Heath slams government ‘cover-up’ over arms deal

By Wendy Jasson Da Costa

Durban – FORMER Heath Investigating Unit head Judge Willem Heath indicated yesterday that there had been a government cover-up over arms deal irregularities....

‘Tough times ahead’ as dry weather spell hits SA

Pretoria – Unusually dry and hot conditions are expected over most of South Africa this summer, spelling tough times for farmers and municipal water managers, the SA Weather Service said yesterday. ...

Gang member dies in wild shoot-out with police squad

By Michael Roux Van Zyl

A GANG member was shot dead in a shoot-out with police after a George liquor store was burgled on Wednesday night....

Konings murder accused tells of chance meeting

Cape Town – A statement handed to the Cape High Court yesterday tells of Dutch student Marleen Konings’s chance meeting with her alleged killer, Ferdinand Mostert, at a residential hotel in Swellendam....

Medical alert at top PE school as pupil diagnosed with meningitis

By Michael Roux Van Zyl

A TOP Port Elizabeth primary school urged Grade 1 parents to take their children for preventative medication after a pupil was diagnosed with a contagious strain of meningitis....

Metro economy grew by 3,9pc this year

By Max Matavire Metro Editor

THE metro economy grew by 3,9 per cent this year, an upbeat Mayor Nceba Faku told the last council meeting of the year....

‘Missing’ docket on magistrate is traced

By Hendrick Mphande, Court Correspondent

OFFICIALS have solved the mystery surrounding the “disappearance” of a docket of a senior Port Elizabeth magistrate who is facing a culpable homicide charge in connection with the death of a motorcyclist in a traffic accident....

Mug golfers call retracted

Herald Reporters

METRO constituency councillor Mike Xego retracted his controversial racist mugging statement at a meeting at the Port Elizabeth Golf Club yesterday....

Hunting elephants with pea-shooters

By Patrick Laurence

THE Mbeki administration may have made a fundamental error in relation to its ambitious programme to halve South Africa’s widespread poverty and high unemployment by 2014....

Blood donor profiling a racist move, says minister

By Leon Engelbrecht

Johannesburg – THE profiling of donors by the SA National Blood Service smacks of racism, says Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang. ...

PE alliance backs union leaders in ANC-Cosatu row

By Mawande Jack

COSATU and the SA Communist Party in Port Elizabeth have come out in support of their leadership in their row with the ANC....

Rape and robbery as gang runs amok

By Hendrick Mphande and Ma-Aasha Ismail

THREE youths, allegedly members of a Kwazakhele gang that “specialises” in attacking mothers and their daughters in their beds and raping them, finally faced justice yesterday....

Factory design puts Neal in line for big prize

By Phindile Chauke

A PORT Elizabeth architecture student has been named the regional winner of a national competition and now goes through to the finals....

Step cautiously, urges church body

Cape Town – Christianity’s core teachings do not explicitly prohibit validation of same sex relationships, says SA Council of Churches general-secretary Molefe Tsele....

Same-sex marriage ruling stirs more emotion

By GERSHWIN WANNENBURG

Johannesburg – The row over the Supreme Court of Appeal ruling earlier this week that same-sex marriages had to be legalised, continues unabated....

2010 World Cup – siting of stadium splits ANC

By Max Matavire, Metro Editor

TWO sites have been nominated for a new soccer stadium in Port Elizabeth for the 2010 World Cup – one in Sydenham and the other in Motherwell – amid heated controversy which saw the ANC split ranks at a council meeting yesterday....

Virginity testing leaves medical experts uneasy

By Xolile Bhengu and Beth Cooper

THE widespread adoption of virginity testing in the Eastern Cape and the personal endorsement of the practice by Premier Nosimo Balindlela has left human rights groups and medical professionals uneasy....

Warder sentenced for shooting

Herald Reporter

A PRISON warder who killed a colleague in a shooting incident has received a five-year suspended sentence, three years house arrest and been ordered to carry out community service....

Union set to do battle at PE abattoir

By Lusanda Ngeju

A DISPUTE between the Food and Allied Workers’ Union and the Eastern Province Livestock Abattoir is headed for the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration. ...

Court rejects application in Basson case

Johannesburg – The Constitutional Court yesterday dismissed an application by the Institute for Security Studies to join an appeal bid by the State against the acquittal of apartheid-era chemical and biological warfare expert Dr Wouter Basson....

Storm over beer hall revamp

Backing for music centre plan

By Max Matavire, Metro Editor

MAYOR NCEBA FAKU says his council will go ahead with the upgrading of Mendi beer hall in New Brighton despite claims from a community group that it should be consulted because the building belongs to them....

Ex-butcher on the block

A FORMER butchery owner was found guilty in the Port Elizabeth commercial crimes court this week on a charge of contravening the Insolvency Act....

Abuser to be extradited

Johannesburg – A South African citizen faces extradition to Canada to serve a three-year prison sentence eight years after he was convicted of sexually assaulting a teenager....

Astra-nomic war rages, but it’s just not Golf

By Bobby Cheetham, Senior Editor: Motoring

THE Nelson Mandela Metro car advertising war continues unabated....

Murder was ‘mercy killing’

Herald Reporter

THE shooting of multi-millionaire Humansdorp businessman Luke Groenewald in January, 2002, was nothing more than a “mercy killing”, the Port Elizabeth High Court heard yesterday....

Ex-TV personality launches drive to save ground hornbill

By Guy Rogers

A RETIRED TV personality from Britain has launched a drive in the Eastern Cape to save the ground hornbill....

Furore over Sunday liquor sales approval

By Max Matavire Metro Editor

ALCOHOL will now be legally on sale at liquor outlets in the Metro on Sundays....

Five held for livestock theft in Qumbu

MORE than 100 head of stolen livestock were recovered by police and five people arrested during a raid in Qumbu this week. The raid was conducted in Nontyankashe village, police said. And in Umzimkulu, another 44 goats were recovered....

‘Dance’ murder sequel

Johannesburg – The man arrested in connection with the murder of a Lord of the Dance production member appeared in the Johannesburg magistrate’s court yesterday....

Man killed over money

A QUARREL over money turned tragic when a man was stabbed to death with a screwdriver in East London this week....

Marathon cyclists stop to do good deed

By Nonzwakazi Cekete

A RHEUMATOID arthritis sufferer made a stop in Port Elizabeth yesterday as part of a national cycling campaign to raise funds for the Reach For A Dream Foundation, Hospice and the Salem Baby Care Centre....

Man held for rape of student

By Debbie Bruinders

Grahamstown – A businessman charged with raping a Rhodes University student at a local pub earlier this year appeared in the magistrate’s court here yesterday....

Student, friend gassed

A YOUNG male student and his girlfriend were found gassed in their car in what appeared to be a suicide in East London....

World move to clear millions of landmines gets R1-billion boost

Nairobi – The European Commission said yesterday it had earmarked $186-million (R1,1-billion) for a new strategy to fight anti-personnel landmines worldwide from next year to 2007....

Mbeki in Ivory Coast

Abidjan – President Thabo Mbeki stepped up his efforts to stop Ivory Coast sliding back into civil war when he arrived in the former French colony yesterday on a mediation mission due to last several days....

IMF party in Zim for talks

Harare – International Monetary Fund officials have returned to Zimbabwe for talks with government and banking officials before the fund’s executive board reviews the crisis-hit country’s expulsion from the group....

Mugabe calls for unity amid tensions in party

Harare – Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe called for unity at a crucial ruling party congress yesterday amid tensions within the governing Zanu-PF about the election of a new vice-president....

Tsvangirai may face new charge

Harare – The Zimbabwean government is seeking leave to appeal against the acquittal of Morgan Tsvangirai of treason....

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