[“Why is there little real debate over the country’s problems and alternatives?” More pointedly, “Why is there a conscious blindness to [new ANC leader Jacob Gedleyihlekisa] Zuma’s actual positions?” At this juncture, an open debate is needed more than ever. “We fought not only for the ANC to rule but for the freedom to speak […]
2008
Posted inMedia, News/Politics
Silencing the patriots: from UKZN to parliament the voices of freedom are under attack
Tyrants dance when the voices of civil society are silenced and in South Africa the band is starting to play. There are many reasons for disquiet; an array of laws have been lined up over the last two years focussing on curtailing liberties, particularly freedom of expression, and now the University of KwaZulu Natal is […]
Posted inNews/Politics
The nonsensical boycott of the SADC meeting by Botswana
When Robert Mugabe and his henchmen were terrorising ordinary Zimbabweans and the opposition in a desperate quest to subvert the democratic process and further strengthen his stranglehold on power, it made perfect sense that there were growing outcries to isolate him. Any continuing attempts to antagonise Mugabe are nonsensical and counterproductive because President Mbeki has […]
Posted inNews/Politics, Sport
South Africa celebrating mediocrity
That Team South Africa has subjected the nation to pitiful performance at the 2008 Olympic Games is a major understatement. I was listening a day ago to caller after caller on one talk radio station justifying the poor performance of these athletes that we have sent to China; in fact these callers were shifting the […]
Posted inLifestyle
Why I’m a vegetarian
I don’t believe that animals should not be killed for human consumption. In fact, I think that God has most definitely provided certain animals for man — some to assist us in our daily tasks and others to provide us with the nutrients and proteins (isn’t that what meat supplies?!) that eating meat provides. But […]
Posted inLifestyle
A BMW driver comes out fighting after my alien roadhog slur
You have to read this and you’ll see why: BMW drivers are a malleable lot, it seems, and I’m almost warming to them. Barely a peep out of them after the go I had at them the other day. Except for one, whose post I enjoyed so much that I’m posting it more prominently to […]
Posted inGeneral
Let’s talk IS Labs
This week on Let’s Talk Jeff Fletcher from IS joins me to talk about IS Labs, Facebook fears and more. What exactly do you do Jeff? I work for Internet Solutions, helping them build new products and services and in exchange they let me work on IS labs. I also manage the growth of two […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Africa as a brand: struggle politics and the branding of history
The difference in cultural studies between a brand and a commodity is substantial. The commodity is a utilitarian object based on dialectic between use value and exchange value. Thus a pair of shoes and their value is based on their purpose, such as running, and the related market forces and systems required to deliver them […]
Posted inLifestyle
‘If you have children in Australia, they will be obese’
This week I was faced with the knowledge that I needed to get the prescriptions for my chronic medication renewed. Finding a doctor was a little daunting, especially given that my GP back in Joburg is a woman who has treated me since I was seven years old. Where would I find a relationship like […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Is anyone actually helping the refugees?
Well, yes. I got an email, yesterday in fact, from a friend who’s directly involved in helping them. In her words: “A teacher, Ahmed, at a refugee camp out at Youngfield decided he needed to help the kids in his refugee camp, to give them some form of education. He asked me to please get […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Compensation of sharks
The Road Accident Fund (RAF) was set up to compensate victims of road accidents. Due to the fact that few people knew the legal system, it was thought best to include in its legislation provisions for legal representation. But, as time went by, many people were ripped off by the very same people they hired […]
Posted inGeneral
Why have a parliamentary sports portfolio committee?
What is the purpose of the parliamentary sports portfolio committee of Butana Komphela and company? What does it achieve — other than controversy from statements that regularly stir up a furore, normally with a racist flavour? It never refers to anything meritorious about what is being done. The committee’s statements seem intended to remind us […]