While Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke has never refused ANC president Jacob Zuma the right to marry whomsoever he pleases he may well have submitted a report to former president Mbeki regarding a certain Zimbabwean president’s less than lawful “Act of Succession”. Regardless Moseneke this morning must know what it feels like to be a […]
2009
Posted inGeneral
Naked or naaied — a satirist warns of the cobra under the carpet
Is there a cobra under the South African carpet like the proverbial elephant in the room, defined by Wikipedia as “an obvious truth that is being ignored or goes unaddressed”? Is there a near future in which the South African media will find itself, or parts of itself, suppressed for the first time since PW […]
Posted inGeneral
On attacking Tutu: Bile, heaps of audacity and heart burn
Not too long ago Bishop Tutu (and many others like him) were taking on the moral corruption of apartheid. Particularly Bishop Tutu became a voice of reason and hope at a time that many thought that things would never change. In response the regime deployed the overcoat brigade and propaganda machinery to discredit him (and […]
Posted inNews/Politics
First Zuma and now Hlophe linked to NIA leaks
“Cape Judge President John Hlophe seemed to have access to confidential notes circulated between judges of the Constitutional Court, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) heard today. Hlophe had also boasted to Justice Bess Nkabinde about obtaining a list of people implicated in the multi-billion dollar government arms deal from the National Intelligence Agency, she said. […]
Posted inMedia
When the media dances to Umshini Wami
I think Jacob Zuma has a big future as a media super star. In fact, I think his presidency is going to be a sort of peak in term of the government’s relations with the media. It is a very natural development. Imagine yourself being a shareholder at one of the media monopolies where your […]
Posted inLifestyle
Stop me if you think you’ve heard this one before
The Easter weekend is coming up, and that means it’s time for music festivals. If you’re in KZN, or willing to travel there from wherever else you may be, you will be able to attend Splashy Fen, officially (apparently) the oldest music festival in the country. It turns 20 this year, and, if the universe […]
Posted inNews/Politics
The personal is political
The Community of Mandela Rhodes Scholars is a politically non-aligned body representing 93 inspiring young African leaders. While the organisation is politically neutral, the individual scholars are encouraged to be vocal in their political views. With April 22 fast approaching, the scholars have been invited to share their personal justification for their intended vote. Mandela […]
Posted inNews/Politics
A tale of two protests
Over the past seven days there have been two major demonstrations in London: the anti-capitalist, banker-baiting protests outside the Bank of England that coincided with the G20 summit last week, and a pro-Tamil Tigers demonstration outside the Houses of Parliament yesterday that called on Gordon Brown and the United Nations to put pressure on the […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Zuma: Can we be reasonable?
Due to popular demand (read: more than half a dozen emails requesting me to state my views on the NPA decision to drop charges against Jacob Zuma) I have decided to make my opinions known. Just like Michael Corleone in The Godfather — Part III, each time I try and sit out “matters of national […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Zuma’s unanswered questions
“The charges against Zuma were dropped on the grounds that there was collusion between Leonard McCarthy, the former head of the Directorate of Special Operations (DSO), and former NPA boss Bulelani Ngcuka. This was after among others, transcripts of telephone calls between the two men were investigated and found to amount to manipulation and abuse […]
Posted inGeneral
Justice equals prosecuting Zuma?
If media statements from political parties and editorial comments reacting to the NPA’s decision to withdraw charges against JZ are anything to go by, South Africa is in trouble. Almost all parties and editorials alike agree that dropping charges against Zuma is “unjust” and is a product of pressure from the ANC. It is interesting […]
Posted inGeneral
Holier than thou just sucks!
I don’t know how many of you have seen the footage of Solomon Mahlangu’s final walk to his execution at Pretoria Central on April 6 1979 but I personally found it very disturbing. Even though I was already an attorney while the death penalty was still in force I was fortunate enough during the murder […]