• 'I recognise you.' Baleka gives the matrimonial nod to her 'Ben10'

    This love could not have come from a better source than a fellow "cadre of the movement". Mbete, who celebrated her 67th birthday yesterday, tied the knot with her "Ben10" - Bloemfontein businessman Nape Khomo - in a traditional ceremony in Mqanduli, Eastern Cape, where the bride's parents were laid to rest. About 100 guests, including Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and husband Charles Nqakula, attended the wedding ceremony. Mbete wore a peach and silver traditional outfit and Khomo kept it simple with a grey suit. It was a joyous celebration all round, with villagers ululating and Mbete's family giving the union their blessing. Nkuli Kgositsile, Mbete's daughter, said she was "very

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  • Zuma's brother makes dramatic plea: Quit now or risk being killed

    Michael Zuma and his wife Thembekile MaXulu Zuma spoke to the Sunday Times this week at their home in Nkandla, where they expressed their fears for the president's life amid growing calls for him to step down. "My brother is having a very difficult time and I have never seen such difficulty. My brother has such difficulty in such a way that you fear that they are going to kill him," said Michael. His wife added that some members of the family thought that if Zuma resigned and returned home to Nkandla he would "be safe from these enemies". She said: "We fear for his life. As a family we sometimes think that they are going to kill him. And in our humble view we tell ourselves that maybe if he comes

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  • Qwabe says he wishes he'd 'whipped the white bastard'

    The diminutive leader of the Oxford University #RhodesMustFall campaign has spoken out about the controversial incident that made news this week during the latest round of student protests at the University of Cape Town (UCT). He was filmed in the footage below using a stick to hit a phone out of a white student’s hand. He said afterwards that the phone’s owner was guilty of “white apartheid settler colonial entitlement”. Qwabe’s campaign at Oxford to remove a small Rhodes statue there failed. The 25-year-old law student has been back in South Africa after completing his studies in England. He made the news again after making a white Capetonian waitress cry. It caused outrage earlier this year

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  • PICS: Celebrating 200 years since the birth of the Zulu nation - Politics

    Durban - The dominance of the Zulus in South African life was evident yesterday when the whole country was supposed to be celebrating Heritage Day, but the Zulu component of the population took centre stage. It resulted in President Jacob Zuma, a proud Zulu, delegating the responsibility of giving the main address of Heritage Day at Galeshewe Stadium in Kimberley to his deputy, Cyril Ramaphosa. Zuma was at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban to attend an uMkhosi weLembe (Shaka’s Day) celebration that marked 200 years since King Shaka founded the mighty Zulu kingdom. The momentous occasion, which coincided with Heritage Day, also marked the 45-year reign of the incumbent monarch, King Goodwill Zwelithini.

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  • #MduMasilela’s 'baeness' breaks Twitter

    Kwaito legend Mdu Masilela started trending during #MandozaFuneral. The 'Chomi ya Bana' star clearly stood out during a tribute by kwaito stars, and the ladies went into a frenzy over how "baeable" Mdu is.

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  • More revelations before Thuli Madonsela goes? - Business News

    Johannesburg - Thuli Madonsela was called a CIA spy by a South African deputy minister and received death threats as she pursued politicians in her role as the nation’s graft ombudsman. Now she’s planning a last round of potentially explosive revelations before she steps down next month. In her sights is what South Africans call “state capture” - a reference to allegations that the Guptas used their friendship with President Jacob Zuma for profit and influence. In one instance, Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas said the Guptas offered him the post of finance minister. The controversy around the family prompted the nation’s largest banks to close accounts belonging to companies owned by the

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  • More than 1 400 zama-zamas arrested in Free State

    More that 1 400 illegal miners, or so-called “zama zamas”, have been arrested in the Free State goldfields since March, Free State police said on Saturday. Another 16 zama-zamas – 12 Zimbabweans and four Lesotho nationals – were arrested on Friday afternoon at Harmony’s Eland shaft mine in Welkom and charged with trespassing, attempted theft of gold-bearing material, and illegal immigration, Captain Stephen Thakeng said. The 16 would appear in the Welkom Magistrates’ Court on Monday. So far, 1 405 zama–zamas had been arrested since March. Sixty inquest cases had also been opened for illegal miners – mainly from Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique – who had died underground. Most of the arrested

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  • Screams as 'blood' hits punk sisters

    The Soap Girls, punk-rocker sisters Mille, 23, and Mie, 22, of Cape Town's Hout Bay, said two audience members at a UK pub threw the liquid at them. They want to take legal action against the pub owner who reportedly called them "sluts". "Mie's eyes burned for hours. I had my microphone repeatedly knocked into my mouth by the individual who chucked the liquid at me," said Mille. "It was hard for my sister to breathe and see. "She started screaming she was going blind. But we couldn't stop because we had fans that had driven like six hours to get there." They said they were "hassled" by people asking "what we were doing there from South Africa". After the attack, Mie had "severe panic attacks".

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  • WATCH: Mourners dance to Nkalakatha on Mandoza's grave

    The University of the Witwatersrand on Monday confirmed that one of its employees died as a result of protest action at the institution last week. Wits management took to Twitter to express its sympathies to the family‚ friends and colleagues of the worker.

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  • Why Kenny Kunene won't stop catching the feels over Malema

    Hot on the heels of an explosive interview on SABC's Morning Live on Wednesday, Kunene has told TMG Entertainment that he aims to show South Africa that Malema is a "fake" and  a "liar". During his interview on Morning Live, Kunene blasted the EFF leader labelling him a "sell out," and accused him of "deceiving the nation". Kunene also challenged Malema to a public debate. Taking to Twitter shortly after the interview aired the red beret hit back, saying that he would not entertain Kunene until he got "20,000 national votes". WATCH! Musicians perform Nkalakatha tribute for Mandoza  Speaking to TMG Entertainment the businessman explained why he decided to air his opinions on national television.

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  • EDITORIAL: The SABC’s endless farce

    THE story of the SABC and its erratic chief operating officer, Hlaudi Motsoeneng, has now run the full gamut from oddity to tragedy to farce. The Sunday newspapers reported this weekend that Motsoeneng has been given an extraordinary R11.4m bonus in the same month the Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed his application for leave to appeal a ruling that set aside his permanent appointment. In addition, it is reported the SABC board has redeployed Motsoeneng as group executive for corporate affairs. If that does not constitute a flagrant violation of a legal stipulation, it is hard to know what does. Just following the travails of the SABC is, in its own way, exhausting. The road of destruction,

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  • Angelina Jolie is ‘being consoled by Johnny Depp’

    Angelina starred alongside Johnny in ‘The Tourist’ in 2010 and has apparently turned to him. Angelina Jolie Brad Pitt Johnny Depp Angelina Jolie files for divorce LONDON - Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie is reportedly being consoled by her former co-star Johnny Depp following her split from Brad Pitt. The 41-year-old mother-of-six starred alongside Johnny in The Tourist in 2010 and has apparently turned to the Hollywood star in the wake of her high-profile split from Brad, 52. A source explained: "Angelina idolised Johnny for years before she worked with him on The Tourist, and then the pair of them really hit it off on set." Johnny, 53, is reported to have recommended divorce lawyer Laura Wasser,

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  • Botswana retailer tries to calm investor fears over choppy waters

    But Choppies, which was once described as a David and Goliath story after it listed on the Johannesburg bourse last year, might have thwarted the hopes of its investors. "The [Botswana] economy didn't grow at all ... in those circumstances we did well. But my mandate is to expand beyond Botswana, though financially it may look a little bit distraught. Strategically that is not a disappointing result for Choppies," said CEO Ramachandran Ottapathu. Botswana remains the retailer's biggest revenue driver, with 20.8% coming from its 79 stores there. However, economic growth has slowed, with growth estimated for this year now at 3.5% from an earlier projection of 4.2%, according to Reuters. Earlier

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  • Zimbabwe: Zanu-PF Hijacks Medical Outreach Programme

    Beitbridge residents are up in arms against officials from Zanu PF who are allegedly trying to hijack and politicise a humanitarian gesture by 100 doctors coming to the district to offer free medical services. The Zimbabwe National Development Association (Zenda) in its own national service initiative planned the working visit scheduled for next Saturday. But opportunistic Zanu PF members, allegedly led by Matabeleland South provincial chairperson Rabelani Choeni, seeing a window of relevance, reportedly tried to steal the limelight. They allegedly hoped to hoodwink villagers and locals into believing it was Zanu PF who organised the project. "It is our own initiative. We are non-partisan experts

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  • Taylor Swift’s treatment of Calvin Harris was ‘brutal’

    The Shake It Off hitmaker ended her romance with Calvin in abrupt fashion earlier this year - but the split turned really messy when John tweeted that Taylor had ghost-written Calvin's hit single This Is What You Came For, which prompted a public spat between Calvin and Taylor over why she was initially uncredited. "When I tweeted that, there was a text almost immediately from Calvin. No I'm not [friendly with Taylor any more], I don't agree with what's gone on ... but I shouldn't comment further. Despite her split from Calvin, John admitted he remains a fan of Taylor's music and is sure her next album will be another success, regardless of whether she opens up about the relationship or not.

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  • Kabila must go, Congo protests demand

    Prior to the clashes, opposition activists also burnt a photograph of the leader and torched a minibus and a car in the Limete quarter, from where the demonstration was due to start at 1pm (1200 GMT). Kabila, who has ruled DR Congo since 2001, is banned under the constitution from running again -- but he has given no sign of intending to give up his job in December. Protests erupted after the Constitutional Court ruled in May that Kabila, who took power after his father Laurent Kabila's assassination, could remain in office in a caretaker capacity beyond the end of the mandate. Tshisekedi is an immensely popular figure who emerged as a leading dissenting voice as far back as the 1980s, when he was a critic of strongman Mobutu Sese Seko.

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  • Zimbabwe's new bond notes to smooth liquidity crunch

    That switch dealt a blow to forex dealers in the parallel market - accustomed to a life of pegging the exchange rate of the local unit against foreign currencies. Its long hiatus appears set to end. Next month, Zimbabwe will introduce its local version of the US dollar - the bond note. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe hopes the bond notes, in values of $2 and $5, will help ease the liquidity crunch of the past nine months. On the streets of Harare, forex dealers await the issuing of the bond notes with glee - and not for the same reasons as the RBZ, the issuer of the currency. In Roadport, the heart of Harare's popular spot for forex dealers, Winnie Makota expects roaring trade once the local currency

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  • South Africa: Hlaudi Motsoeneng Can't Be Re-Appointed, He Must Vacate the Seat

    press release Congress of the People condemns the SABC board's resolution to ask Minister Faith Muthambi to re-appoint Hlaudi Motsoeneng. The Board can't keep on defending Motsoaneng. We all know that his appointment was unlawful. COPE will embark on a sit-in to oppose Motsoeneng's illegally re-appointment. We say this is a total contempt of the Supreme Court and we are ready to embark on a sit in at the SABC until the board reverses its embarrassing verdict. We have said it so many times that Motsoeneng must vacate the broadcasting seat immediately. Now the Board is ready to break the law just in defence of Motsoeneng after the Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed his application for leave to appeal

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  • Sammy Sosa is tired of the bs: 'I'm not who you think I am'

    Sammy has had a highly-publicised break from the spotlight, after falling ill and recovering in Cape Town. But speaking to TMG Entertainment at an event in Johannesburg this week, Sammy said she is stronger and more determined to succeed. "It's been two months since I was back in Johannesburg. I spent five days in ICU... it was really really bad. It was just a lack of sleep, a lot of stress, a lot of pressure, I wasn't eating well and it can get to you. But the break was good for me to get some rest and peace of mind," she said. Fikile 'MbaWeezy' Mbalula bags a 'MAMAs' nod  Sammy revealed that she wants to prove to her haters that she is not what they say she is. "This time around, now that I

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  • The state must intervene in Cape Town’s landand housing markets | IOL

    City officials assert they have no power to disrupt “market forces” – these are simply isolated disputes between private parties, rather than a societal problem in need of regulation. Not only are there legislative and constitutional requirements for state intervention, but a glance beyond our borders exposes that the City of Cape Town is decades behind many other world-class cities in accepting regulatory responsibility and successfully implementing progressive policies to advance inclusive urban development. On the one hand, urban land is seen in terms of its primary use – sites for housing, businesses, or public amenities. The destructive nature of this cycle for the economy at large was poignantly illustrated in the 2007 housing crisis that triggered the largest global recession since the Great Depression.

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