I don’t know how meaningful this is. Perhaps it’s Freudian. But these days, I’ve started to forget an item that, back in South Africa, I was seldom — if ever — without. This morning, for instance, I switched on my cellphone after pressing the snooze button for the umpteenth time, and put it out ready […]
2008
Posted inGeneral
Green-and-gold emperors
Should there have been any doubt about the Boks’ legitimacy as world champions, Saturday’s heroics would have put these to rest. Our biggest enemy conquered in their stronghold, and when everyone and their dog gave us no chance. Ricky Januarie is unlucky to be a hero in this age. Rarely has a man so deserved […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Thou shalt not be annoying, or: The pope is in town!
Travelling around Sydney promises to be fun, fun, fun this week. Half the roads in the CBD are being closed to traffic, bus services are being rescheduled and trains will be heaving with the sweaty bodies of both bad-tempered commuters and young Catholics fired with religious fervour. Yes, the pope is in town for World […]
Posted inNews/Politics
How will history judge Morgan Tsvangirai and the MDC?
The quality of products coming out of the production line of trade unions has often been very questionable; we have been overwhelmed by defective products the likes of Zwelinzima Vavi, Gwede Mantashe and other trade unionists of suspect politics. This is not inspiring any confidence that even the barest minimum requirements of the SABS quality […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Enemies of the poor: Is this what Hani fought for?
The Eastern Cape is one of our most beautiful provinces. It is a place where many of our revered struggle luminaries — Madiba, Chris Hani, Walter Sisulu, Steve Biko, Oliver Tambo — were born and spent their formative years. Fourteen years after the dawn of democracy, it remains one of our poorest provinces, wracked by […]
Posted inGeneral
We are not all obliged to sing Mandela’s praises
“I’ve been singing happy birthday to Mandela for 30 years and quite frankly, I’m tired. Of course he helped a lot of people, but after that it’s all about him, him, him,” — Hugh Masekela City Press has reported how these utterances have shocked the nation, but I am not one of those purported to […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Spare South African sport the Stofiles
Regular readers will know that I am a strong supporter of transformation in South African sport and vehemently opposed to tokenism. I have not only written numerous articles on the subject but also pledged the entire proceeds of my forthcoming book to transformation in rugby. The children of South Africa, primarily those in our underprivileged […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Russia is no friend of Zimbabwe or Africa
The defeat of the United Nations resolution to impose sanctions on Zimbabwe was the right result but for the wrong reason. China, with the Olympic Games just a few short months away and seeking to avoid confrontation, indicated that its veto basically fell with Russia’s. Had the latter gone with the resolution the Chinese would […]
Posted inNews/Politics
A reply to ‘The Ku Klux Klan is coming’
Commentaries to the KKK post were fascinating. First of all, let me say that the KKK post was in part, at least, a tongue-in-cheek piece. Hence the reference to the graffiti at the start of the post. This is not to say that I do not take the Klan seriously as a “hate group” in […]
Posted inGeneral
Craig Dowd: A spaced-out rugby oddity
Ground control to Major Dowd, ground control to Major Dowd … Take your protein pills and put your helmet on; Ground control to Major Dowd, commencing countdown, engines on … Check ignition and may God’s love be with you … (Spoken): Ten, Nine, Eight, Seven, Six, Five, Four, Three, Two, One, Springboks! What do yer […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Reply to comments on human trafficking post
There have been several comments to the two pieces I posted on this space in the past week or so. I will attempt to address only two in this submission. Let me start by providing some information on our investigation into human trafficking, or a slave trade between South Africa and Mozambique in the late […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Obama: Who will rid me of this turbulent priest?
Barack Obama may not be King Henry II and the Reverend Jesse Jackson is certainly no Thomas Becket but I’ll bet you anything that the Democratic presumptive presidential nominee wishes that he could have dealt with this fellow as the Royals used to do in the good old days. Something along the lines of “I’m […]