 SA's grim reapers: TB, flu and intestinal diseases
Deaths in South Africa are on the increase, with 590 000 in 2005 -- 3,3% up on the previous year, according to Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) figures on mortality and causes of death. "The overall number of deaths shows a continuous increase from 1997 to 2005," Stats SA said in a statement on Thursday. | | SA editors to meet Mbeki
President Thabo Mbeki and South African editors will meet to discuss "mutual concerns", the South African National Editors' Forum (Sanef) said on Thursday. "Sanef values good relations with the government and other stakeholders. This meeting will allow us to discuss issues of mutual concern and benefit," said Sanef chairperson Jovial Rantao. |  |
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DA: Not enough govt action on drug addiction
Key government departments are doing nothing to stop drug addiction, the Democratic Alliance (DA) said on Thursday. DA spokesperson on social development Mike Waters said a reply to a DA question showed that 10 government departments had not yet submitted reports on drug-addiction strategies. | | Police arrest 80 over Road Accident Fund fraud
Police have arrested 80 people for Road Accident Fund (RAF) fraud involving R3,7-million. Director Phuti Setati said they were accused of colluding with touts to fabricate information about vehicle accidents in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal in May. "False claims were allegedly submitted to the RAF for payment of fictitious injuries sustained in accidents that never occurred," he said. | | |
Colgate backs its product after US scare
Locally made Colgate products are "100% safe", the company said on Thursday. This followed a toothpaste-recall scare in the United States. Director Russell Pallard assured consumers that locally made Colgate products were "100% safe, guaranteed". | | Red carpet, gun salute for Kabila in Cape Town
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Joseph Kabila arrived at Tuynhuys in Cape Town on Thursday for talks with President Thabo Mbeki. Kabila, who jetted into the city on Wednesday afternoon, is on an official visit to discuss, among other things, political and economic relations between South Africa and his mineral-rich country. | | |
Czech 'fugitive' back behind bars
After eight days of being "missing in action", international "fugitive" Radovan Krejcir has handed himself over to police, media reports said on Thursday. The Czech Republic tycoon was due to surrender himself at the Kempton Park police station at 11am on Wednesday but was instead taken into custody by Interpol. | | Mbeki praises deputy ahead of succession vote
South African President Thabo Mbeki gave his clearest indication yet on Wednesday of his preferred choice of successor, heaping praise on his official deputy, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. Mbeki, who has previously said he would like a woman to succeed him, told Parliament Mlambo-Ngcuka was "a true leader of the people". | | |
Minister: Mbeki rejects salary recommendations
President Thabo Mbeki has rejected the Moseneke commission's recommendations that government leaders' salaries be increased by huge percentages, Public Service Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi said on Wednesday. Fraser-Moleketi said the new salaries, as recommended by the commission, would not be implemented. | | South Africans still live in poverty
Some poverty-alleviation programmes have not yet helped the poor, despite the funding the programmes had received, the Public Service Commission said on Wednesday. An ad-hoc report noted that both national and provincial departments had been taking a broad range of continuing measures to alleviate poverty. | | |
Boksburg electricity crisis partly resolved
Power to parts of Boksburg that were affected by a massive fire at an Atlasville substation would be restored by 5pm on Wednesday, the Ekurhuleni municipality said -- but some suburbs are set to wait until next Wednesday to have electricity restored as the substation had been badly damaged by the fire. | | Tutu urges Israel, Palestinians to protect rights
South African Nobel peace laureate Desmond Tutu called on Wednesday on Israeli and Palestinian leaders to ensure that violations of human rights and humanitarian law in their region were punished. In a report to the United Nations Human Rights Council, he also called for an international investigation of the Israeli shelling of the town of Beit Hanoun in Gaza last November. | | |
