Living in South Africa is exhausting. We are always one small step away from mass hysteria. Or that, at least, is the impression you’d get if you based your knowledge entirely on the news media, Tuesday being the most recent and vivid example. Now, it’s understandable that if big political events take place the media […]
2008
Posted inNews/Politics
Should Zuma give way for a Motlanthe presidency after the 2009 elections?
If Zuma were to get up and address the nation and tell us that he has no intentions of running for the presidency of the country, he would do much to repair his chequered reputation. Such an announcement would probably be one of the single greatest acts of self-sacrifice this nation has ever seen. It […]
Posted inLifestyle
The revenge of the Silvertails: more essential Aussie vocabulary
Following on last week’s entry about Aussie words you need to understand if you want to survive in these parts, here are a couple more words and expressions I encounter occasionally and, occasionally, quite often: Silvertail. Wealthy, affluent, socially privileged — but not necessarily in a good way. The eastern suburbs of Sydney are known […]
Posted inLifestyle, News/Politics
Understanding the meaning of why “judges are counter revolutionary”
It is sad that some people are not granted their right to freedom of thought and speech in this country simply because of who they support. Yet all views deserve to be judged on merit, if any. Thus we must resisting prejudging what comes out of the mouths of a people like the Youth League’s […]
Posted inBusiness, News/Politics
Diary of an HR manager, aged 35 ½
If you think you’ve had a difficult few days take a minute to think about one poor old HR manager in Pretoria. First the CEO was forced out and then 14 members of Exco resigned on the same day! His succession planning has been blown out of the water and now he’s got to draw […]
Posted inNews/Politics, Tech
The diary of President Ivy
Exclusive: The 12 hours of the Matsepe-Casaburri presidency, revealed through the acting president’s diary September 25, midnight: Yippee!!! I’m the president! No, the President, with a capital P! No one can stop me now! I’m so happy I could change a law! 12.01am: Just heard my first President Matsepe-Casaburri joke from the Internet. Q: What […]
Posted inMedia, News/Politics
Maybe next time?
I missed Thabo Mbeki’s farewell speech on Sunday night and was desperate the next morning to catch a glimpse of his apparently wet eyes bidding goodbye to a nation. I rush over to the SABC website hoping to find an uploaded video of the evening’s drama. I don’t find anything. Instead, I come across videos […]
Posted inGeneral
14-man Kaizer Chiefs beat Mamelodi Sundowns
Disclaimer: This blog is not about the hatred, dislike or favoritism of any team. It is purely about the “psychological” aspects of playing against Chiefs, reflecting on the MTN8 cup final. There can be no denying that Kaizer Chiefs is arguably the most successful team in South African football. On Tuesday night they scraped yet […]
Posted inGeneral
Netbooks have lost the plot
First came the promise of the OLPC, then came the Asus Eee PC, and life got good. Now that Pandora’s box has been opened, a hell spawn of so-called netbooks are flooding the market creating confusion, and completely eroding the good work done by the original Eee PC. I picked up the Asus Eee PC […]
Posted inGeneral
Australian Rugby Union CEO: England could join the Tri-Nation series
“Australian Rugby Union officials are pushing for top European nations to be included in an expanded Tri-Nations tournament and teams from North and South America, Japan and the Pacific to be involved in an expanded Super 12 competition. “ARU chief executive John O’Neill reportedly wants the Super 12, the southern hemisphere’s premier provincial rugby competition, […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Et tu Ruth?
Ruth Kelly, the UK transport secretary, dropped a political time bomb on British Prime Minister Gordon Brown less than 24 hours after what many analysts believe was the Labour leader’s make-or-break speech to the party conference in Manchester. The Member of Parliament for Bolton West confirmed that she would be leaving the Cabinet in order […]
Posted inNews/Politics
A call for disunity
The South African body politic is sick. And it’s the ANC’s fault. Not because 10 cabinet ministers and the president resigned this week. Not because a motley crew of populists have taken unceremonious control of party and state. And not because all the turbulence has shaved a few percentage points off the rand or the […]