South Africa’s Parliament has embraced technology to keep tabs on lazy MPs. The National Assembly’s 400 members and National Council of Provinces’ 90 delegates make up the Members of Parliament who represent South Africans. Parliament has now installed biometric finger scanners to record when these politicians pitch up for sittings. The new biometric system replaces
‘Xenophobic attacks won’t affect SA relations with Zim’
Zimbabwe’s Consul-General in South Africa, Henry Mukonoweshuro, says diplomatic ties between South Africa and Zimbabwe will not be affected by the on-going xenophobic attacks in the greater eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality. Hundreds of foreign nationals from Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia and Somalia have been displaced after xenophobic attacks in Durban. Close to
Read more: ‘Xenophobic attacks won’t affect SA relations with Zim’
DA, EFF start up the black election bandwagon
A mock leadership battle has begun in the DA following Zille’s announcement that she will not be available for re-election at the party’s elective congress on May 9. The official opposition will elect a new leadership in Port Elizabeth next month. DA parliamentary leader Mmusi Maimane has emerged as the most likely successor to Zille,
Police investigated for shooting of illegal miners
Gauteng police are investigating after police officers shot and wounded two alleged illegal miners. They were among 11 men arrested when police raided the RDP house from which they were operating in Daveyton near Benoni, east of Johannesburg. The two wounded men are in hospital under police guard. The police’s Kay Makhubele says the men
Read more: Police investigated for shooting of illegal miners
‘Racist Gandhi must fall’
A group of people wearing ANC caps brazenly defaced a statue of Mahatma Gandhi that stands opposite the party’s Johannesburg offices in Gandhi Square on Sunday. This was on the day that a bust of the Indian peace figure was unveiled in Hannover, Germany, by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The group drove into the
Multichoice, SABC deal raise hackles
A controversial five-year, R550 million deal between Multichoice and the SABC has drawn sharp criticism from some industry stakeholders A R550 million deal between Multichoice and the SABC, which will hand over a large deal of control over the SABC’s news operations to the DStv owner, is being challenged by industry stakeholders. Three groups –
China may build rail tunnel under Mount Everest
China may build rail tunnel under Mount Everest, state media reports. China is considering extending a railway line linking the country to Nepal via a tunnel under Mount Everest, according to Chinese state media. The proposal is the latest in a series of ambitious rail schemes Beijing is reportedly examining. It comes amid scepticism about
Significant oil discovery in England
There could be up to 100 billion barrels of oil onshore beneath the South of England, says exploration firm UK Oil & Gas Investments (UKOG). Last year, the firm drilled a well at Horse Hill, near Gatwick airport, and analysis of that well suggests the local area could hold 158 million barrels of oil per
French intel chief questions NATO claims
France’s intelligence chief has questioned NATO’s claims of Russia preparing to attack Ukraine as their agents failed to spot any activities signaling this – either before or after the crisis began. A statement by the chief of France’s military intelligence, General Christophe Gomart, was published on the National Assembly’s website. “NATO announced that the Russians
President for Life sneers at ‘white face’
Zimbabwean President for Life, Robert Mugabe told a crowd of media and spectators on Thursday while visiting Hector Pietersen Memorial in Soweto, “I don’t want to see a white face”. Mugabe delivered his latest sneer in his usual affected British colonial accent, flashing some cuff-links and tailor-made arrogance, once again highlighting how utterly risible the
Nazi chants at Dutch soccer game
“Hamas, Hamas, Jews to the gas,” sang a section of the home supporters of FC Utrecht towards the fans visiting from Amsterdam, a city historic in part for its Jewish community. “My father was in the commandos, my mother was in the SS, together they burned Jews, because Jews burn the best!” The chant was
Rising US black population foreign born
Rapidly growing numbers of black immigrants have reshaped the overall black population in the United States in recent decades, particularly in Washington and other cities with large U.S.-born African American communities, a new report says. A record 3.8 million foreign-born blacks now live in the United States, the Pew Research Center reported Thursday. The influx
Germany sells fifth nuclear submarine to Israel
Germany’s Federal Security Council has approved the export of a fifth submarine to Israel. It’s the penultimate submarine promised to Israel by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and will be handed over by the company Thyssen Krupp. Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper revealed the approval, citing the Federal Security Council’s report to the parliamentary Economics Committee. Germany’s Howaldtswerke-Deutsche
US, UK and NATO up the infowar
Documents posted on the web reveal a high-level anti-Russian propaganda war being waged in south and eastern Ukraine by the US, the UK and NATO on behalf of the Kiev Government, using non-governmental organisations (NGOs) as agents. According to the Drakula blog, the West is raising its game in its campaign against Russian President Vladimir