Johannesburg  - South Africa's rhinoceros population is under threat from poachers, who are killing the leathery quadripeds in growing numbers for their valuable horns, according to a report released Wednesday.

The Witness daily in the eastern province of KwaZulu-Natal reported that 12 white rhinos had been killed in game reserves in the province so far this year. Their horns were harvested and the carcasses left to rot.

A spokesman for the provincial wildlife authority, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, confirmed the killings, which marks a steep increase on previous years.

Harare - Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has described as "devastating" the removal from office of his South African counterpart Thabo Mbeki, who is seen as a key ally of the of ageing authoritarian Mugabe in the last eight years.

"It's devastating news that President Thabo Mbeki is no longer the president of South Africa," the Zimbabwe's state-controlled daily Herald newspaper quoted Mugabe as saying Thursday.

"But that is the action of the South African people," he added. "Who are we to judge them? But it is very disturbing."

Mugabe was speaking to journalists from Zimbabwe's state media in New York where he is due to address the United Nations general assembly.

Johannesburg - African National Congress (ANC) deputy leader Kgalema Motlanthe was due to be sworn in as South Africa's third president since democracy in 
1994 on Thursday, five days after Thabo Mbeki was forced out of the job by his party.

Mbeki's nine years as president, which followed Nelson Mandela's single five-year term, formally came to an end at midnight on Wednesday. He chaired his last cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

Johannesburg - South Africa's ruling African National Congress' (ANC) went into damage control mode Tuesday following the shock resignation of 11 cabinet ministers over President Thabo Mbeki's ousting by the party.

"We think that this is under control. There's no crisis," ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe told a hastily-convened news conference in Johannesburg.

Mantashe said only six of the ministers had refused to return to serve under a yet-to-be-named acting president.

Johannesburg - South Africa's ruling African National Congress' (ANC) hopes for a smooth transition of power after its ousting of President Thabo Mbeki were quashed Tuesday when 11 cabinet ministers resigned in a shock move.

Finance Minister Trevor Manuel, credited with keeping the country on a steady course over a decade, was among those who quit in sympathy with Mbeki.

Three deputy ministers also resigned.

However, Manuel and his deputy, Jabu Moleketi, said they were "ready to serve" a new administration, ministerial spokeswoman Thoraya Pandy said in a statement.