Johannesburg - The organizers of a peace conference in South Africa on Tuesday postponed the event indefinitely after the government refused to issue the Dalai Lama a visa to attend, causing other Nobel peace laureates to pull out.

The conference, which was due to be held Friday, had planned to promote peace through football in advance of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa next year.

Johannesburg - Former French coach Henri Michel has parted ways with South African Premier Soccer League club Mamelodi Sundowns, the team announced late Monday.

In a statement the club said that the two parties had agreed to part ways with "a gentleman's agreement."

However, Michel's axing had been widely expected after the club had lost a league match against city rivals SuperSport 4-1 last week and then been knocked out of the cup on the weekend.

Johannesburg - The Red Cross on Tuesday launched an emergency appeal for a little more than one million dollars for the victims of severe floods in the south-west African desert state of Namibia.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is seeking 1.44 million Swiss francs (1.27 million dollars) to fund its relief operation in the country, where at least 92 people have been killed in some of the worst floods in the country in years.

Johannesburg - Thousands of commuters were stranded in South Africa's commercial capital of Johannesburg Tuesday as the drivers of the city's popular minivan taxis went on strike.

The protests were aimed against the introduction of a new bus system to be introduced ahead of next year's football World Cup in South Africa, which is regarded as competition by the drivers.

The minivans, up to now the backbone of public transport in the city, blocked parts of the city motorway and other main transport routes.

Johannesburg - The furore over South Africa's refusal to grant the Dalai Lama a visa to attend a peace conference in Johannesburg later this week grew with former president FW de Klerk announcing Monday he was boycotting the meeting.

"Mr De Klerk will reluctantly not participate in the peace conference on March 27 and its associated activities if a visa is not granted to enable the Dalai Lama to attend the conference as well," the FW de Klerk foundation said in a statement Monday.