Asia Africa Intelligence Wire articles from November 2001

Asia Africa Intelligence Wire archives from November 2001

Zimbabwe (MRB Nov 2001): Diplomatic and sanctions pressure increases on Mugabe.
November 1, 2001... [MRB Nov 01] Zimbabwe's ruling group is facing the prospect of 'smart' targeted sanctions and more generalised bans on trade and aid as Europe and the US seek to constrain President Robert Mugabe ahead of presidential elections next year. South...

Zimbabwe (MRB Nov 2001): Arrest increases tension in Matabeleland.
November 1, 2001... [MRB Nov 01] Tensions continued to rise in Matabeleland after an outbreak of mob violence there this month. At the same time rivalries between the former liberation armies have been resuscitated after the arrest of a prominent former Zipra...

Zimbabwe (MRB Nov 2001): Commercial rivalry with SA 'key to Congo incursion'.
November 1, 2001... [MRB Nov 01] The UN's addendum to its controversial April report on the exploitation of the DR Congo's resources has included the exploitation of resources from Kinshasa's allies, especially Zimbabwe and Namibia. Zimbabwe's President Robert...

Region (MRB Nov 2001): Intensification of fighting makes SA's Burundi role controversial.
November 1, 2001... [MRB Nov 01] Fighting in Burundi by Hutu rebel forces is reported to have intensified since the inception of the transitional government on November 1. This has made the mission of the SA National Defence Force's to protect returning Hutu...

Angola (MRB Nov 2001): Uncertainty remains on Savimbi's whereabouts.
November 1, 2001... [MRB Nov 01] Despite the Angolan government's contention that it is willing to talk peace with Unita leader Jonas Savimbi it is likely that the army continues actively to hunt him. The UN in a recent report stated that the Unita leadership...

Mozambique (MRB Nov 2001): Focus on money laundering.
November 1, 2001... [MRB Nov 01] The Mozambican government on November 8 presented a bill to parliament to outlaw money laundering to block the large amounts of money from drug-trafficking, gun-running, the traffic in stolen vehicles, and organised prostitution....

Swaziland (MRB Nov 2001): SADC puts pressure on king.
November 1, 2001... [MRB Nov 01] Mozambique's president Joaquim Chissano, speaking for the Southern African Development Community (SADC), has called for the formation of a joint commission between his country and Swaziland to meet monthly to assess political and...

AID: Congo (MRB Nov 2001): Infighting grows over donors' conference as dialogue stalls.
November 1, 2001... [MRB Nov 01] With the next round of the 'inter-Congolese dialogue' tentatively set for January in South Africa, intense political infighting is developing in Europe and the US around a DR Congo donors' conference scheduled for Brussels in...

AID: Namibia (MRB Nov 2001): EU lays out aid strategy for the next seven years.
November 1, 2001... Namibia's main donor, the European Union, should disburse up to 91 million Euros for the 2001-2007 period from the 9th European Development Fund resources in a programme which sees the country as a factor of stability n the region. A total...

AID: Malawi (MRB Nov 2001): EU bids to boost flagging agriculture.
November 1, 2001... Malawi should get 345 million Euros from the 9th European Development Fund during the 2001-2007 period, according to a European Union's strategy paper. The European aid will be allocated mainly to the agriculture and to the transport sectors,...

AID: Mozambique (MRB Nov 2001): Debt switches urged.
November 1, 2001... Mozambican Finance Minister Luisa Diogo has challenged bilateral creditor countries to pursue creative methods towards debt alleviation and has suggested the transformation of debt into development programmes. Diogo was speaking at a joint...

AID: Mozambique (MRB Nov 2001): Germany to grant $43m.
November 1, 2001... The German government has pledged 89 million marks (about $43 million) to Mozambique under the co-operation programme for 2001/2002. The German authorities made the pledge during bilateral negotiations in Bonn which ended on November 23. ...

AID: Angola (MRB Nov 2001): Humanitarian crisis continues.
November 1, 2001... With the rainy season due to begin the refugee situation in Angola has become critical. The UN's Office for Coordinating Humanitarian Action (OCHA), reported on 12 November that since the beginning of January 384,400 people have fled fighting...

HEALTH: International (MRB Nov 2001): Cost of AIDS drugs may fade as political issue after deal at WTO.
November 1, 2001... Aid agencies dealing with the AIDS pandemic have welcomed the declaration on patent rights adopted at the Doha World Trade Organisation meeting this month. Others say the deal may in the future still allow challenges from the pharmaceutical...

DEVELOPMENT: International (MRB Nov 2001): Mbeki's upbeat assessment of WTO talks comes under fire.
November 1, 2001... [MRB Nov 01] While President Thabo Mbeki has hailed this month's World Trade Organisation (WTO) meeting in Doha, Qatar as a victory for Africa, representatives of other African countries have presented a scathing picture of SA's negotiating...

DEVELOPMENT: South Africa (MRB Nov 2001): Disbursement remains major obstacle to AIDS programme.
November 1, 2001... The SA government's announcement in its mid term budget last month that it is increasing the amount spent on HIV/AIDS is unlikely to achieve quick results. According to a report by the Institute for Democracy in South Africa (Idasa) SA's...

DEVELOPMENT: Zambia (MRB Nov 2001): AIDS loan on hold.
November 1, 2001... Zambia has failed to agree a $42 million loan package with the World Bank to fight AIDS. The deal should have been sealed in October when a World Bank mission toured Zambia but the mission left without an agreement because health and finance...

INFRASTRUCTURE: Mozambique (MRB Nov 2001): Enron failure hits hopes for Maputo steel mill.
November 1, 2001... A planned steel slabs factory in Maputo has been put on hold after the bankruptcy of the sole shareholder in the factory, the US energy corporation Enron. Enron's plan involved railing iron ore from South Africa to Maputo, and using the natural...

INFRASTRUCTURE: Zambia (MRB Nov 2001): Investment flows into copper sector.
November 1, 2001... The much criticised sell off of Zambia's copper mines is starting to bear fruit. Investment in infrastructure has been in excess of US$250 million in the past 15 months of operations, ZCCM Investment Holdings Plc (ZCCM-IH) chairman Shalaulwa...

INFRASTRUCTURE: Lesotho (MRB Nov 2001): Demonstrations against Water Scheme.
November 1, 2001... Local people affected by the massive Highlands Water Scheme have lodged claims for compensation with the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA). The authority refused to divulge the details but the protestors' organisation said demands...

ECONOMY: Angola (MRB Nov 2001): Oil revenue boost expected, but still no impact on poverty.
November 1, 2001... The Angolan government predicts that next year the economy will grow by 15.1 percent, mainly as a result of growing oil revenues. The non-oil sector is expected to grow at seven percent. The figures were based on an average price of crude...

ECONOMY: South Africa (MRB Nov 2001): Rand's fall boosts exports.
November 1, 2001... SA exports have shown a substantial rise as the Rand continues to plummet against the dollar, recently touching R10 to the US currency. A weaker currency makes domestic firms more competitive in international and local markets and boosts...

ECONOMY: Malawi (MRB Nov 2001): Higher growth based on tobacco.
November 1, 2001... Increased tobacco production and prices are expected to lift economic growth in Malawi to 4.2 percent in 2002 and 4 percent in 2003, the London-based Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) said in an update. It said that greater fiscal discipline...

ECONOMY: Region (MRB Nov 2001): World Bank and IMF sum up.
November 1, 2001... The economic slowdown in the industrialised world has hit sub-Saharan Africa hard, according to the World Bank. It estimates that growth in SSA slowed to 2.7 percent in 2001 from 3 percent in 2000, interrupting a progressive recovery from the...

MINING: Region (MRB Nov 2001): Conflict diamonds deal raises concerns over competition.
November 1, 2001... Concerns have been raised in the EU and US about the 'Kimberley Process' for the certification of diamonds from conflict zones and how it may breach World Trade Organisation rules. This could cause disputes between those who sign the...

MINING: Congo (MRB Nov 2001): Coltan slump may cut fighting.
November 1, 2001... [MRB Nov 01] Fighting in parts of eastern DR Congo directly linked to minerals exploitation may die down as the coltan market collapses. This is the implication of the UN's report on exploitation of minerals in the Congo, published this month...

MINING: Congo (MRB Nov 2001): Unrest grows over Gecamines sell-off.
November 1, 2001... [MRB Nov 01] Strikes at the Gecamines copper mining complex in Katanga were spreading late this month to the central plant at Likasi after news of a sell-off to foreign companies. Workers' actions have been taking place in Gecamines plants in...

MINING: Angola (MRB Nov 2001): Deep-sea drilling fails.
November 1, 2001... There was consternation in Luanda when BP announced that its first ultra-deep water oil well off Angola has turned out dry. The news deflated the government's ambitious projections, set out at an international oil meeting in Luanda at the end...

MINING: South Africa (MRB Nov 2001): Platinum production soars.
November 1, 2001... Lonmin, the London-based mining company, has announced it is on track to meet its SA platinum production target in 2003, five years ahead of schedule. Platinum prices have been rising strongly and in the first half of the year were over 18% up...

Toolkit for startups.
November 6, 2001... (From Israel Business Arena) Byline: Michael Neuvirth Today's Enable looks at the business toolkit section of the Commerce Clearing House. Here you will find a business owner's toolkit which contains tools for startups - ready made and...

Notorious fugitive appears in Cape Town court.
November 11, 2001... (From Panafrican News Agency (PANA) Daily Newswire) Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) - One of the world's most wanted fugitives, James Kilgore appeared in a Cape Town court on Monday after his arrest last week by South African police ended a...

Successful new product development.
November 13, 2001... (From Israel Business Arena) Byline: Michael Neuvirth Studies have shown that the defining difference between companies that consistently produce successful new products, and those that do not, is not superior innovation, or deeper...

Yankees reveals hidden agenda to capture Godzilla.
November 15, 2001... (From Mainichi Daily News) The New York Yankees revealed that one of its executives is visiting Japan with the sole objective of snaring Hideki "Godzilla" Matsui, the Tokyo Giants slugger who recently declared himself a free agent to play...

The 10 commandments of video conferencing.
November 20, 2001... (From Israel Business Arena) Byline: Michael Neuvirth Due this year's airline tragedies, more and more of us are either very reluctant or downright afraid to fly. This can be highly problematic for those of us in the high tech industry...

ANGLOGOLD TO SELL FREE STATE ASSETS.
November 21, 2001... In a move that could see the revival of the Free State goldfields, AngloGold on Wednesday announced the sale of all its assets in the province to a consortium with the ability to turn ailing mines around. The R2,2 billion transaction marked an...

LIVE WAR GRENADE FOUND ON DURBAN HIGHWAY.
November 21, 2001... KwaZulu-Natal explosive units on Wednesday used controlled explosive methods to detonate a live World War Two handgrenade found on the Higginson highway leading to Chatsworth, south of Durban, police said. Police spokesman Director Bala Naidoo...

DAYS OF PLASTIC SHOPPING BAGS NEARING AN END.
November 21, 2001... The days of regular plastic shopping bags will soon be numbered in terms of a Cabinet decision on Wednesday, government spokesman Joel Netshitenzhe said in Pretoria. He said Cabinet approved regulations to ban the use of thin plastic bags in...

VIP COP APPEARS FOR DEATH OF HIS LOVER.
November 21, 2001... A member of the police VIP protection unit stationed at Pretoria, Sergeant Jacobus Magile van Tonder, 34, is to stand trial at the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court for allegedly killing his former lover in June. It was alleged that Van Tonder...

TRANSNET TO REPURCHASE SWISSAIR STAKE IN SAA.
November 21, 2001... Cabinet on Wednesday approved the repurchase of the 20 percent stake of SA Airways held by Swissair. The shares would be bought back at 85 percent of their "fair value", Public Enterprises Minister Jeff Radebe told reporters after the...

LEGAL AID FOR ALLEGED RAPISTS.
November 21, 2001... The Legal Aid Board on Wednesday said it would provide legal assistance for four of the six Upington men charged with raping a nine-month-old baby last month. The six men, Piet van Rooi, 39, Jan Mienies, 45, John Radebe, 24, Frans Mosterd, 28,...

MARAIS BOWS OUT IN STYLE.
November 21, 2001... Cape Town's controversial mayor Peter Marais was on Wednesday preparing to bow out in style after a drama-packed day which saw him resign only hours after being reinstated. In a judgment slamming the Democratic Alliance for denying Marais "the...

NEW BILL TO CURB MDC 'TERRORISM'.
November 21, 2001... Only three days after Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe vowed to crush the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, details of new laws to curb MDC "terrorist activities" were announced by the state press on Wednesday. The state-controlled...

COP DOGS TRAINED ON CRIME SUSPECTS.
November 21, 2001... It was not unusual for police dogs that were reluctant to bite to be set on suspected criminals in practice sessions, the Pretoria High Court heard on Wednesday. "There is not a dog handler in South Africa who was not either personally involved...

ARMS DEAL SAGA SET FOR COURT.
November 21, 2001... The storm over South Africa's multi-billion rand arms deal showed no signs of abating on Wednesday, almost a week after a three-agency investigating team released its long-awaited report. The controversy took a new twist when vocal arms deal...

BALFOUR PLEADS WITH ICC.
November 22, 2001... (REPEATS FOR NEWS WIRE) Sport Minister Ngconde Balfour Thursday issued a plea to the International Cricket Council (ICC), asking the world governing body to reconsider its position regarding the appointment of match referee Mike Denness for the...

DETECTIVES ARRESTED AFTER CHINESE CITIZEN KIDNAPPED.
November 22, 2001... Three detectives from Alberton, south of Johannesburg, were arrested on Thursday after they allegedly kidnapped a Chinese man and demanded a ransom from his wife, Johannesburg police said. Superintendent Chris Wilken said the policemen, two...

MYSTERIOUS TUNNEL FOUND IN PRETORIA CITY CENTRE.
November 22, 2001... A mysterious tunnel of about 15 metres long and 1,5 metres in diameter was discovered on Thursday between an abandoned car pound and a wholesaler in Bloed Street in Pretoria, police said. Inspector Percy Morokane said the owner of a cash and...

CONVICTED DOG POLICEMEN WERE "VICTIMS OF A SYSTEM", COURT TOLD.
November 22, 2001... Four men convicted of setting their police dogs on illegal immigrants in a 1998 "training exercise" were not monsters but rather victims of an imperfect system, the Pretoria High Court heard on Thursday. Testifying for three of the men,...

OPPOSITION MPs EXPRESS SURPRISE OVER MODISE AWARD.
November 22, 2001... Opposition political parties reacted with surprise to news that former Defence Minister Joe Modise, who has been linked to alleged irregularities in the arms deal, has been awarded the Order of the Star of South Africa. President Thabo Mbeki...

SA AND BOTSWANA AGREE TO WATCH UNITA CLOSELY.
November 22, 2001... South Africa and Botswana on Thursday agreed to step up efforts to keep track of violations of United Nations sanctions against the Angolan rebel movement Unita. They discussed the issue at the second session of the joint permanent commission...

AIDS DRUG WRANGLE TO GO TO PTA HIGH COURT.
November 22, 2001... (LEADS TO FIX FIRST PAR GARBLE) The Treatment Action Campaign which has been advocating the use of the anti-Aids drug Nevirapine to prevent mother-to-child transmission will be contesting the issue with the government at the Pretoria High Court...

MARAIS HEADED FOR PREMIERSHIP?
November 22, 2001... Former Cape Town mayor Peter Marais appears firm favourite to become premier of the Western Cape in a deal which will also see the axing of a number of current New National Party MECS. NNP leader Marthinus van Schalkwyk said on Thursday that...

MARAIS EARMARKED FOR KEY SENIOR ROLE: VAN SCHALKWYK.
November 22, 2001... When the NNP's provincial head council meets next Thursday, former Cape Town mayor Peter Marais is expected to be elected provincial leader, but it is not yet clear where he will slot in to the new co-operation deal with the ANC. NNP leader...

GOVT MUST FACE ECONOMIC REALITIES: COSATU.
November 22, 2001... It was time for government to admit that its "ostrich-type approach" to economic realities was a dismal failure, Congress of SA Trade Unions general secretary Zwelinzama Vavi said on Thursday. He was addressing journalists in Johannesburg...

GAUTENG MUSIC FANS SNAP UP AL JARREAU TICKETS.
November 23, 2001... Gauteng fans of the multi-talented American jazz musician Al Jarreau snapped up tickets for the Johannesburg concert billed for next Tuesday, forcing organisers to add one more show at the same venue. The multiple Grammy award-winning artist...

SUPERMARKET HIT BY SERIAL ROBBERS.
November 23, 2001... There is a shop on the outskirts of Welkom, close to the mines, which is like a magnet to robbers. On Wednesday at 7.30pm, manager Antonio Da Costa, 41, was closing the Rantsala Supermarket for the night when he was confronted by five armed...

WOMEN LIVING WITH ASBESTOS.
November 23, 2001... An asbestos sufferer and her daughter have built a house with her occupational compensation money, but do not have enough cash left to put up a roof. "The reason people can't do things is because they don't have the money to start. The simplest...

UPINGTON Nov 23 Sapa.
November 23, 2001... ALLEGED BABY RAPISTS' CASE POSTPONED The Upington Magistrate's Court on Friday postponed to next month the case of six men charged with raping a nine-month-old baby. The men did not apply for bail, as expected, but only made a brief...

DA QUESTIONS INTEGRITY OF PERLEMOEN QUOTA PROCESS.
November 23, 2001... Over half the fishermen who were recently granted permits by the department of environmental affairs to harvest limited quantities of perlemoen (abalone) in South African waters, obtained their quotas on false pretences. This is according to...

DAUGHTER RAPIST'S SENTENCE NEARLY DOUBLED.
November 23, 2001... An Elsies River man convicted two years ago for raping his 14-year-old daughter had his sentence increased from seven to 12 years in the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein on Friday. The court criticised Cape High Court judge John Foxcroft...

GAY ACTIVISTS ACCUSE SACOB OF PROMOTING HOMOPHOBIA.
November 23, 2001... Gay activists have accused the South African Chamber of Business (Sacob) of helping to promote homophobia because it allowed its Cape Town boardroom to be used as the venue for the launch of a book opposed to homosexuality. The Lesbian and Gay...

FS SLEEPER THEFTS CAN DERAIL TRAINS.
November 23, 2001... Thieves who steal railway sleepers -- thereby endangering train passengers -- have struck for the third time in the northern Free State, police said on Friday. Inspector Louis Saaiman said a wide-wake Spoornet track master, Christo van...

AG MUST SET RECORD STRAIGHT: DA.
November 23, 2001... The Auditor-General Shauket Fakie must set the record straight regarding his interaction with the executive on the arms deal investigation, the Democratic Alliance said on Friday. DA public accounts spokeswoman Raenette Taljaard said her party...

CRIMINOLOGIST SAYS DOG HANDLERS MUST SERVE SENTENCE IN COMMUNITY.
November 23, 2001... A criminologist testifying in the trial of four North East Rand dog handlers on Friday conceded that the use of illegal immigrants as bait to train dogs would probably have continued, had it not been for the video footage being shown on...

NNP BETRAYED PEOPLE OF WESTERN CAPE: DA.
November 24, 2001... The New National Party had lied to the people of the Western Cape, betrayed them and handed their province over to the ANC, acting Democratic Alliance leader Joe Seremane said. He was responding to comments made earlier on Saturday at an NNP...

ENGEN REFINERY SPILLS OIL INTO CANAL DURING STORM.
November 24, 2001... (CORRECTS HEADLINE) An estimated one cubic metre of oil overflowed from the Engen Refinery sewer process and entered the Badulla Canal during Friday night's heavy downpour of rain, the oil company reported on Saturday. The canal runs parallel...

GAUTENG MUSIC FANS SNAP UP AL JARREAU TICKETS.
November 24, 2001... Gauteng fans of the multi-talented American jazz musician Al Jarreau snapped up tickets for the Johannesburg concert billed for next Tuesday, forcing organisers to add one more show at the same venue. The multiple Grammy award-winning artist...

SUPERMARKET HIT BY SERIAL ROBBERS.
November 24, 2001... There is a shop on the outskirts of Welkom, close to the mines, which is like a magnet to robbers. On Wednesday at 7.30pm, manager Antonio Da Costa, 41, was closing the Rantsala Supermarket for the night when he was confronted by five armed...

UPINGTON Nov 23 Sapa.
November 24, 2001... ALLEGED BABY RAPISTS' CASE POSTPONED The Upington Magistrate's Court on Friday postponed to next month the case of six men charged with raping a nine-month-old baby. The men did not apply for bail, as expected, but only made a brief...

WOMEN LIVING WITH ASBESTOS.
November 24, 2001... An asbestos sufferer and her daughter have built a house with her occupational compensation money, but do not have enough cash left to put up a roof. "The reason people can't do things is because they don't have the money to start. The simplest...

DA QUESTIONS INTEGRITY OF PERLEMOEN QUOTA PROCESS.
November 24, 2001... Over half the fishermen who were recently granted permits by the department of environmental affairs to harvest limited quantities of perlemoen (abalone) in South African waters, obtained their quotas on false pretences. This is according to...

DAUGHTER RAPIST'S SENTENCE NEARLY DOUBLED.
November 24, 2001... An Elsies River man convicted two years ago for raping his 14-year-old daughter had his sentence increased from seven to 12 years in the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein on Friday. The court criticised Cape High Court judge John Foxcroft...

FS SLEEPER THEFTS CAN DERAIL TRAINS.
November 24, 2001... Thieves who steal railway sleepers -- thereby endangering train passengers -- have struck for the third time in the northern Free State, police said on Friday. Inspector Louis Saaiman said a wide-wake Spoornet track master, Christo van...

GAY ACTIVISTS ACCUSE SACOB OF PROMOTING HOMOPHOBIA.
November 24, 2001... Gay activists have accused the South African Chamber of Business (Sacob) of helping to promote homophobia because it allowed its Cape Town boardroom to be used as the venue for the launch of a book opposed to homosexuality. The Lesbian and Gay...

NNP BETRAYED PEOPLE OF WESTERN CAPE: DA.
November 25, 2001... The New National Party had lied to the people of the Western Cape, betrayed them and handed their province over to the ANC, acting Democratic Alliance leader Joe Seremane said. He was responding to comments made earlier on Saturday at an NNP...

ENGEN REFINERY SPILLS OIL INTO CANAL DURING STORM.
November 25, 2001... (CORRECTS HEADLINE) An estimated one cubic metre of oil overflowed from the Engen Refinery sewer process and entered the Badulla Canal during Friday night's heavy downpour of rain, the oil company reported on Saturday. The canal runs parallel...

GAUTENG MUSIC FANS SNAP UP AL JARREAU TICKETS.
November 25, 2001... Gauteng fans of the multi-talented American jazz musician Al Jarreau snapped up tickets for the Johannesburg concert billed for next Tuesday, forcing organisers to add one more show at the same venue. The multiple Grammy award-winning artist...

WOMEN LIVING WITH ASBESTOS.
November 25, 2001... An asbestos sufferer and her daughter have built a house with her occupational compensation money, but do not have enough cash left to put up a roof. "The reason people can't do things is because they don't have the money to start. The simplest...

UPINGTON Nov 23 Sapa.
November 25, 2001... ALLEGED BABY RAPISTS' CASE POSTPONED The Upington Magistrate's Court on Friday postponed to next month the case of six men charged with raping a nine-month-old baby. The men did not apply for bail, as expected, but only made a brief...

SUPERMARKET HIT BY SERIAL ROBBERS.
November 25, 2001... There is a shop on the outskirts of Welkom, close to the mines, which is like a magnet to robbers. On Wednesday at 7.30pm, manager Antonio Da Costa, 41, was closing the Rantsala Supermarket for the night when he was confronted by five armed...

DA QUESTIONS INTEGRITY OF PERLEMOEN QUOTA PROCESS.
November 25, 2001... Over half the fishermen who were recently granted permits by the department of environmental affairs to harvest limited quantities of perlemoen (abalone) in South African waters, obtained their quotas on false pretences. This is according to...

DAUGHTER RAPIST'S SENTENCE NEARLY DOUBLED.
November 25, 2001... An Elsies River man convicted two years ago for raping his 14-year-old daughter had his sentence increased from seven to 12 years in the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein on Friday. The court criticised Cape High Court judge John Foxcroft...

GAY ACTIVISTS ACCUSE SACOB OF PROMOTING HOMOPHOBIA.
November 25, 2001... Gay activists have accused the South African Chamber of Business (Sacob) of helping to promote homophobia because it allowed its Cape Town boardroom to be used as the venue for the launch of a book opposed to homosexuality. The Lesbian and Gay...

FS SLEEPER THEFTS CAN DERAIL TRAINS.
November 25, 2001... Thieves who steal railway sleepers -- thereby endangering train passengers -- have struck for the third time in the northern Free State, police said on Friday. Inspector Louis Saaiman said a wide-wake Spoornet track master, Christo van...