2009

I must admit that I was never a fan of ANC Youth League President Julius Malema. I used to criticise many of his statements, both in private and in ANC circles. When I hear of another Malema dilemma, I tend to ask myself, “Oh God, what has he done now again?” But I really fail […]

A while back I had the disconcerting experience of receiving a spontaneous ovation from an audience consisting mainly of Afrikaners. The statement that led to the unexpected explosion in enthusiasm was that ANC members seem not to be promoted despite alleged wrong-doing but because of it. The statement was based on my analysis of the […]

There are reports that Mo Shaik may be appointed director-general of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and as usual there are denials all round. Mo’s relationship with Jacob Zuma goes back to the days of the ANC underground when they worked together as ANC intelligence operatives. The most noted underground structure was “Operation Bible”, which […]

The destruction of public property to express political or social views is one of the most backward forms of expression to ever be experienced in a democracy. I remember that in the olden days when we had every reason to burn down buildings that represented oppression we were selective in doing so and such destruction […]

A recent lightening visiting to the US, albeit to Democrat-controlled New York and the fabled Kennedy’s playground of Cape Cod, gave me a sense of how President Barack Obama is rapidly redefining not just the rhetoric, but the terms of engagement in the American national discourse, too. Observing the first six months of Obama’s administration […]

The 1980s saw the mushrooming of the taxi industry. Informally it provided a better alternative to riding the train or using largely unreliable bus operators. Commuters voted with their feet, providing our burgeoning taxi industry with a solid customer base, as well as largely captive routes. The foundation of the taxi industry is rooted in […]