In 2004 I appeared on a number of occasions in Protea Court, Soweto, in defence of a man who had been charged with murdering his fiancée by shooting her 5 times at point-blank range. As a leading member of her church the trial invariably drew enormous crowds from the community. In respect of the accused […]
2009
Posted inGeneral
Durban breaks new ground in participatory democracy
I have written previously about the need for democracy to be about more than just voting every few years. It has been about the need for democracy to be an everyday way of life for all citizens. Active citizenship is the essence of what is sometimes called radical or deep democracy and active citizenship ultimately […]
Posted inLifestyle
The riot at the swingers’ party and other tales
“They felt uncomfortable with him eyeing them off and I asked him to show some respect and take his clothes off,” said the manager of a nudist colony, who was explaining how a mini riot had started at the White Cockatoo resort in northern Queensland. “He then threatened to bash me, there was some argy-bargy […]
Posted inGeneral
If Leon had been a minister …
If Tony Leon had accepted former president Mandela’s offer to join the government of national unity in 1994, and had become a minister, in the first non-racial democratic government from 1994 to 1999, it is clear that the fortunes of the DA would have, today, been different. Not wanting to become lapdogs to the behemoth […]
Posted inGeneral
Opposition won’t Shaik Schabir off for being Zuma’s friend
There is this sudden and quick South African political obsession with keeping convicted fraudster Schabir Shaik in jail. The obsession has got nothing to do with the fight for justice and equality before the law but everything to do with the fact that he is friends with ANC President Jacob Zuma. There is unfounded fear […]
Posted inBusiness
No sympathy for estate agents
Fin24.com recently ran a story on its website that South Africa’s property industry has already lost 55 000 registered estate agents out of 90 000 as a result of the weaker housing market. As interesting as the story were the comments left on the web page by readers: Stan About time, with their exorbitant commission at 7% […]
Posted inNews/Politics
When philanthropy and politics mix
What happens if you have given a donation to a public benefit organisation and then find it is using its resources to support a political party? Gift of the Givers, an aid organisation that operates in South Africa and internationally, has been criticised for providing goods such as blankets and food parcels worth more than […]
Posted inGeneral
Back on the ropes, but it’s not all bad
The 2010 Local Organising Committee (LOC) is back on the ropes — this time over its failure to promote the 2009 Confederations Cup which will be staged in just three months. Visiting Fifa secretary-general Jerome Valcke lashed out at the lack of signage for the key 2010 curtain-raiser. Fair comment, perhaps, but once again it’s […]
Posted inGeneral
Ubuntu 8.04: Just a tad bit disappointing
Submitted by Tendai Chiguware I have to admit I was not one of the first people to download Linux Ubuntu 8.04 when it was released some time last year. The reason was that I already had Ubuntu 7.01 Ultimate Gamers Edition (which I believe is the best thing to come out of the Linux community) […]
Posted inGeneral
Scavengers have descended on the ANC carcass
The vast scope of the politics of patronage has become an incontestable reality since Polokwane visited on us all the ills we never imagined for our young democracy. Scavengers from all corners have descended upon the carcass of the ANC, lured by the promises of a gluttonous feast. When the once glorious ANC hoisted a […]
Posted inLifestyle
The endless joys of discrimination
I now wish I didn’t know some of the Chinese language. Wherever I go in mainland China, and I mean wherever, I know people are talking about me in Mandarin. Look, a lawei (foreigner)! He is so fat, such a big tummy. Sometimes they run over to pat and stroke my boep which is shrinking […]
Posted inGeneral
Cosatu’s hate speech Constitution?
“Let me clarify one thing. I hate no Jew (for that matter a great admirer of Ronnie Kasrils, Steven Friedman and other millions of Jews who refuse to be silenced on the basis of their nationality by Zionists) and organised a march not to anyone’s neighbourhood, but to offices of an organisation that I considered […]