UN project launches campaign focusing on women
Suksma Ratri separated from her husband after suffering ongoing domestic violence. But four years ago, the young mother from Indonesia found out her ex-husband had become extremely ill, and possibly had AIDS.

Mandela makes appearance as lawmakers honor him
Former South African freedom fighter-turned-president Nelson Mandela made a rare public appearance Thursday as the nation's parliament met to honor him on the 20th anniversary of his release from prison.

Inspired by Mandela's 'stubborn sense of fairness'
Freedom lovers everywhere over a certain age recall the thrilling news 20 years ago that Nelson Mandela had been released from a Cape Town, South Africa, jail.

Orphanage fire kills 15 in South Africa
An intense fire at a South African orphanage killed at least 15 people, including eight children, and injured nine other people, authorities said.

South African president apologizes for fathering illegitimate child
South Africa's president has apologized for fathering a child out of wedlock after his admission prompted an outcry from critics who said he was undermining the nation's health campaign.

Coming down with gold fever
At Harrod's department store in London, you can pick up a South African Krugerrand or a 27-pound gold bar along with a sweater and bed linens. Gold is sold like candy out of train station vending machines in Germany. Indian households are borrowing against jewelry the way Americans did not so long ago against their homes. And U.S. investors poured $15 billion into gold funds in 2009, as they were pulling money out of stock portfolios.

UK firm slammed over World Cup 'stab vests' for fans
A London-based security clothing company has been blasted for marketing a "stab-proof vest" for football fans planning to visit this summer's World Cup in South Africa.

'Invictus' hero recalls day Mandela transformed South Africa
Francois Pienaar was the "big blonde son of apartheid," a white South African who grew up dreaming of glory on the rugby field.

Fears that World Cup could increase spread of HIV
Advocates for sex workers in South Africa have warned that this summer's World Cup could be a public health disaster.

Luis Bueno: 5 bold prediction for 2010, from World Cup to MLS Cup
The first year of a new decade is upon us, and the stories that will unfold in 2010 will be vast. Soccer lovers around the globe are anticipating the World Cup, one of three that will be played in this new decade.

Luis Bueno: U.S. can't do worse than Confed draw in World Cup draw
For the second time in the last eight years, the World Cup is entering uncharted waters when South Africa plays host next summer. As Japan/South Korea 2002 ushered in the World Cup to Asia, so, too, will South Africa 2010 introduce the world's greatest sporting event to a new continent.

Grant Wahl: Travel guide to 2010 World Cup in South Africa
The United States is in. So are Brazil, England, Spain and 15 other nations. Yet with eight months to go before the 2010 World Cup, more tickets have been purchased by people from the U.S. (11.7 percent at last count) than from any other country except the host nation, South Africa (47.9 percent).

U.S. closes embassy in South Africa after 'possible threat'
The United States temporarily closed its government facilities in South Africa on Tuesday after a "possible threat" to its embassy, the U.S. State Department said.

Sci-fi apartheid film 'District 9' opens in South Africa
The futuristic South African sci-fi that has taken the U.S box office by storm opened in its home country this weekend.

And Jarrett's destination is ...
Well, the people have spoken, and more than 40 percent of those who weighed in voted for South Africa.

Clinton stands by South Africa on Zimbabwe policy
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Friday stood by South Africa's much-criticized quiet diplomacy with neighboring Zimbabwe.

Cable makes big promises for African Internet
An undersea cable plugging east Africa into high speed Internet access went live Thursday, providing an alternative to expensive satellite connections.

Brooklyn kids give back in South Africa
It's late Sunday morning inside a cavernous Salvation Army Church in Soweto, South Africa. Services, complete with African and traditional music, have just finished and a catchy drum beat with a distinctly American hip-hop sound is coming from the stage.

South Africa fights rape crisis
Alexandra township, north of Johannesburg, is a densely populated melting pot with some of South Africa's worst social ills: poverty, unemployment, HIV/AIDS and crime.

A look at some of South Africa's parties
There are 40 parties vying in South Africa's elections, with 26 participating nationally and 14 provincially. Though South Africa's opposition parties remain generally weak, the ruling African National Congress worries that, collectively, they may eat away at its majority.

Zapiro: Satirising South Africa
He's been drawing conclusions about South African politics for over 15 years: cartoonist Jonathan Shapiro, aka Zapiro, talks about the power of the pen.

Dalai Lama denied visa for South Africa peace conference
South Africa has refused the Dalai Lama a visa to attend an international peace conference in Johannesburg this week, a presidential spokesman said.

Texts used to tackle South Africa HIV crisis
One million free text messages will be sent every day for 12 months from Monday in South Africa in a bid to raise HIV awareness and encourage testing for the disease.

Zimbabweans ill and dying from cholera crossing border
Doctors worry about the woman sitting on a bed inside the large tent, an IV in her arm. Chipo Matewe, 23, is eight months pregnant and stricken with cholera.

World Soccer: Slowly but surely, South Africa readies for 2010 Cup
South Africa will be ready for the World Cup in 2010 and, as much as is necessary, will be ready for the Confederations Cup this June. How South Africa will cope is, of course, another matter entirely.

South Africa's AIDS Truthsayer
Reversing years of inaccurate government policies, South African Health Minister Barbara Hogan is spreading the truth about AIDS

South Africa Will Sell Ivory to Japan, China
The South African government will press ahead with plans to sell just over 51 tons of ivory to China and Japan under a special exemption to the international ban on the trade

A married name, a singular headache
Shaun Francis' daughter has the wrong name on her airline ticket. It's her married name, and her passport still has her maiden name. The airline is happy to fix the ticket -- for a $400 fee. But is that right?

South Africa's Removal of Health Minister Praised
AIDS activists on Friday celebrated the removal of South Africa's health minister, accused of causing countless unnecessary deaths by promoting nutritional supplements instead of conventional medicine for people with HIV

South Africa's Ruling Party Ousts Mbeki
South Africa's president has agreed to resign after the country's ruling party called on him to step down

Children of South Africa
Josh Macabuag is in Jozini, South Africa, where he will be working with the charity Engineers Without Borders (EWB).

South Africa HIV Rates Dropping
South Africa's health minister said Thursday that HIV infection rates among pregnant women declined for the second straight year and claimed it was proof of the success of government policies

South Africa Violence: Beyond Racism
Analysis: Economic inequality, not racism, drove the wave of anti-immigrant violence that shook the post-apartheid order. And that's a global problem

South Africa Battles Xenophobia
Just out of sight of the tour buses that flock to the Cape of Good Hope, more than 2,000 foreigners are crammed into a makeshift refugee camp on the shores of the Atlantic

South Africa dorm closed over urine stew video
A South African university said Tuesday it will close the dormitory where white students tricked black workers into tasting stew laced with urine, an incident that sparked protests when revealed earlier this year.

South Africa: Violence 'Under Control'
A wave of violence against immigrants that left 56 people dead and forced 30,000 from their homes has subsided, South Africa's safety and security minister said Monday

Violence spreads across South Africa
The atmosphere was tense in Cape Town on Friday after xenophobic violence that has left more than 40 dead in Johannesburg spread to South Africa's largest city.

Zimbabweans Fleeing South Africa
They fled poverty and violence. But now even the plight of their home country seems preferable to the anti-immigrant mobs

Savior for South Africa's Persecuted
Bishop Paul Verryn spent the 1980s defending apartheid's victims. Now, he protects the immigrants on whom some of those former victims have turned

Hostels raided in South Africa clampdown
South African police and military units raided three hostels Thursday in a clampdown on xenophobic attacks that have left more than 40 dead, authorities said.

South Africa's Wake-Up Call
The army is deployed to suppress anti-immigrant violence, but damage to the country's image -- and psyche -- may linger

Anti-Immigrant Terror in South Africa
A pogrom against migrants reveals the social strain of a post-apartheid "miracle" that did not help the poor

'Anti-foreigner' violence kills 22 in South Africa
South Africa's police chief said Monday that violence directed at foreign nationals had killed 22 people over the past week.

Foreigners Attacked in S. Africa
Police fired rubber bullets and made arrests Monday to try to quell outbursts of anti-foreigner violence in and around Johannesburg

Supreme court upholds apartheid-era lawsuit
The Supreme Court - apparently handcuffed by possible conflicts of interest - has allowed a multibillion-dollar federal lawsuit from South African blacks and others to proceed. The suit claims U.S. and foreign companies should be held liable for helping the former white-led apartheid government.

Ship bound for Zimbabwe may return home, says Chinese official
A Chinese ship that was blocked from unloading its cargo in South Africa may return to China because of difficulties at African ports, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said Tuesday.

Song for Zimbabwe
Singer Eli Amor is a Zimbabwean who has found work in South Africa. Like 13 million of his countrymen, Eli hopes the political and economic situation in his homeland will improve. He offered up a song about a greedy man who refuses to give up power to his fellow Zimbabweans in their shared time of need.

Government: Racism still strong in South Africa
A video of white students humiliating black workers shows that racism remains entrenched in South Africa, 14 years after the end of apartheid, its government said Thursday.

Whites tricked blacks into consuming urine, university says
White students at a South African university tricked black residence hall workers into eating stew containing urine, prompting a march Wednesday in which five people were arrested, university officials said.

Racist Video Spurs South Africa Riots
South African college campuses are in turmoil after anti-integration white students are shown humiliating black service staff

Dismiss apartheid suits, White House urges Supreme Court
A series of lawsuits against companies that did business with the former apartheid regime of South Africa should be dismissed, the Bush administration told the Supreme Court Tuesday.

Zimbabwe refugees 'ran in terror'
South African police raided a Johannesburg church early Thursday and took away large numbers of Zimbabwean refugees who had taken shelter there, according to witnesses and video footage.

South Africa's mobile money
Jaccqueline Mathe, unemployed and 22, has just signed up for a bank account in Nellmapius, a black township near Pretoria. All she needed was a government ID and a mobile phone. Mathe hopes to save a quarter of the monthly $28.54 government grant she receives for her toddler, Khothasto, who is riding in a sling on her back.

Face lift, luxury safari -- bargain price
Colleen Hiltbrunner spent two years researching her dream trip to South Africa. But she wasn't looking for the perfect safari lodge. She was hunting for the right cosmetic surgeon.

Oprah Scandal Rocks South Africa
Is the country in the middle of a child sexual abuse epidemic? The troubles at the talk-show host's celebrated school raises broader questions

Ex Oprah School Employee Arrested on Abuse Charge
Police in South Africa have arrested a former employee at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy on charges of physical and sexual abuse, a police spokesman tells CNN.

Abuse alleged at Oprah Winfrey's South African school
South African police are investigating abuse allegations at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy, the talk-show host's $40 million school for disadvantaged girls near Johannesburg.

South Africa's AIDS orphans
Josh Macabuag is in Jozini, South Africa, where he will be working with the charity Engineers Without Borders (EWB).

South Africa's Succession Fight
The justice system becomes a battleground for a power struggle within the ruling party

Witnesses: All gold miners freed from South Africa mine
The last of 3,200 gold miners trapped by a power failure reached the surface late Thursday after nearly two days underground, witnesses reported.

Mine rescue: 1,000 out, 2,000 waiting to be freed
Hundreds of workers from a South African gold mine returned to the surface Thursday morning after power to the mine was restored, following an accident that kept them underground for more than a day, the company operating the mine told CNN.

Stranded in South Africa
Josh Macabuag is in Jozini, South Africa, where he will be working with the charity Engineers Without Borders (EWB).

South Africa goes shopping
The Palms shopping center in Lagos is the largest mall in sub-Saharan Africa. It's managed by a South African company, Broll, and most of its stores - Game, Shoprite, NuMetro, Nandos - are South African brands. The largest mobile-phone company in Nigeria? It, too, is South African: MTN, which has captured nearly 50% of the market.

Killing time in South Africa
Josh Macabuag is in Jozini, South Africa, where he will be working with the charity Engineers Without Borders (EWB).

Josh's blog: Settling in to South Africa
Josh Macabuag is in Jozini, South Africa, where he will be working with the charity Engineers Without Borders (EWB).

Engineers without borders
Engineers Without Borders (EWB) has operations in countries across the world, each committed to engineering for international development.

South Africa recalls 20M condoms
South Africa's health department said on Tuesday it has recalled 20 million potentially defective condoms approved by an official accused of taking bribes from a manufacturer.

South Africa's health department recalls 20 million condoms
South Africa's health department said Tuesday it has recalled 20 million potentially defective condoms approved by an official accused of taking bribes from a manufacturer.

Strike Brings South Africa to Halt
Tens of thousands of public sector workers marched Wednesday to government offices across the country, escalating a 12-day-old strike

My World: Trevor Immelman
Feud for thought

School program helps South Africa's most vulnerable
The janitors at a rural secondary school in the eastern South African town of Jeppe's Reef are letting their curiosity get the best of them.

South Africans: 'Leave' is no answer to violence
Charles Nqakula, South Africa's minister for safety and security, has a message for people complaining about his country's rampant crime rate: You can pack your bags and go.

From big business to big cats
Pushed onto planes, hassled in airports, and constantly called by head office, business travelers could be forgiven for feeling hunted.

'It's going to be a good day'
"It's going to be a good day."

Gay couple wins S. Africa ruling
South Africa's Constitutional Court has ruled the country's marriage laws unfairly discriminate against same-sex unions.

MEET THE TRUMP OF SOUTH AFRICA
WHEN MARTHA STEWART GETS HER own edition of The Apprentice this fall on NBC, she will not be the first boss with a prison record to take command of the reality TV program. Tokyo Sexwale, host of th...

WHO urges more leadership on AIDS
The three countries that are farthest behind the goal of getting AIDS drugs to those who need them are South Africa, India, and Nigeria, an official of the World Health Organization has said.

Keeping conservation on track
Keeping track of the thousands of animals, plant species and birds that inhabit South Africa's Kruger National Park is no simple task, but thanks to a GPS device, the job has become a lot easier.

From murder comes reconciliation, hope
In South African townships rife with violence and poverty, thousands of children find comfort and knowledge daily after school by dancing, playing, painting and eating. They study math, reading, music, theater and more, while their older countrymen learn first aid, safe-sex practices, vocational and other life skills.

Rethinking the nuclear option
Koeberg Power Station, 27 kilometers north of Cape Town on South Africa's Atlantic coast, is the only nuclear plant on the African continent.

Taking to the skies in comfort
I take planes like most people take buses.

S. Africa neo-Nazi freed from jail
South African white extremist leader Eugene TerreBlanche, jailed for attempting to murder a black security guard in 1996, has been released from prison on parole.

Sudsy brouhaha to court: Miller sues Bud Light
A brewery brouhaha has shifted from the ad room to the courtroom.

Sources: S. Africa stymied suspected mercenaries
In the multinational effort that may have averted a coup attempt in Equatorial Africa, South Africa alerted Zimbabwe that a planeload of 64 "suspected mercenaries" was to land in Harare, sources close to the investigation said Thursday.

8 tourists die in S. Africa crash
Eight British tourists were killed in South Africa when their bus swerved to avoid a pedestrian on the road and crashed.

Dung deal At a new safari school in South Africa, Scott Gummer learns to think like a ranger, walk like a lion, and watch where
It was the travel writer's equivalent of a Willy Wonka golden ticket: an invitation to the first Bush Skills Academy at the Phinda Private Game Reserve in South Africa. Hosted by Conservation Corpo...

South Africa: Firms That Stayed Thrive
Politically incorrect is an understatement. Those U.S. companies that remained in South Africa despite economic sanctions in the 1980s and the early nineties -- including Colgate-Palmolive, Johnson...

FINDING NEW MEANING AND OLD TIES IN SOUTH AFRICA
BUZZ COOPER, 52, AND ALEECE TYLER-Cooper, 38, believed in South Africa's future even before the fall of apartheid. The family, including daughters Chanel, 19, Eboni, 15, and son Andre, 9, moved fro...

INTO SOUTH AFRICA WE'LL DOUBLE IN A DECADE
NEXT YEAR MARKS THE CENtennial of $6.7 billion South African Breweries, the nation's dominant beermaker and biggest consumer company with divisions in soft drinks (including a Coke franchise), fash...

THE MANDELA BULL MARKET IN SOUTH AFRICA
Nelson Mandela can claim to be a patriot and peacemaker in South Africa, but he's also a pretty good market mover. Since the president of the African National Congress called for an end to economic...

RETURNING TO SOUTH AFRICA
It could all come unstuck in one mad moment, but what has happened so far in South Africa is something of a miracle. In October, black leaders will begin sharing power with the white government, ga...

Coming up
The first socially responsible stock fund that invests worldwide debuts this month: Calvert World Values Global Equity Fund (4.75% load; 800-368-2748). The fund won't buy tobacco, alcohol or nuclea...

NOT THERE YET
In mid-October racial discrimination became illegal in South Africa's libraries, swimming pools, bathrooms, and other public facilities. At about the same time, in Natal province the government sus...

THE SURPRISE ABOUT APARTHEID Much of the world thinks South Africa's abhorrent system is the creation of greedy capitalists. Tha
The dramatic recent events in South Africa give new urgency to an old question: What kind of government might a democratic South Africa have? Now that the African National Congress is legal and Nel...

Adam Smith on Smoking, Whizzer White on Drinking, Liberals on Feeling Good, and Other Matters. Feeling Good About South Africa
The obituaries of Alan Paton, South Africa's most eminent liberal and an eloquent critic of apartheid for several decades, had a curious note in them. They sounded a bit embarrassed. The obituary w...

Go for the platinum
It probably won't result in folk songs or legends, but the platinum rush of '88 is on. The first U.S. platinum mine -- in Stillwater County, Montana -- produced its initial batch last September and...

Goodbye to the Sullivan Principles
The exodus of U.S. companies from South Africa is almost certain to accelerate. Leon Sullivan, the Baptist minister and General Motors board member who established the Sullivan Principles for guidi...

The Case for Avarice, Sex in Canada, Playing Tambo's Tune, and Other Matters. Two Questions About South Africa
We must weigh in again on South Africa, especially with respect to two large questions that keep getting answered wrong in the New York Times and Washington Post. Question No. 1 is whether sanction...

INVESTING '87 How to Get the Most from Gold This Year
Okay. You are sure there won't be a nuclear war before Easter. You are certain inflation will lay low, and Uncle Sam will not default on his bonds. So why invest even a dime of your money in gold, ...

Signals
As the corporate exodus from South Africa grows, each new departure seems more urgent and drastic than the one before. Less than a month after General Motors and IBM said they were selling their su...

Tsvangirai, Mugabe 'Happy With Zuma Talks'
ZIMBABWEAN President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said they were satisfied with talks mediated by President Jacob Zuma yesterday aimed at salvaging their power-sharing unity government.

Massive HIV Testing Campaign Launches
From April 15, everyone attending a clinic or hospital will be offered an HIV test, regardless of whether they have symptoms of the disease or not.

Industrial Policy Action Plan Set to Fail, Says Steel Giant
ArcelorMittal, one of SA's biggest industrial concerns, fired a broadside at the government's industrial policy action plan yesterday, warning it risked failure by being "short-changed" by too little state funding.

SME's Overtake Corporates in Internet Use
More people are accessing the Internet from small medium enterprises (SME's) than from corporate networks, according to the annual Internet Access in South Africa study by World Wide Worx and Cisco.

But South Africa Will Win
Less than a hundred days to go, and the world looks on, often more with scepticism than anticipation.

More Money, Less Education
Ethembeni Enrichment Centre, a school in a run-down part of Port Elizabeth, the largest city in Eastern Cape, South Africa's poorest province, has achieved a remarkable 100 percent pass rate for a dozen years. But officials from the education department, sent on a fact-finding mission to learn from the school's success, are running more than two hours late.

Factories Lead Way in Job Cuts, Says Survey
MOST South African businesses imposed a hiring freeze and in some cases reduced staff last year, says a report issued by Grant Thornton yesterday.

Cost of Zuma's Wives, Children Nearly Doubles
The cost to the taxpayer of support for President Jacob Zuma 's wives and children almost doubled in 2009-10, soaring to more than R15m from R8m a year before, according to figures released by the Presidency yesterday.

Business Fears Ambiguity in Policy
BUSINESS Unity SA (Busa) has urged the government to give local companies preferential treatment over foreign rivals, saying this was essential to boost economic growth and job creation.

Authority Seeks More Structured .za Domain
THE .za Domain Name Authority (.zaDNA) is lobbying the communications minister to amend the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act to create a formal, regulated structure for the internet domain name industry.

Government Principals Meet with Zuma
South African President Jacob Zuma kick-started his three day visit to Zimbabwe on Wednesday by holding talks with the coalition government's feuding leaders.

Retail Sales Drop More Slowly Than Expected in January
Retail sales fell more slowly than anticipated in January, suggesting that consumer demand may be on the mend, official data showed yesterday.

Star-Studded Line-Up for 2010 Concert
Award-winning artists like Alicia Keys, Black Eyed Peas, John Legend and Shakira will share the stage at the 2010 FIFA World Cup celebration concert on 10 June which is billed as the greatest entertainment show in Africa.

Panic Buttons - Fiddling With the Law is a Sign of Desperation
THE pressure on the Zuma administration to deliver on its election promises is ratcheting up further by the day, and while the looming Soccer World Cup is set to provide a welcome distraction, the switch of focus will be all too brief. Before he knows it, it will be mid-July and the euphoria of hosting a successful international event will be fading, with the rude realities of life in SA thrusting their way back into the national consciousness.

Scourge of 'Quiet Corruption'
IT IS no comfort at all to find that SA is not alone, and that many other African countries have similar (or worse) problems of teachers who do not teach and healthcare professionals who do not care for their patients. Indeed the problem, it seems, is rife. A new World Bank study says that in a number of African countries teachers are not in school at all for 15%-20% of the time, and even those who are in school are often not teaching. Sound familiar?

Why Toyota Will Ride Out the Storm
TOYOTA has had a torrid time of late. Deaths. A global recall of 8,5-million vehicles. Even its flagship, the Prius, has suffered from a recall.

Cash Customers will Rescue Hardware Merchants
CONSUMERS who pay cash for hardware and building materials offer the prospect of a quicker recovery in sales than those buying on credit.

JSE Takes Investors on Roller-Coaster Ride
THERE has been a siz able correction followed by a recovery of 8% on the local and major foreign stock markets so far this year, an indicator of the continuing fragility of investor sentiment.

Milling Industry Inquiry Comes as 'no Suprise'
THE Competition Commission's inquiry into the milling industry comes as no surprise to one small Johannesburg baker.

Coal of Africa Stock Falls on Dismal Interims
COAL of Africa 's (CoAL's) losses widened significantly in the six months to December largely due to impairments, knocking the coal mining developer's share price down more than 5% yesterday.

Investment Company Returns to Profit after Tough Year
INVESTMENT holding company Pallinghurst Resources reported a return to profit in the year to December, and said its plans to continue growing its platinum group metals (PGMs) portfolio were on course.

Time to Scrap Unity Deal And Have a Supervised Election
Whatever President Zuma may have gained for our country during his state visit to Britain, the sad thing is he failed to seize the one opportunity he had to transform his international image completely -- which was to come out strongly with a decisive new policy to resolve the protracted mess in Zimbabwe. To show that he is not just a continuation of Thabo Mbeki on this morally definitive issue.

Rail Capacity Still Falling Short of Country's Needs, Says Survey
TWO years after Transnet started with its multibillion-rand capital investment, rail capacity is still insufficient to offset SA's high logistics costs, according to a new survey.

Call for National Oil Companies to Collaborate
THE Department of Energy has mooted collaboration between national oil companies in southern Africa to ensure security of fuel supply in the region amid withdrawal of oil majors from certain countries.

Managed Services Boost Technology Group's Growth
TECHNOLOGY group EOH is targeting acquisitions locally and in the rest of the southern Africa region to further grow its operations.

Transnet to Spend More to Fight Theft
TRANSNET Freight Rail yesterday said it spent about R1,2bn over five years to increase its security in the wake of rampant cable theft and vandalism, which had led to "significant service disruptions".

Kickboxers to Leave for SA
THIRTEEN local kickboxers are today set to leave for South Africa to participate in the Great North 1 tournament to be held over the weekend.

HIV Testing and Mental Illness
As more HIV-positive people access treatment and live longer, the number of people suffering from HIV-related mental disorders is growing, but mental health remains an ethical, legal and clinical minefield, where many doctors and nurses fear to tread - and fear to test.

Transnet Fires Two Senior Managers for Tender Irregularities
"The summary dismissal is in line with the recommendation of an independent and external chairman of the disciplinary hearing of the two," said Transnet spokesperson, John Dludlu.

Building Stats 'Not the End of the World' - Builders Organisation
Master Builders South Africa (MBSA) believe the downturn in building statistics released today will not seriously affect the industry.

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Power lines, and the struggle for democracy in Bayview

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Social Movements Report on Zimbabwe

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Obedience Doesn't Pay: inside the new revolt

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Β“War Against Profits not PeopleΒ”: Anti-War March in Johannesburg

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Illegal evictions: Does the law apply to housing agents?

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What is Love?

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No answers from Mosselbay officials

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Victory for Cuba Heights land invaders

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Financial Exclusions set UKZN ablaze

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Water war brews in Bayview as council cuts off residents

South Africa Courts Iran
Pretoria’s support of Tehran demonstrates its anti-democratic and anti-West leanings.

Zuma a Constitutional Danger, Says Opposition

South Africa: The Next Zimbabwe
Despite the global boom, most South Africans were left behind. Fourteen years after the end of apartheid, widespread discontent is fueling communism, and economic collapse looms.

The Treasure Tankers of Africa
Where will they sail, and why?

South Africa's Lame-Duck President
Once the jewel of Africa, this nation is now going the way of the rest of the continent. A new president won’t help matters.

Black on Black in South Africa
Tensions erupting in Johannesburg reveal a much larger fault line running through Africa’s future.

The Weekend Web
A “red state” shocker and Ehud Olmert’s survival rating; plus, Ahmadinejad decries the “martyrdom” of Palestinians even as his own people freeze to death.

Don't Expect Jacob Zuma to Fix South Africa
Once the jewel of Africa, this nation is now going the way of the rest of the continent. The new leader of the ruling party won’t help matters.

Chinese State-Owned Bank Continues Strategic Shopping Spree
China Development Bank announced this week its intent to purchase a stake in British banking giant Barclays.

Zimbabwe Population Plummets as Millions Flee Mugabe
Border officials have described a “human tsunami” flowing across borders as economic conditions worsen.

South Africa Begins Forced Land Redistribution

Week in Review

The Week in Review
Among the most significant news from the past seven days was the flare-up of violence in the Old City of Jerusalem.

South Africa Approves Same-Sex Marriages

P.W. Botha: Last of South Africa's Statesmen
As the left-wing media had little positive to say about P.W. Botha, elder statesman of South Africa, following his death on Tuesday, his real legacy goes largely unnoticed.

Russia Strengthens Ties With South Africa
Vladimir Putin is resurrecting Russia’s special relationship with the ANC that has lain dormant for several years. Why?

"Almost Untreatable" Tuberculosis Very Deadly, Has Global Potential

World Drifts Toward Nuclear Catastrophe
“The unleashed power of the atom has changed everything save our modes of thinking, and thus we drift toward unparalleled catastrophe.” Sixty years later, Albert Einstein is still right.

South Africa: Leaders Tolerate Plague of Violence
Twelve years on from apartheid, South Africa is losing the fight against violent crime.

South Africa Threatens Farmers With Compulsory Eviction

UK, South Africa Increase Same-Sex Couples' Rights
Tying the knot around the traditional family unit

South Africa and Zimbabwe Strengthen Ties
Many are concerned that South Africa is heading down the same destructive path as its northern neighbor Zimbabwe. Recent South African expressions of admiration for Zimbabwe bolster those fears.

South Africa Assists Iran?
As the relationship between South Africa and Iran strengthens, just how far will Pretoria go in its support of Tehran?

South Africa in Prophecy
Since the handover of government to Nelson Mandela in May 1994, the euphoria which greeted the new president’s inauguration has soured as crime runs rampant in the major cities, the country’s health services unravel, educational standards adjust downward and the rand plummets. The vision outlined by South Africa’s new government included many promises in the areas of housing, welfare, education and employment. These promises have yet to be largely fulfilled. What does the future hold for South Africa?

Failed Promises

Leaders’ Lavishness Gives Rise to ‘Lifestyle Audits’
The finances of South African officials are being viewed with skepticism and contempt, leading to a call for audits.

Dreaming of an End to Soccer's Nightmare
Soccer's leaders could learn from ice hockey, borrowing its tie-breaking solution to put an end to the wholly unsatisfying spectacle of penalty kicks.

Cost of Stadium Reveals Tensions in South Africa
Even as a $137 million stadium to be used for four World Cup games is rising, poverty remains prevalent nearby.

Winnie Mandela’s Remarks Raise Stir
In the London Evening Standard this week Winnie Mandikizela-Mandela described her former husband as a figurehead who had made a bad deal with South Africa’s former white rulers.

Defectors Say Church of Scientology Hides Abuse
Fifty-six years after its founding, the church is fighting off calls by former members for a reformation.

The Priest
The South African archbishop talks about his country after the Mandela era.

State Visit Revives a History of Stereotypes
There was a familiar undertone to the exchanges provoked by the visit of President Jacob G. Zuma of South Africa to Buckingham Palace — a clash of caricatures of reflexes born centuries earlier.

Tendulkar’s Latest Record Emphasizes His Greatness
Sachin Tendulkar became the first man to hit 200 in a 50-over international to continue a run of form late in his career that is cementing his place in cricket record books.

A Bus System Reopens Rifts in South Africa
The system promises to ease the hardship of millions who live in townships far from cities, but opponents are pushing back.

South Africa's Last Stand Fails, Leaving India No. 1 in Cricket
Had South Africa hung on for that last 15 minutes in the second test in Calcutta, it would have won the two-match series, with a victory and a draw, and taken over at the top of the world rankings.

Indian Cricketers Frustrated by Poor Weather
Rain and Hashim Amla frustrated India on Wednesday as it pursued a victory that would level its two-test series with South Africa.

Paternity Claim Challenges Zuma’s Stance on AIDS
Jacob Zuma, the polygamous president of South Africa, was upbraided Monday by commentators and political rivals after a newspaper reported that he had fathered his 20th child.

Men Defend Historic Mandela Site ... From Rabbits
The island where Nelson Mandela spent years in prison is overrun with rabbits, leading to a gory solution.

State of the Union, in Dutch
A comparison of how six world leaders use a yearly address to lay out their agendas.

Paying the Price for Apartheid
A South African lawsuit against three foreign business will right no wrongs.

Service delivery protests curious - HSRC
The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) says the increase in the rate and frequency of service delivery protests as the World Cup approaches is a curious and interesting development.

SAA, SA Express deny price fixing
South African state-owned airlines SAA and SA Express both vehemently denied allegations of air ticket price fixing ahead of the June 2010 World Cup. The two appeared before Parliament's Public Enterprises Committee. The Competition Commission is probing the domestic flight industry after allegation of price collusion surfaced last year.

Govt ordered to implement 'indigenous language' legislation
The North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has ordered the Minister of Arts and Culture, Lulu Xingwana, to adopt and implement legislation within two years, ensuring the equal treatment of all the country's indigenous languages.

Zuma pleased with Baragwanath hospital's leadership style
President Jacob Zuma says he is impressed at the style of leadership that has brought about major changes at Chris Hani Baragwanath hospital in Soweto.

SA motorists face steep fuel price hike next month
Economists say motorists can expect a steep rise in fuel price in April. KADD Capital economist Elize Kruger says it is likely that petrol and diesel will increase by at least 50 cents per litre (c/l).

Crime-fighting technology effective in W Cape schools
Western Cape Education Minister Donald Grant says the use of hand-held metal detectors at schools is proving to prevent incidents of violence.

Joburg taxi strike forces commuters to seek alternative means
Taxi passengers in Soweto are flocking to bus stations as the taxi strike enters its third day. Public transport facilities such as the Baragwanath Taxi Rank in Soweto are deserted while the Thokoza Park Rea Vaya Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) station is buzzing with commuters. Some people are hiking to work along the busy Chris Hani Road.

Copy of SA's Freedom Charter to be auctioned in London
A signed copy of the Freedom Charter belonging to former union leader Leon Levy is to be auctioned in London this month. Levy (80) said yesterday that he had the document since 1960, and that it represented his 'retirement fund'.

SA's rare artwork fetches record R2 million
A rare piece of artwork which captures one of the poignant moments in South Africa's history has netted a record price of R2 million at an auction held in Cape Town last night.

Service delivery tops Zuma's visit to Baragwanath Hospital
The provision of effective service delivery will come under the spotlight when President Jacob Zuma visits the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital later this morning.

Shiceka gets tough on struggling municipalities
Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Sicelo Shiceka is to invoke section 139(b) of the Constitution, against five municipalities in the North West province which have failed to render effective service delivery to their communities.

Cosatu joins ANC in backing Gordhan
South Africa's powerful trade union federation Cosatu today joined the ANC in backing Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, rejecting criticism of him from the ruling party's youth wing.

Protestors disrupt learning at Mafikeng school
Hundreds of protestors disrupted learning and teaching at Leaba Primary School at Deelpan village outside Mafikeng in the North West. The school's 480 learners joined their parents and other community members in completely shutting down the school.

COPE members flee homes
About 100 Congress of the People (COPE) members from Clermont near Durban have fled their homes, they allege that they were attacked by unknown men last night who apparently told them that they were not welcomed in the area.

Police nab 40 Gauteng protesters for public violence
Gauteng police diffused yet another violent protest today. This after officers arrested more than 40 people in Rabie Ridge, east of Johannesburg, for public violence. Police had to fire rubber bullets on the thousands of people who had gathered on the main road this morning.

Opposition parties welcome Malema’s conviction
Opposition parties today welcomed a ruling that found ANCYL leader Julius Malema guilty of hate speech and harassment, saying his conviction should be a "wake-up call" to the ruling party.

No resolution to North West hostage drama
The hostage drama involving more than 200 workers at Moses Kotane Local Municipality in Mogwase near Rustenburg in North West is still going on. Workers are holding five senior managers, including the municipal manager, hostage.

Malema's lawyer to appeal ruling
ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema's lawyer says he will appeal an Equality Court judgment against his client.

Malema found guilty of hate speech
ANC Youth League President Julius Malema has been found guilty of hate speech and harassment.

Equality court to rule on Malema hate speech complaint
The Equality Court in Johannesburg is expected to hand down judgment today in the hate speech case against ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema.

Journey along the Caracal Ecoroute
Stretching from Groen River in the south, to Skilpad in the northeast, the new Caracal Ecoroute 4x4 trail opens up previously unreachable areas of the spectacular Namaqua National Park in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa. The first adventurers traversed the trail in July 2009 and no doubt the word will soon be out that the Caracal Ecoroute has much to offer.

Flower Valley Conservation Trust
Located on the Agulhas Plain, north-east of Gansbaai in the Western Cape Province of South Africa, Flower Valley farm lies in the heart of the spectacular Cape Floral Region and is home to the Flower Valley Conservation Trust. As the name suggests, the trust has as its goal the conservation of the indigenous fynbos endemic to this region, while at the same time empowering local communities by promoting profitable utilization of natural resources by means of sustainable practices.

The Southern Line Rail Route
Starting at the main train station in central Cape Town, the Southern Line rail route stops off at Newlands, Observatory, Muizenberg, Kalk Bay and Simon’s Town, offering passengers an interesting view of the Cape Peninsula, with stretches of the railway line running a mere few meters from the sea. Buy a day pass and between the hours of 10h00 and 16h00 you can get off the train at any of the stops and get back on when the next train comes by. If you are staying on the Peninsula for your Cape Town holiday, you can take a ride to the city centre or any of the other destinations, each of which has its own unique charm.

Buddhist Retreat Centre in Ixopo
For more than twenty years the Buddhist Retreat Centre, located at Ixopo in KwaZulu Natal, has been welcoming people to take some time out of their busy schedules to re-connect with themselves in an area of great natural beauty and tranquility. The retreat is located on a ridge overlooking the Umkomaas River, indigenous valleys and rolling hills. Paths winding through the 300 acre property take guests through the lush greenery to quiet places which are perfect for meditation and contemplation, while enjoying exquisite scenery.

Helderberg Wine Route
Stretching north from Somerset West to Stellenbosch and southeast to Sir Lowry's Pass, the Helderberg Wine Route incorporates the majestic Helderberg Mountains, on the slopes of which some of South Africa's finest vineyards flourish. The Helderberg region is truly one of the Western Cape's treasures well worth exploring. Not only is it exquisitely beautiful, but as home to some of the oldest wineries in South Africa, the Helderberg Wine Route is steeped in history and culture, with some of the wineries having been family-run businesses for generations.

Dana Bay along the Garden Route
Dana Bay is a wonderful destination in Mossel Bay that is often overlooked by visitors, as they are under the impression that it is merely a suburb of the picturesque coastal town. But there is so much more to Dana Bay than meets the eye, and it is one of the few destinations in South Africa where the animals have the right of way, and people live their lives in accordance with nature. It is a community that strives to conserve and protect the wildlife and vegetation of Dana Bay, and is therefore a wonderful attraction and breathtaking part of the Garden Route.

Vaal Meander
Usually when creative people get together to brainstorm an idea, one can expect a masterpiece, and in the establishment of Vaal Meander this is just the case. A mere hours drive away from the bustling city of Johannesburg awaits a world of beauty, creativity and relaxation that has become a popular getaway for locals, the perfect venue for special occasions and a chance for tourists to discover the quieter side of South Africa, while being close to towns and cities.

Witness Hilton Arts Festival
KZN’s foremost arts and culture festival - the annual Witness Hilton Arts Festival comes to the Hilton College from 18 to 20 September with a glittering line-up of cutting-edge drama, comedy, music and cabaret, as well as an impressive array of arts and crafts in a bumper programme that features an enticing mix of hot South African performers and artists gleaned from the most prestigious stages around the country including the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown in July.

The Jane Goodall Institute's Chimpanzee Eden
Just outside the city of Nelspruit is a unique sanctuary and attraction in South Africa that protects and conserves through educating the public and offering a safe environment for chimpanzees. It is the only chimpanzee sanctuary in South Africa. The institute takes in chimpanzees from around world, that have been taken from their natural environments at a young age and now find themselves lost and without refuge. The Jane Goodall Institute’s Chimpanzee Eden rescues and takes care of these chimpanzees, and through their efforts they save countless lives each year.

Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape
Nature lovers bound for South Africa’s Northern Cape Province will likely find themselves being drawn to the Richtersveld. This mountainous desert landscape is unlike anything most people have ever seen – some even choose to describe it as ‘martian’. It is a place where craggy, sharp mountains rise steeply from flat, sandy plains and where the dryness of these places is contrasted sharply with the lush vegetation growing on the banks of the Orange River. This all comes together to form the Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape.

Eskom taken to court over secret deals
Sake24 has lodged a high court application to force Eskom to reveal the tariffs it charges BHP Billiton.

Crowd vow to 'destroy' Jub Jub and Tshabalala
Molemo "Jub Jub" Maarohanye and his friend, Themba Tshabalala, arrived in a nyala at the Protea Magistrate's Court in Soweto to face four murder charges.

Tiger still 'a terrific golfer' - Obama
American president Barack Obama says no matter what is happening in Tiger Woods' home, he is still a major talent.

Probe into R22m spent on body to build morals
The Moral Regeneration Movement, the brainchild of President Jacob Zuma when he was deputy president, has little to show for the R22 million that has been pumped into it.

Swinging 60s had nothing on the Noughties
If you thought the 60s were all about free love and sex, think again...

Unity In Diversity (literally Diverse People Unite)

The Republic of South Africa is located at the southern tip of Africa. It borders the Atlantic and Indian oceans and Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland, and Lesotho, an independent enclave surrounded by South African territory. South Africa is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The South African economy is the largest in Africa and 24th largest in the world. Due to this it is the most socially, economically and infrastructurally developed country on the continent.

South Africa has experienced a different history from other nations in Africa because of early immigration from Europe and the strategic importance of the Cape Sea Route. European immigration began shortly after the Dutch East India Company founded a station at what would become Cape Town, in 1652. The closure of the Suez Canal during the Six-Day War highlighted its significance to East-West trade. The country's relatively developed infrastructure made its mineral wealth available and important to Western interests, particularly throughout the late nineteenth century and, with international competition and rivalry, during the Cold War. South Africa is ethnically diverse, with the largest Caucasian, Indian, and racially mixed communities in Africa. Black South Africans, who speak nine officially recognised languages, and many more dialects, account for slightly less than 80% of the population.

Racial strife between the white minority and the black majority has played a large part in South Africa's history and politics, culminating in apartheid, which was instituted in 1948 by the National Party (although segregation existed before that time). The laws that defined apartheid began to be repealed or abolished by the National Party in 1990, after a long and sometimes violent struggle (including economic sanctions from the international community) by the Black majority as well as many White, Coloured, and Indian South Africans.

Several philosophies and ideologies have developed in South Africa, including ubuntu (the belief in a universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity) and Jan Smuts's holism.

Regular elections have been held for almost a century; but the majority of South Africans were not enfranchised until 1994.

South Africa is often called the "Rainbow Nation", a term coined by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and later adopted by then President Nelson Mandela. Mandela used the term "Rainbow Nation" as a metaphor to describe the country's newly developing multicultural diversity after segregationist apartheid ideology. The country's socially progressive policies are rare in Africa.

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SouthAfrica