Wiel's Time Capsule (in an Electric Storm) - De Minuut van Ruud laatste deel (Jaap Aap Show - Media-Mangel, 1989)
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06-21-2005, 03:02 AM #31
Ouma (82) skiet dogter, haarself
KAAPSTAD. - 'n Man het gister 'n grusame ontdekking gemaak toe hy op die lyk van sy vrou en sy erg beseerde dogter afgekom het nadat sy skoonma vermoedelik op hulle losgebrand het voordat sy die vuurwapen teen haar eie kop gedruk en haar eie lewe geneem het.
Volgens kapt. Randall Stoffels, polisiewoordvoerder, is die polisie omstreeks 10:10 na die dubbelverdiepinghuis in Oxalisstraat, Milnerton, ontbied. Die lyke van die gesin is deur ene mnr. Gauld ontdek. Hy het soos gewoonlik kinders skool toe vervoer. Hy het vroegoggend hul huis verlaat om te gaan werk. Met sy terugkoms tuis het hy die skok-ontdekking gedoen.
Sy 82-jarige skoonma, mev. Johanna de Wet, het met 'n skietwond aan die regterslaap aan die onderpunt van die trappies naby die voordeur gelê. Haar silwerkleurige vuurwapen is langs haar gevind, maar geen teken van 'n selfmoordbrief was te bespeur nie. In een van die slaapkamers is die liggaam van haar 55-jarige dogter, mev. Denise Gauld, gevind, ook met 'n skietwond in haar regterslaap.
Die ouma se 26-jarige kleindogter, me. Britney Gauld, is in 'n ander slaapkamer gevind met 'n skietwond in die voorkop. Teen druktyd was sy nog in 'n uiters kritieke toestand in die Groote Schuur-hospitaal.
Volgens bure was die Gaulds - lede van die Mormoonse Kerk - nie baie opsigtelik in die buurt nie.
Een buurman was onder meer nie bewus daarvan dat mev. Gauld se ma, ook in die huis gewoon het nie.
Sowat vyf weke gelede het 'n houthuisie waarin hul huiswerker in die agterplaas gewoon het, afgebrand en het haar seuntjie ernstige brandwonde opgedoen. Hy word steeds in die hospitaal behandel.
Een van die gesin se loseerders het aan Die Burger gesê die 26-jarige vrou en haar ouers het soms vasgesit oor haar kêrel. Laasgenoemde is sowat twee maande gelede deur haar ouers verbied om op die perseel te kom.
'n Senior lidmaat van die gesin se kerk wat nie sy naam wil noem nie, het gesê: "Dit is nie net 'n eenvoudige moord nie. Ek ken die familie al 15 jaar en hulle was baie geheg aan mekaar."
Volgens hom was Britney se vriend die aand voor die voorval by die gesin aan huis.
"Hulle het baie deernis met hul medemens gehad en dikwels huisvesting gebied aan mense wat nie 'n ander heenkome gehad net nie," het hy gesê.
'n Maatskaplike werker op die toneel het met die polisie gepraat oor 'n meisie wat vyf weke swanger was, maar wou nie daaroor uitwei nie.
06-21-2005, 03:06 AM #32
Woede oor Zuma het Mbeki verras
TOE pres. Thabo Mbeki besluit het om sy adjunk, Jacob Zuma, in die pad te steek, het Mbeki 'n uitbarsting deur die ANC se ondersteuners op voetsoolvlak verwag. Maar die omvang van die teenstand, wat lyk of dit soos 'n veldbrand deur die ANC-kaders versprei, het selfs die president verras.
Die afgelope week het Mbeki sy getrouste helpers oor die land heen uitgestuur om sy besluit aan die meestal agterdogtige ANC-ondersteuners te verduidelik. Hy het selfs die ANC se gewilde voormalige sekretaris-generaal, Cyril Ramaphosa, uitgestuur.
Maar steeds is die meeste ANC-lede nie oortuig nie. Erger nog, die meeste ANC-lede op voetsoolvlak verseg om Mbeki se afdanking van Zuma as deel van die teenkorrupsieveldtog te beskou. Hulle sien dit eerder as nog 'n voorbeeld van die president se manier om van 'n potensiële politieke teenstander ontslae te raak. Dit is deels die rede vir Mbeki se besluit om Ramaphosa in te stuur - hy is een van dié wat as 'n slagoffer van Mbeki se gramskap beskou word.
Ramaphosa is uit die rustigheid van die sakewêreld gehaal om te help om woedende ANC-lede te oortuig dat dinge in Zuma se geval anders is. Maar hierdie keer meen baie ANC-lede Mbeki het te ver gegaan en hy het nou groter as die ANC-vryheidsbeweging geword. Sommige reken iets moet gedoen word om te keer dat die ANC 'n gevangene van 'n enkele persoon word.
Baie sien die vriendelike Zuma as die verpersoonliking van die "ou" ANC, waar gewone lede toegang tot partyleiers gehad het, waar partyleiers nederig en minder op 'n afstand was en waar hulle ware empatie met hul stryd getoon het, al was dit net in die vorm van simboliese gebare.
Mbeki verteenwoordig vir vele die "nuwe" ANC: 'n organisasie wat soos 'n sake-eenheid werk, waar lede op voetsoolvlak 'n afspraak moet maak om by die party se hoofkwartier ingelaat te word.
Mbeki se beleid van toenemende leierskap- en beleidsentralisasie is tandeknersend verdra, maar nie altyd oral aanvaar nie.
Natuurlik argumenteer Mbeki en sy stratege dat sentrale beheer nodig is om die inwerkingstelling van beleidsrigtings beter te koördineer en korrupsie te beperk.
Die knaende wrewel oor kwessies soos die sentralisering van beleid en leiersverkiesings het nou oopgebars in die Mbeki/Zuma-stryd. Dié wat Zuma ondersteun, sien hul ondersteuning van die gevalle adjunk as 'n laaste poging om die ANC na sy "ou" waardes terug te neem.
Die duidelikste uitdrukking van dié interne rebellie is die ANC-lede wat op provinsiale kongresse stem teen die leiers wat as "pro-Mbeki" beskou word.
Ons het gesien hoe ANC-kiesers Ebrahim Rasool, wat met die hand deur Mbeki as die Wes-Kaap se premier uitgesoek is, as provinsiale voorsitter uitgestem en die pro-Zuma-veteraan James Ngculu ondersteun is. As die kiespatrone ontleed word, is dit duidelik dat die bruin en swart ondersteuning vir sowel Ngculu as Rasool na albei kante geloop het, ten spyte van plaaslike mediaberigte of verklarings van die meer ekstreme ondersteuners wat sê die kampe was tussen pro-Afrikaan en pro-bruin verdeel.
Dieselfde vyandigheid soos dié jeens Rasool staar nou Mbeki se bondgenoot in Mpumalanga, die premier, mnr. Thabang Makwetla, in die gesig.
Waarvoor Mbeki die bangste is, is dat ANC-ondersteuners die "stem-teen-Mbeki-taktiek" na die opponering van Mbeki-geïnspireerde beleid kan uitbrei.
In so 'n geval sal die ANC-lede voor die voet enige beleid wat lyk asof dit deur Mbeki geïnisieer is, teenstaan. Dus sien Mbeki se ondersteuners glad nie uit na die ANC se spesiale konferensie einde Junie nie. Voor Zuma se afdanking was Mbeki vol vertroue dat die konferensie sy platform sal wees waar hy nuwe veranderinge in beleid sal aankondig, hoofsaaklik die aankondiging van 'n tweevlakkige arbeidsmark en nuwe groeistrategieë.
Hy het teenstand van die linksgesindes verwag, maar was vol vertroue dat hy ten spyte van dié verwagte ontevredenheid steeds in staat sal wees om dit deur te druk. Nou het dinge verander. Die ironie is dat Mbeki die afgelope ses maande agtergekom het hy moet sy leierskapstyl versag, meer interne debatte in die ANC is nodig en meer geleenthede vir interne kritiek mmoet gegee word.
In talle van die ANC se beleidsdokumente vir die spesiale konferensie kan 'n mens 'n groter klem op interne demokrasie, debat en konsultasie waarneem. Nou is die ironie dat min ANC-lede dit sal raaksien omdat hulle hul woede op Mbeki wil uithaal.
Boonop wou Mbeki werklik graag korrupsie, wat die geloofwaardigheid van die ANC en die regering begin afbreek het, doeltreffend kortvat.
William Mervin Gumede, skrywer van die topverkoper Thabo Mbeki and the Battle for the Soul of the ANC, is 'n navorsingsgenoot in openbare en ontwikkelingsbestuur aan die Universiteit van die Witwatersrand.
06-21-2005, 03:10 AM #33
Zuma welcomes prosecution
Ex-deputy president Jacob Zuma has welcomed the National Prosecuting Authority's (NPA) decision to charge him on two counts of corruption.
Zuma said in a statement: "I welcome this decision as it affords me an opportunity to respond to, and clarify the allegations that have been made against me over a period of time."
Briefing the media in Pretoria on Monday, NPA spokesperson Makhosini Nkosi said NPA head Vusi Pikoli had informed Zuma that he had decided to bring criminal charges "against his person".
"Such charges will be constituted by, among others, two counts of corruption.
"Mr Zuma will in due course be informed of the date, time and place where he will have to avail himself at court to face these charges."
Zuma would not be physically arrested but would be ordered to appear in court later this week in Durban, he said.
Let law take its course — Mbeki
The presidency said in a statement Pikoli had informed President Thabo Mbeki of the development.
"The president hopes that all South Africans will allow the law to take its course," the presidency said.
The ANC National Working Committee said it had accepted Zuma's request to "withdraw his participation from all ANC structures pending the completion of the legal process". Zuma would however remain ANC deputy president.
Decision welcomed by parties
Political parties also welcomed the NPA's decision.
Democratic Alliance leader Tony Leon said the decision was in line with the judgment handed down by Justice Hilary Squires in the Schabir Shaik trial, as well as with President Thabo Mbeki's decision to remove Zuma from office.
"Politically this decision is deeply significant, as it will effectively mean that Mr Zuma may now be incapable of playing any major political leadership role due to the various legal processes that will now be set in motion.
"Since Jacob Zuma has consistently maintained and demanded his day in court, we trust he will welcome the NPA's decision, as his wish has now been granted," Leon said.
"Generally corrupt" relationship
Squires found there was a "generally corrupt" relationship between Zuma and Shaik, his former financial advisor.
Approached for comment on the NPA decision, Shaik declined. "No comment," he said politely by telephone.
While African National Congress spokesperson Smuts Ngonyama was still in a meeting late on Monday afternoon and unavailable for comment, another spokesperson, Steyn Speed, said: "We have no immediate response."
However, ANC Youth League spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said the NPA's decision was what Zuma had wanted all along.
"This will give Zuma the opportunity to explain his side of the story."
Guilty in eyes of media, public
Zuma had been found guilty by the media and the public, but through the law he was still innocent, and the "impartial courts" would give Zuma the opportunity he deserved.
"(We and) the deputy president have been crying for three years now for this opportunity in court," Kodwa said.
The Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) also welcomed Zuma being given an opportunity to defend himself in court, but warned against appointing a judge from a "controversial" background.
"We hope that in appointing a judge, the authorities will be sensitive to some of the issues raised during the Shaik trial and not select a judge with a controversial background," it said.
United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa said Zuma should now be "the happiest man on earth. This will give him the opportunity to prove his innocence."
The courts held the last word on Zuma's future, "and hopefully the NPA's decision will help his supporters shut their mouths and wait for (the) outcome of the courts".
The decision by the NPA sent a strong and unequivocal message to all people: in South Africa "nobody is above the law", Holomisa said.
A logical, necessary step
The SA Communist Party said while it was obviously saddened at this turn of events, "we believe that this step is now both logical and necessary".
"We trust that a court trial will shed light and bring finality to this matter.
"Comrade Zuma has consistently said that he wanted his own day in court. We trust that the NPA will now move expeditiously and fairly, and that a credible judicial process takes place," the SACP said.
The Independent Democrats said it had faith in the judiciary and the belief that if there was sufficient evidence against Zuma the NPA would proceed by bringing him to trial.
"We believe wholeheartedly in the rule of law and are quite certain that Mr Zuma will receive a fair trial regardless of the senior position he held in government," the ID said.
Public requires an explanation
African Christian Democratic Party MP and justice spokesperson Steve Swart said any other decision made on the matter would have flown in the face of the government in its commitment to fight corruption and fraud.
"The South African public requires an explanation from the former deputy president in view of the findings against him made by Judge Hilary Squires in the Schabir Shaik trial that Shaik and Zuma had a 'generally corrupt' relationship," he said.
Freedom Front Plus leader Pieter Mulder agreed the decision would give Zuma an opportunity to state his side of the issue.
"It would have been an untenable situation for Mr Zuma and the country as a whole if he had not been prosecuted," Mulder said.
06-21-2005, 03:11 AM #34
R2.5m cocaine bust at Joburg airport
A man was arrested at Johannesburg International Airport on Sunday after being found in possession of cocaine worth about R2.5-million, the SA Revenue Service (Sars) said on Monday.
The South African man who resides in Durban, was on a flight from Sao Paulo, said Sars spokesperson Adrian Lackay.
"Sars customs officials did a routine search of the passenger's luggage but only found items of clothing. Since suspicions were raised about the nature of his trip, he was subjected to a body search."
Lackay said the passenger acknowledged that he had "something" hidden under his clothes.
Further inspection revealed that he was carrying 5.116kg of cocaine with an estimated street value of R2.5-million.
"The drugs were wrapped in packages around his waist and inner thighs."
Lackay said the suspect and the drugs were handed over to the Organised Crime Unit of the South African Police Service.
On Thursday last week, a consignment of cocaine was intercepted at Cape Town International Airport.
In this case more than one kilogram of cocaine was hidden inside cookies a passenger en route from Brazil allegedly tried to smuggle into South Africa.
06-21-2005, 03:16 AM #35
Allan Heyl spreek honderde medici toe - Stander Bende
Van ontneming na verlossing.
Dít was volgens die voormalige bankrower Allan Heyl die tema van sy eerste korporatiewe praatjie Saterdag in 'n Kaapse vyfsterhotel voor 'n gehoor van 400 dokters en spesialiste.
"Ek het 'n parallel probeer trek tussen die wyse waarop húlle die menslike toestand behandel en hoe ek dit op 'n effens ander manier doen," het Heyl gister gesê. Hy sê hy fokus eerder op die krag van positiewe gedagtes.
Volgens mnr. Stuart Lee, Heyl se agent, mag hy maatskappye wel toespreek en daarvoor betaal word. Verwarring het vroeër daaroor geheers ná 'n persverklaring wat me. Nicola Gray van Honey-Gray Events uitgereik het.
"Nicola het - ter goeder trou - die indruk geskep dat sy Heyl se agent is," het Lee gesê. Luidens Gray se verklaring sou Heyl sy "volle verhaal" deel met belangstellendes op geleenthede wat haar maatskappy reël. By navraag het Gray egter gesê dié planne is van die baan omdat die departement van korrektiewe dienste glo 'n stokkie daarvoor gesteek het.
Volgens Lee mag Heyl nie geld maak deur enige besonderhede oor sy misdade te "publiseer" nie. "Hy mag nie 'n boek skryf of klankkasette en video's maak terwyl hy op parool is nie, maar hy mag gehore toespreek," het Lee gesê.
Al sy praatjies moet vooraf deur die departement van korrektiewe dienste (DKD) goedgekeur word, het mnr. Graham Abrahams, woordvoerder van DKD, gesê. "Hy moet ook aandui waaroor hy gaan praat," het hy gesê. "Allan voel só sterk oor die lesse wat hy in die lewe geleer het dat hy dit met soveel mense moontlik wil deel. As één persoon daardeur geraak word, sal Allan tevrede voel," het Lee gesê.
Lee sê Heyl het onderneem om elke week een gratis praatjie, meestal by skole, aan te bied. Vir die res is daar nie "'n minimum bedrag" om Heyl te huur nie - "dit is onderhandelbaar". Hy wou nie sê hoeveel Heyl vir sy eerste praatjie betaal is nie.
06-21-2005, 03:18 AM #36
Petrolprys kan volgende maand met 20c/ styg
Nog 'n petrolskok staar Suid-Afrikaanse verbruikers aanstaande maand in die gesig as oliepryse aanhou styg en die rand swak bly.
Oliepryse het gister 'n nuwe rekordvlak bereik nadat dit verlede week met meer as 9% geklim het.
Oliepryse op die Amerikaanse termynmark het 'n nuwe rekord van $59,23 per vat bereik. Brent-ruolie in Londen het ook 'n nuwe rekord van $58,58 per vat gehaal.
Daar is kommer in die markte oor olieproduksie te midde van dreigemente teen Westerse regerings in die olieryke Nigerië. Die VSA, Brittanje en Duitsland het hul konsulate in Lagos gesluit ná dreigemente deur ekstremistiese Islamitiese groepe. Ses oliewerkers, waaronder twee Duitsers, is die naweek in Nigerië ontvoer, maar later vrygelaat.
"Die mark verwag dat olieproduksie ontwrig kan word in Nigerië," sê mnr. Daniel Hynes van die beleggingsbank ANZ.
Teen Vrydag se randprys van R6,65 teenoor die dollar is die huidige onderverhaling van die petrolpompprys in Gauteng 39,8c/. Die gemiddelde onderverhaling is tans is 18,7c/. As die huidige neigings voortduur, sal die petrolprys aanstaande maand met minstens 20c/ moet styg. Die huidige petrolprys is R5,06/ in Gauteng.
Teen gistermiddag laat het die rand teen R6,73 teenoor die dollar verhandel. Dit was hoofsaaklik in reaksie op hernieude euroswakheid. Ekonome is egter steeds nie bekommerd oor die moontlike inflasionêre gevolge van 'n hoë petrolprys nie. Die probleme in Nigerië word as eenmalig bestempel. Absa se ekonomiese span voorspel dat die Brent-ruolieprys later vanjaar weer tot $45 per vat sal daal en verder in 2006 sal verswak. Nie een ekonoom voorspel dat VPIX-inflasie vanjaar en aanstaande jaar tot buite die teiken van 6% sal styg nie.
Die huidige hoë olieprys kan egter daartoe lei dat die Reserwebank, om risiko's te vermy, minder geneë sal wees om die rentekoers verder te verlaag.
Nigerië is die wêreld se agtste grootste olie-uitvoerder en verskaf sowat 10% van die Amerikaanse olie-invoer.
Daar is ook kommer oor stabiliteit in Iran te midde van die presidensiële verkiesing.
Amerikaanse voorrade van diesel, verhittingsolie en vliegtuigbrandstof is kommerwekkend laag en daar is vrese dat die raffinaderye nie genoeg sal lewer om met die vraag in die tweede helfte van die jaar tred te hou nie. Die vraag na brandstof in die VSA was die afgelope vier weke 6,5% meer as 'n jaar gelede.
Na verwagting gaan die Chinese vraag na olie binnekort begin toeneem namate sake-eienaars dieselkragopwekkers begin gebruik om elektrisiteitstekorte teen te werk.
Kenners meen die enigste ding wat die mark kan afkoel, is 'n daling in die vraag, maar tot nou was daar nog geen teken daarvan nie. Daar word ook na die Organisasie van Petroleumuitvoerlande (Opul) se onlangse vergadering verwys as bewys dat dié organisasie min kan doen om die pryse laer te dwing.
06-21-2005, 04:04 AM #37
Is Google ready to rival PayPal?
New York - Internet giant Google was in focus on Monday after reports that the online search company plans to offer an electronic payment system similar to eBay's PayPal.
The Wall Street Journal Online, citing unnamed sources, said on Friday that the service could debut by the end of the year. The New York Times also reported that possibility on Monday.
Google shares opened lower, but swung higher 0,77 percent to $282.47 (about R1 900) in afternoon trade, while eBay fell 2,7 percent to $37.03 (about R250).
Analysts said the move could shake up the online payment industry.
The move could shake up the online payment industry
UBS said that the rival to PayPal is likely to happen but that it's "far from definitely moving ahead".
The firm said the news surfaced after comments from Scot Wingo, chief executive of ChannelAdvisor, and Patrick Byrne, president of Overstock.com, at a conference sponsored by Piper Jaffray in the past week. It also noted that Google filed paperwork with California in mid-April to register the corporation name Google Payment.
Lehman Bros. also commented, saying it believes Google's potential service would not focus directly on auctions but would instead "target the broader online merchant opportunity".
In this way, it "could potentially be integrated into Google's core advertising programme", Lehman said.
At Piper Jaffray, analyst Safa Rashtchy thinks that Google could launch the service by the third quarter, in time for the holiday season, and that it would most likely help the stock.
"Regardless of the initial success of the product, we believe such a launch would likely negatively impact eBay shares and could be a positive catalyst for Google," Rashtchy told clients.
Citigroup analyst Mark Mahaney said the move could be negative for eBay and highlights the potential for Google to leverage its position as the online search leader.
"In our recent initiation reports, we highlighted the launch of a Google payments solution as a material negative catalyst for eBay and as an example of Google's underappreciated potential for expanding into new areas," he said.
Mahaney said PayPal accounts for 21 percent of eBay's revenues and is becoming more important.
06-21-2005, 09:42 AM #38
Barclays has only 51.1% of Absa
Johannesburg - Barclays plc said on Tuesday it has tenders and commitments for 51.1% of takeover target Absa Group (ASA) shares.
In a statement issued to the Johannesburg stock exchange the two companies said that Barclays' offer for Absa shares is still subject to conditions.
The two companies also said a court case to ratify the sale of Absa shares to Barclays has been put back to July 5.
Barclays is offering R82.50 a share, payable in cash, for a 60% stake in Absa for a total consideration for the scheme and partial offer of R33bn.
An application by Absa on Tuesday to the High Court of South Africa to postpone by two weeks the hearing to sanction the scheme proposed by Barclays to acquire 32% of all Absa ordinary shares was granted and the hearing will now be held on July 5.
The scheme, one of two inter-conditional parts of Barclays' proposed acquisition of up to 60% of Absa, requires Absa ordinary shareholders to dispose of 32% of their Absa shares to Barclays.
At a meeting of Absa shareholders last week, the recommendation of this scheme by Absa's board was accepted by 99.01% of all shareholders present in person or by proxy.
The second part of Barclays acquisition is the recommended offer to ordinary shareholders to acquire an additional 28% of their shares.
In order for the scheme and the offer to become effective, Barclays requires shareholders to tender such number of shares through the Recommended Offer that Barclays will hold 56.5% of all Absa ordinary shares.
As this condition had not been fulfilled prior to the date of the scheduled court hearing, Absa and Barclays sought to extend the offer by two weeks to allow for its fulfilment.
06-21-2005, 09:48 AM #39
No date for Zuma's fate
Pretoria - The date for former deputy president Jacob Zuma's appearance in court on two corruption charges has not yet been set, the national prosecuting authority said on Tuesday.
"No date has been set yet for Mr Zuma to face, amongst others, two corruption charges against him. I am very upset that there are reports circulating which specify a date," NPA spokesperson Makhosini Nkosi said.
Nkosi said he had been contacted by a journalist who had asked for a likely date for Zuma's appearance, for "planning purposes" who then published reports stating the date as being set for Thursday or Friday.
"I spoke to this person and told them the date had not been set although it would likely be some time this week. I did not give a definite indication of the date, but they went ahead and published which put me under pressure," said Nkosi.
He said the media would be informed in due course by the NPA of the arrangements for Zuma's appearance.
"The NPA has in the past always informed you (the media) of such arrangements," Nkosi said.
He said there was no new information on the matter since the NPA had called a press conference in Pretoria on Monday announcing its decision to charge Zuma.
Zuma would not be physically arrested but would be ordered to appear in court later this week in Durban, Nkosi said on Monday.
The charges followed a finding by the Durban High Court of a "generally corrupt" relationship between Zuma and his financial adviser Schabir Shaik, during Shaik's fraud and corruption trial. Shaik was sentenced to an effective 15 years in prison.
Zuma was then relieved of his position as deputy president by President Thabo Mbeki in a special sitting of parliament on Wednesday.
Zuma in a statement said he welcomed the NPA's decision to prosecute him as it afforded him "an opportunity to respond to, and clarify the allegations that have been made against me over a period of time."
06-21-2005, 09:51 AM #40
Motorists in for petrol shock
Cape Town - South African consumers could be facing another petrol shock next month should oil prices continue to rise and the rand remain weak.
Oil prices reached a new record high just short of $60 a barrel on Monday after rising by more than 9% last week.
Crude oil futures surged to a new all-time record of $59.50 a barrel on Monday on the New York Mercantile Exchange, topping the high of $59.23 reached earlier the same day.
Brent crude oil in London also reached a new record high of $58.58.
The sharp rise is primarily due to supply concerns, but fuelling the surge are concerns for the safety of Western nationals and their governments in oil-rich Nigeria.
The United States, Britain and Germany have shut down their consulates in Lagos after threats from extremist groups. Last week, militants kidnapped six oil workers, including two Germans. They were released on Saturday.
"The market expects that oil production in Nigeria will be disrupted," said Daniel Hynes of investment bank ANZ.
Looking at Friday's rand price of R6.65/US$, the current under-recovery of the price of petrol at the pump in Gauteng is 39.8c a litre.
The average under-recovery is currently 18.7c. Should current trends continue, the petrol price would have to increase by at least 20c a litre next month.
Gauteng motorists currently dock up R5.06 for a litre of petrol.
The rand was trading at R6.73/$ late on Monday, mainly in reaction to renewed weakness in the euro.
However, economists are still not concerned about the possible inflationary effects of a higher petrol price. The problems in Nigeria were described as once off.
Absa's economic team predicts that the price of Brent crude oil will drop to $45 a barrel later this year and will decline even further in 2006.
No economists are predicting that CPIX inflation will rise above the target of 6% this year of next year.
However, the current high oil price could cause the South African Reserve Bank to be reluctant to reduce interest rates in August in order to avoid risk.
Nigeria is the world?s eighth largest oil exporter and supplies about 10% of US oil imports.
There are also concerns over stability in Iran with presidential elections coming up.
Meanwhile, the US' stockpiles of diesel, heating oil and aviation fuel are disturbingly low and there are fears that refineries will not be able to deliver enough to meet the demand in the second half of the year.
The demand for fuel in the US for the past four weeks has been 6.5% higher than a year ago.
The Chinese demand for oil is also expected to increase soon as business owners start using diesel generators to combat electricity shortages.
Experts believe the only thing that will cool down the market is a drop in demand, but there has been no sign of this.