Sevafrica

Finally, a home for Bafana

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 09:48:20 +0400

A financial dispute between the South African Football Association and the Sandown High School led to Bafana Bafana shifting their World Cup base for the third time in as many weeks. The hosts finally confirmed their training ground on Thursday - 91 days before taking on Mexico in the tournament opener.
It is a situation that Safa chief executive Leslie Sedibe again admitted was "an embarrassment and a shame", but accusations and counter-accusations flew on Thursday as to why Safa ditched the Sandton-based school in favour of Wits University's Sturrock Park. Sedibe claimed Sandown High wanted "way too much money" for upgrades required to put their training grounds up to the required Fifa standards, but Oupa Keele, chairperson of the school's governing body, maintained Safa had "negotiated in bad faith".

PTA girl stabbed to death, hands hacked off

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:51:17 +0400

A Pretoria schoolgirl who stayed at home with an ear infection was stabbed to death and had her hands chopped off, reports Beeld newspaper.

The father of the 17-year-old Anika Smit found her naked body at their home at Theresa Park in northern Pretoria on Monday afternoon when he returned from work.

'Okay For Teachers To Join Racist Groups'

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:44:17 +0400

Teachers should not be banned from joining organisations which promote racism and intolerance, an independent review has suggested.

It said barring them from membership of non-proscribed groups or political parties would be a "disproportionate response" and a "profound political act".

Report author Maurice Smith aded it would be like "taking a very large sledgehammer to crack a minuscule nut".

Exclusive: City faces acid deluge

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:39:25 +0400

Toxic minerals and acids at dangerous level

Millions of litres of highly toxic and acidic water will flow out of Johannesburg's mines and swamp the city over the next two years, causing structural damage to buildings and severely affecting residents' health.

Scientists predict that if drastic steps are not immediately taken to plug disused mine shafts and pump out the acid mine drainage, the poisonous water will flow into rivers and low-lying areas in the country's most populous city at a rate of up to 70 megalitres a day - as much as 1400 average-sized swimming pools.

Why JubJub faces murder rap

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:18:35 +0400

An outraged community, stirred by the deaths of four teenage boys, beat a frantic path to the court gates in Protea, Soweto, yesterday. Seething residents and pupils shouted as they pelted the armoured van that carried Molemo Maarohanye, popularly known as JubJub, and Themba Tshabalala - the two men accused of killing the four boys during a road race on Monday.

"You give them bail, we kill them", "No bail for bloody JubJub", "Life sentence for bloody JubJub" and "First example. Celeb or no celeb, pay the price" were some of the posters they carried. Altmont Technical High School pupils spurred the angry crowd on as they rattled the court gates and sang "Awulethe uJubJub" (Bring JubJub) - an adaptation of President Jacob Zuma's controversial machinegun song.

Heidi Montag

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 06:57:08 +0400

Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt are going their separate ways…

Spencer Pratt has managed himself and Heidi since the day they met, and he is now being replaced with Aiden Chase according to the Reality Star to People.

"No longer is my husband the face of my business or managing my career. I am going to have Aiden Chase help manage my new life and career in a very different and positive way with light and love. The time for change is now. Never mix business and pleasure. We are no longer Speidi but Spencer and Heidi."

Chile quake moves city more than 10 feet

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 06:39:45 +0400

The magnitude-8.8 earthquake that rocked the west coast of Chile last month was violent enough to move the city of Concepcion at least 10 feet to the west and the capital, Santiago, about 11 inches to the west-southwest, researchers said.

The quake also shifted other parts of South America, as far apart as the Falkland Islands and Fortaleza, Brazil.

The results were reached via global positioning satellite measurements taken before and after the February 27 quake by teams from The Ohio State University, the University of Hawaii, the University of Memphis and the California Institute of Technology, as well as agencies across South America.

NASA scientists have also credited the quake with shifting the Earth's axis enough to create shorter days. The change is negligible, but still worth noting: Each day should be 1.26 microseconds shorter, according to preliminary calculations. A microsecond is one-millionth of a second.

Strikes Looming After BA Peace Talks Fail

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 06:35:18 +0400

British Airways is facing the prospect of crippling strikes by its cabin crew after talks aimed at resolving a bitter row over cost-cutting broke down.

Hopes of a breakthrough in the long-running dispute collapsed last night when Marathon talks ended without agreement.

Officials from Unite will meet today to discuss their next move, and are set to announce strike dates.

The union's 12,500 cabin crew members voted twice voted for industrial action, but a walkout over Christmas was halted after a successful legal challenge from BA.

The union has ruled out striking over Easter. However, a walkout could come as early as March 18.

The two sides met for talks under the chairmanship of TUCgeneral secretary Brendan Barber, who said no further meetings are planned.

Mr Barber said: "Both parties will be reflecting on the position and the TUC will be keeping in touch but at this stage no further negotiations are planned."

Unite said: "Management's offer went nowhere near addressing our members' concerns over crew numbers and service levels.

"Unite representatives will be meeting (today) to discuss the consequences of this breakdown. Should BA wish to make an improved offer, they have time to do so."

BA said it remained available for further negotiations but hopes of resurrecting talks were slim.

Millions In Zimbabwe Face Hunger Crisis

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 06:32:32 +0400

The International Red Cross has launched an urgent appeal for funding in response to a new hunger crisis in Zimbabwe.

Some 2.8 million Zimbabweans - almost a third of the population - are in need of food aid, and the number is expected to rise as a result of a widespread drought.

Across Masvingo province, in the centre of the country, the parched fields are full of dead or dying maize.

Sky News found a family of four orphans picking through the weeds on their land around their homestead, trying to find something edible.

Ernest Mheti, 17, is caring for his two brothers, aged nine and seven, and his 13-year-old sister.

He was relying on his now-shrivelled crop, planted alongside the mounds of earth that mark the graves of his parents, to provide them with food for the next six months.

"I cannot sleep at night because I know they are suffering because I cannot find food," Ernest said.

The Red Cross has set up feeding programmes to try to support the most vulnerable, but a lack of funding means only limited help.

SA employers asked to grant workers 'leave' during World Cup

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:23:08 +0400

The South African Football Supporters Association has forwarded a request to a number of employer bodies in the country, including the Ministry of Public Service and Administration, requesting them to grant workers 3 hours ex gratia leave to allow them to attend Bafana-Bafana games during the World Cup.

The association believes that if employers decide not to grant the requested ex gratia leave, the euphoria of the World Cup will inevitably affect productivity in the work place.