QUETTA, Pakistan (Reuters) – Protests against attacks on Shi’ites spread across Pakistan on Sunday as the prime minister flew to the western city of Quetta to meet mourners who refused to bury their dead until the government promised them better protection from Sunni militants.

The protests were triggered by twin bombings on Thursday targeting Shi’ite ethnic Hazaras in Quetta, capital of Balochistan province. The attacks, claimed by the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi militant group, killed at least 96 people.

QUETTA, Pakistan (Reuters) – Pakistani Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf flew to the city of Quetta on Sunday to meet local Shi’ites holding a protest alongside the bodies of family members killed in one of the country’s worst sectarian attacks.

Thousands of the Shi’ite Hazara community, the ethnic group targeted by the blast, have been holding vigils at the site of the blast beside the 96 shrouded bodies. They have spent two nights outside in the cold and rain and are refusing to bury their dead until their safety is guaranteed.

QUETTA, Pakistan (Reuters) – Pakistani Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf flew to the city of Quetta on Sunday to meet local Shi’ites holding a protest alongside the bodies of family members killed in one of the country’s worst sectarian attacks.

Thousands of the Shi’ite Hazara community, the ethnic group targeted by the blast, have been holding vigils at the site of the blast beside the 96 shrouded bodies. They have spent two nights outside in the cold and rain and are refusing to bury their dead until their safety is guaranteed.

JOHANNESBURG, May 6 (Reuters) – Customers of MTN (MTNJ.J: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)
spent less on calls in the first quarter, the company said,
prompting a 2-percent fall in the shares of Africa’s largest
mobile phone operator.

Average revenue per user (ARPU), a key industry measure, was
hit by intense competition and currency swings, falling 10
percent in South Africa and 6 percent in its key Nigeria market.

JOHANNESBURG, April 20 (Reuters) – Shares in PPC (PPCJ.J: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)
dropped more than 4 percent in early trade on Wednesday after
the earnings forecast for South Africa’s biggest cement producer
disappointed investors.

Difficulty in finding new construction projects and tighter
private sector spending contributed in PPC forecasting a 35-40
percent decline in first-half initial profit.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Japan’s Kansai Paint

will sell a unit, build a new plant and agree to preserve jobs to secure regulatory approval for its $260 million hostile bid for South Africa’s Freeworld Coatings.

South Africa’s competition regulator said on Tuesday it attached conditions that include a requirement from Kansai to sell Freeworld’s automotive coatings business, which includes its shareholding in a joint venture with U.S. chemical giant DuPont.

JOHANNESBURG, April 1 (Reuters) – Africa’s largest telephone
group Telkom (TKGJ.J: Quote, Profile, Research) is selling part of its loss-making
Multi-Links operation in Nigeria for $52 million to Visafone
Communications, sending its shares higher.

South Africa-based Telkom paid $330 million three years ago
for the Nigerian business which posted an operating loss of 262
million rand ($37.42 million) in the six months to
end-September.

JOHANNESBURG, March 31 (Reuters) – The newly appointed head
of South African builder Murray & Roberts (M&R) (MURJ.J: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) said
his priority was to improve the group’s finances as it battles
with an industry-wide slump.

“The immediate focus will be to improve the liquidity
position of the group,” said Henry Laas, an engineer who will
replace Brian Bruceas as the company’s chief executive.

JOHANNESBURG, March 31 (Reuters) – South Africa wants the
country’s competition watchdog to block the hostile takeover of
Freeworld Coatings (FWDJ.J: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) by Japanese group Kansai Paint
(4613.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz).

The Department of Trade and Industry said it was worried the
takeover would cut competition, especially in the vehicle paint
sector, and wanted competition authorities to impose conditions.

JOHANNESBURG, March 31 (Reuters) – Jones Lang LaSalle
(JLL.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), one of the world’s largest real estate services
companies, is buying a South African rival for an undisclosed
amount, its first step into the fast-growing continent.

The U.S. real estate group said on Thursday that the
acquisition of unlisted Bradford McCormack & Associates (BMA)
provided a springboard for further expansion in South Africa and
the region.