Elastic house help

The Pirons did not show us inside the quarters for the house help, claiming that they did not have the keys.

But on a second visit, without the Pirons but with somebody who could show us these quarters, we found out that the house-help in any of the 52 houses is supposed to sleep in a space that is smaller than a dog kennel. So the poor man or woman will have to spend nights curled up like a fetus.

Affordable-housing programme is maturing, but the delivery pressures are mounting - Affordable-housing programme is maturing, but the delivery pressures are mounting - The areas which were engulfed by violence and attacks on foreign nationals were in informal settlements and in hostels. These areas often experience a lack of service delivery and are where the poorest people reside.

FIFA 'confident' about SA 2010 - By Ndaba Dlamini
Johannesburg - FIFA is confident that South Africa's preparations for the 2010 FIFA World Cup are adequate and there is no plan to take the tournament to another country.
This was said by the Secretary-General of the world football governing body, Jerome Valcke, after a 2010 Local Organising Committee (LOC) board meeting in Johannesburg on Tuesday, according to the official website for the City of Johannesburg.

Engineers to be deployed to flood-hit Cape - By Nthambeleni Gabara
Johannesburg - A team of experienced engineers are to be deployed to the flood-hit low lying areas of the Western Cape.
Lindiwe Msengana-Ndlela, Director General at the Department of Provincial and Local Government said the National Disaster Management Centre would deploy the team to support and advise the provincial and local government leadership.

PE Stadium falls behind schedule - left out of Confederations Cup - By Simangaliso Zwane
Johannesburg - The 2010 Local Organising Committee (LOC) on Tuesday announced that the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth has been removed from the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup schedule but remains one of the 2010 FIFA World Cup venues.

Oxford Road Collapses - By Nthambeleni Gabara
Johannesburg - Measures are being taken to re-open Oxford Road, between North Road and 8th Avenue in Rosebank, after a portion of the road collapsed on Tuesday.
The collapse occurred during drilling for the Gautrain project underneath the road.
Wayne Minnaar, Johannesburg Metro Police Department spokesperson, said the road collapsed, forming a hole measuring about 12 by 8 metres.

Gautrain reaches a major milestone - By Nthambeleni Gabara
Derby - The Gautrain has reached a major milestone in its delivery of world-class public transport to South Africa, said Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa on Tuesday.
Mr Shilowa was speaking in Derby, England, shortly after he received the first four-car train set branded in the Gautrain's distinctive golden colour.