Justice Zondi’s careful and deliberate judgment in the Cape High Court case brought by the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) and South African Medical Association (SAMA) against Dr Matthias Rath and others, has several interesting consequences. The main issues in the case were whether or not Dr Rath had been conducting unauthorised clinical trials, whether or […]
2008
Time to give ourselves credit
I wanted to bemoan Bafana Bafana’s beating this past weekend, worst of all to a small fish like Sierra Leone. But I couldn’t! In fact, I found myself calmly and rationally appreciating the reality of our current situation. Incidentally, the sentiment I’m about to share was echoed by non other than our state president, His […]
Wash up of SA v Wales and half time England v NZ
So what did we all make from the ‘Clash of Champions?’ Personally it only re-enforced views that I held already about both teams, and there was nothing new that struck me. As far as South Africa go, big strong pack of forwards, with possibly the best backrow potential in the world. I do think this […]
Dutch dilemma
So Marco van Basten’s imperious Oranje Army find themselves atop their Euro group with every team’s fate in their hands. Good times for the dyke-builders. No-one can deny them their position after two absolutely magnificent victories, I daresay their third goal against France and their second against the Azzuri were the best examples of counterattacking […]
Why I won’t go to church here
I won’t go to church here. I’ve tried, and I just can’t. The lowest point in my sojourn in Sydney thus far came one Sunday morning as I sat on the cold wooden pew of St Clement’s listening to the priest — sorry, minister — rushing through the third Eucharistic Prayer after a communion consisting […]
Rob Andrew opens his mouth to change feet
I am in total disagreement with the New Zealand press who were going on and on about how crap England were at Eden Park on Saturday. They were not crap! If they train much harder this week, get their tactics right and get Rob Andrew to stop whingeing we can upgrade that performance to crap. […]
South Africa and China key to Zimbabwean outcome
Gordon Brown has styled the Zimbabwean government as a “criminal cabal“, demanded that it accept international monitors and called for sanctions if President Robert Mugabe is not removed after the run-off. I could go on listing those who now condemn the president and his party, or simply refer you to Google or any other search […]
Zimbabwe Violence reminiscent of Gukurahundi massacres
This was a difficult contribution to make for a number of reasons. First, I am very close to the events that I am about to describe. In early 1982 to the late 1980s, Zimbabwe experienced an ugly period called Gukurahundi (a Shona word meaning, the early rain that washes away the chaff before the spring […]
The siren lure of stuff
One of the aspects of moving to a new country that excited me most was the prospect of doing away with stuff. All of the accretions that build up through daily living, the trinkets and knick knacks and goeters that clog one up, hold one down. No more house or furniture or books. No more […]
Golf: You’re never out of the Woods
On Saturday I shot a 62 at Glendower, playing immaculate golf, until those Nazi bastards told me it was getting too late, and I could only play the second hole on Sunday. I mean, what is the point of trying to finetune your game if the dogs only let you play the first hole? You […]
Mama Mia, here we go again … Italy on Saturday
The Italy rugby squad arrived in Cape Town this morning for their one-off Test against South Africa at Newlands on Saturday. The 24-man playing squad has been selected with a view to the future, so says head coach Nick Mallett some weeks ago. Mallett, a former Ikey, Western Province, Springbok and Springbok coach, has included […]
YouTube says they’re sorry. But are they?
What started as a trickle of a problem a few months ago has bubbled over into a series of unfortunate, unstoppable, unbearable and unbelievable events in the life of a successful startup that has perhaps become too big for its boots. Two months ago, I noticed that every fifth or sixth blog I visited that […]