• Zuma's daughter promoted to chief of staff in two months

    The Mail and Guardian newspaper reported that Thuthukile Zuma rose to the position in just two months, raising concerns about political nepotism at the department. “There is an HR procedure for an upgrade of posts, but minister’s requests are rarely turned down,” a government employee said.

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  • Mayhem mars SA roads

    Speeding continued to be a major problem on some of the country’s roads over the Christmas weekend. On Friday, well-known DJ Black Coffee was caught travelling at 200km/h on the N1 near the New Canada bridge in Johannesburg, while a Porsche driver was arrested for driving at 202km/h. Speaking to The Citizen yesterday, Johannesburg metro police spokesperson Superintendent Wayne Minnaar said seven other speedsters were arrested on Saturday. “Speeding continues to be a major concern for us and it is for this reason that we continue to call on all road users to report reckless driving to 0861-400-800. Less serious offenders will be notified via post about their bad behaviour while more serious offenders will be arrested in the new year,” Minnaar said.

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  • 'Mugabe Turns Back on Burning Zimbabwe'

    The president has been criticised for leaving the country while his government is failing to pay its workers and pensioners December salaries. Zimbabwe: Mugabe Turns Back On a Zimbabwe 'On Fire' Zimbabwe Standard, 27 December 2015 President Robert Mugabe has come under fire for going on an expensive holiday in the Far East at a time his government is failing to pay pensioners and the economy is tottering ... read more » Robert Mugabe. Zimbabwe: Mugabe Should Have Stayed At Home Zimbabwe Standard, 27 December 2015 For most Zimbabweans, 2015 will rank among the worst in living memory after unprecedented job losses and deepening poverty. read more » Zimbabwe: Parties Savage Mugabe for Holidaying

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  • NPA dismisses claims King Dalindyebo's convictions are expunged

    King Dalindyebo yesterday served the NPA with a document ‘nullifying’ all decisions by the Mthatha High Court. National Prosecuting Authority Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo CAPE TOWN - The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has dismissed claims by AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo that all his convictions have been expunged. Dalindyebo yesterday served the NPA with a document which he says was signed by the Supreme Court of South Africa and nullifies all decisions imposed on him by the Mthatha High Court, Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) and the Constitutional Court. An application for the controversial king’s bail extension will be heard in the High Court this afternoon.

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  • Trump ramps up attacks on Clinton - World News | IOL News

    Washington - Any year-end holiday moratorium on US presidential campaign feuding ended Monday with Donald Trump unleashing new attacks on Democratic rival Hillary Clinton and blasting her husband Bill's “terrible record” with women. Trump, leading the pack of Republican White House contenders, revived a flash point issue that he brought up last week when he issued a warning about campaigning with former president Clinton after Hillary deplored Trump's inflammatory rhetoric. The message was an ominous one: Bill Clinton's history of marital infidelity will be a drag on his wife's campaign to become the first female commander-in-chief in US history. “If Hillary thinks she can unleash her husband,

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  • Mourinho Man United scarves go on sale

    Manchester United scarves bearing Jose Mourinho's face were on sale outside the Old Trafford Stadium ahead of the Red Devils clash with London rivals Chelsea.

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  • Street Trade Booms As Calabar Carnival Climaxes in Nigeria

    Nigeria: Residents of Port Harcourt Express Concern About Carnival's Cancellation Guardian, 28 December 2015 Some residents of Port Harcourt say the cancellation of the annual carnival by the Rivers Government has affected recreational and tourist activities in the state. read more » Nigeria: Calabar Carnival Is the Largest Street Party in Africa - Gov Ayade Vanguard, 28 December 2015 Gov. Ben Ayade of Cross River, has described the annual Calabar Carnival as the "largest street party in Africa." read more » Nigeria: Street Trade Booms As Carnival Calabar Comes to Climax Leadership, 28 December 2015 The residents of Calabar have cashed in on the final day of Carnival Calabar to make brisk businesses,

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  • If Rhodes must fall - Oxford must give money to victims of British imperialism: de Klerk

    The move to remove the statue follows a similar campaign at the University of Cape Town, where a statue of Rhodes has already been taken down, and whose "Rhodes Must Fall" initiative now aims to tackle institutional racism. De Klerk described the student-led plan, whose British arm is called "Rhodes Must Fall in Oxford" as "folly". "If the political correctness of today were applied consistently, very few of Oxford's great figures would pass scrutiny," he wrote in a letter to The Times newspaper. "We do not commemorate historic figures for their ability to measure up to current conceptions of political correctness, but because of their actual impact on history," added de Klerk, who was instrumental

    Times LIVE q

  • ‘Go back home or to the grave’ - Crime & Courts | IOL News

    Durban - The head of communications and spokesman for the Hibiscus Coast Local Municipality on the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal, Simon April, has been receiving death threats from unidentified individuals. In e-mailed responses to questions about the threats, April, who is also the chairman of the ANC’s Hibiscus Coast sub-region, said he had been receiving death threats since October, just before the party’s provincial elective conference, for his support for the party’s newly elected leadership. He had since reported the threats to the police and the party provincial leadership. “Both the SMSes and calls indicate that they may be coming from people who weren’t happy about my preference going

    Independent Online q

  • Barca set sights on scoring record

    Fresh from propelling Barcelona to their fifth trophy of 2015, their prolific strikes are now seeking to break the Spanish record of goals in a calendar year when they play Real Betis on Wednesday. Luis Suarez hit five goals in two games as Barca beat River Plate to lift the Club World Cup this month and they now have 176 goals this year, two less than the record set by Real Madrid in 2014. Incredibly, 134 of those have come from Suarez and strike partners Lionel Messi and Neymar who were instrumental in Barca winning the treble last season with 122 goals. With the European Super Cup also in the bag, the only trophy to escape them was the domestic Super Cup which they lost to Athletic Bilbao.

    Business Day Live q

  • Hundreds of African migrants storm Spanish border post

    The incident occurred around 4:00 am (0300 GMT) near Benzu in the north of Ceuta. Some migrants did not take the land route and swam across to the Spanish city located on Africa's northern coast. Red Cross volunteers treated 185 migrants who managed to get through for injuries of different degrees, the organisation said in a statement. Red Cross volunteers also gave clothes and shoes to the migrants.

    Times LIVE q

  • A bleak year awaits South Africa

    For South Africa, 2016 is set to be a year of economic considerations that will drag down growth, with rate hikes and raised political risks, according to financial services group Nomura SA. The group says a cornered ANC machine might possibly recall or manage the exit of President Jacob Zuma – a “Zumxit” – around July after a poor showing in the local government elections. The group says 2016 will be a confluence of many different events, but the recent political risk shock with the replacement of Nhlanhla Nene as finance minister with David van Rooyen and four days later Pravin Gordhan, brings home a central narrative. “We think this will be the ANC as a well oiled political and PR machine attempting to battle a weak economy, loss of support in the local election, weakened but still dominant leadership and a difficult fiscal position,” the group said.

    The Citizen q

  • SA wines more than just volume - IOL Lifestyle

    Cape Town – Let’s all raise a glass to 2015, a breakthrough year for South African wines around the world. If you are picturing millions of customers in the new world quaffing litres of the cheap and cheerful stuff think again. Not only is South Africa taking an increasing slice of expanding markets but the country is securing a well-earned place at all the top tables and alongside the finest of old world vineyards. South African vineyards have had their fans since Napoleonic times, including Napoleon himself, who is said to have been a great fan of Groot Constantia in particular, but recently their acclaim is growing and widening as the country gains recognition as a producer of very fine and

    Independent Online q

  • South Africa: Ministry Extends Condolences to Van Schalkwyk Family

    Pretoria — The Ministry of State Security has conveyed condolences to the family and friends of Hermanus Van Schalkwyk who was killed in an accident involving one of the official security vehicles. Van Schalkwyk passed away on 24 December 2015 in a head-on collision along the R33 road in Mpumalanga. "The Ministry had been in contact with the family and had agreed to visit them to convey [the Minister David Mahlobo's] sympathies. However, the family has, on legal advice elected not to proceed with the visit, thanking him for his gesture. The Ministry respects their decision," the Ministry said in a statement. According to media reports, the family has opened a case of culpable homicide against

    AllAfrica.com q

  • Zimbabwe: Foolish for Ailing Zimbabwe to Reject Falling Rand, Minister Mzembi

    Tourism and Hospitality industry minister Walter Mzembi says Zimbabwe is losing millions of dollars in revenue by abandoning the depreciating South African rand. The South African rand has had a miserable 2015, sliding more than 25 percent against the US greenback. A major commodities exporter, South Africa has been hit by the decline in the prices of coal, gold and iron on the back of falling Chinese demand and oversupply. The ailing SA currency is now being rejected by the Zimbabwean shops. The development mirrors rejection of the Zimbabwe dollar which government eventually dumped at the end of 2008 when it had become virtually worthless. The local sector has also started rejecting the rand.

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  • Zuma's Nene no-no hurt you at the petrol tank: AA

    "By now the government cannot be unaware of the economic implications of removing stability from institutions such as the Treasury," the AA said in a statement on Wednesday. The AA said that, while the exchange rate had been trading in a fairly stable band during the last week of November and the first week of December, the steep drop after the unexpected firing of former Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene resulted in a weakening trend which continued throughout the month. "This indicates that South Africa's economy is having difficulty winning back lost confidence, and our concern is that this trend may continue. If oil prices flatten out or increase in 2016, South African fuel users will be fully exposed to changes in the exchange rate," the AA said.

    Times LIVE q

  • Durban man survives shark attack

    A Durban North resident is lucky to have escaped unharmed after a Great White Shark knocked him off his kayak on Boxing Day at Westbrook Beach. Grant Wardell took to his Facebook account to share his harrowing escape while he was out fishing. His brother, Jamie helped the former Durban High School pupil back on to his kayak, Northglen News reported. According to his post the three meter long shark breached the water knocking Wardell off his boat. “Luckily Jamie was there to help me jump back in the water to turn my boat around. Relieved to be back on land,” the post read. The shark also left a tooth embedded in his kayak. This comes after a 19-year-old surfer had his leg amputated following a

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  • Dalindyebo ‘didn’t break law’

    AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo acted lawfully when he punished his subjects and did not need a presidential pardon, his lawyer, Zehir Omar, said yesterday. Dalindyebo was sentenced to 15 years in jail in 2009 for culpable homicide, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, arson and kidnapping. In October, the Supreme Court of Appeal set aside his culpable homicide conviction but confirmed the other verdicts and reduced his sentence to 12 years. On December 2, the Constitutional Court dismissed his appeal. The charges related to Dalindyebo’s treatment of his subjects between 1995 and 1996. He set fire to the houses of three of his subjects he accused of breaching tribal rules. He

    The Citizen q

  • US hails recapture of Ramadi by ‘brave Iraqi forces’

    WASHINGTON — The US on Monday welcomed the Iraqi forces’ victory over the Islamic State group in the city of Ramadi. "We commend the government of Iraq and the brave Iraqi forces that are displaying tremendous perseverance and courage in this fight," Secretary of State John Kerry said. Iraq had earlier declared that it had liberated Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province west of Baghdad, and was sweeping it for bombs and booby traps left behind by IS fighters. A US-led military coalition is supporting Iraq’s campaign to drive the Islamic State group from the country and carried out 630 air strikes during the Iraqi operation in Ramadi. A White House official said President Barack Obama, who is

    Business Day Live q

  • Zimbabwe: Harare Council, Augur Investments Clash Looms

    Harare City Council is headed for a showdown with Augur Investments after the land it paid to the company in a barter deal to finance the designing and construction of the Joshua Nkomo Express Highway, was condemned as unfit for construction by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA). EMA argues that some parts of the land in Borrowdale earmarked for the construction of a $100 million Mall of Zimbabwe, are wetlands although Augur argues that they have made concrete measures to preserve the environment and enhance the core green belt area in the suburb. EMA also stopped construction of a sewer pipeline in Gunhill where Augur is developing an upmarket new suburb arguing that the potential raw

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