week before, figures from the Bond Exchange of South Africa show. This brought net purchases, including repurchase agreements for 2010 year to date […]
QUESTIONS OVER ESKOM'S POWER PRICE HIKE HEARINGS KICKER
The South African branch of the WWF has raised questions about the integrity of the National Energy Regulator of South Africa’s (Nersa) public hearings into Eskom’s proposed electricity price hikes. Richard Worthington, Manager of WWF’s Climate Change programme, said the nation-wide Nersa hearings, currently in their second week, were designed to allow the public to […]
COPE YOUTH UP IN ARMS
Mosiuoa Lekota’s supporters in the Cope Youth Movement say they will defy Monday’s deadline for comments on a controversial discussion document. The “Cope in 2010: The Youth Perspective” document, written by the youth movement’s national secretary, Malusi Booi, was leaked last week. The document calls for Cope’s Central Committee to disband. It also proposes that […]
NO ANTI-LEFT PLOT, SAYS ANCYL
The ANC Youth League (ANCYL) says it has not begun any discussion around leadership succession in the ANC (African National Congress), denying reports it was working on a plan to stem the ascendance of the left in the party. In a statement released at the weekend by the ANCYL, the youth league said it would […]