Tag Archives: south-african

ANC celebrate ahead of S. Africa vote tally

Votes were still being counted Thursday evening in South Africa’s parliamentary elections, but the ruling African National Congress was already celebrating what party officials predicted will be a crushing victory. Presumed president-to-be Jacob Zuma — an ethnic Zulu whose flamboyant style sits in contrast to more staid predecessors Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki — led a raucous rally in Johannesburg, telling thousands of cheering supporters the ANC will outstrip its goal of two-thirds control in parliament.

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Legend Player leads Augusta farewells

Golfing legend Gary Player and 1979 winner Fuzzy Zoeller bade emotional farewells to the Masters while Greg Norman, quite possibly the best player never to win the hallowed major, may well have played his last competitive round at Augusta as he narrowly missed the halfway cut. Three-time champion Player was playing his 52nd Masters, finally giving in to Old Father Time at a still spritely 73, but taking in the unique atmosphere for one last time. The South African was cheered to the rafters at every hole and received a standing ovation as he walked up 18 on Friday — 17-over-par but nobody cared.

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South African leader says he is innocent

South Africa’s ruling party president Jacob Zuma declared his innocence Tuesday after a court formally dropped corruption charges against him. “My conscience is clear I have not committed any crime against the state or the people of South Africa,” Zuma said

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Behind South Africa’s Snub of the Dalai Lama

Nobody ought to have been surprised that South Africa chose to heed China’s concerns and deny a visa to the Dalai Lama — not because of the South African government’s poor record of responding to human-rights crises in its own neighborhood, but because of China’s growing diplomatic influence and assertiveness thanks to its status as the great hope of an ailing world economy.

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Brown, bank chiefs thrash out G-20 plans

Top executives of leading international banks were meeting the British prime minister and treasury chief Tuesday to discuss kick-starting the global financial system ahead of next month’s G-20 summit. About a dozen representatives of U.S., Japanese, German and South African banks were at Downing Street to meet with Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Chancellor Alistair Darling, a spokesman for the Treasury said.

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