It is a well-recognised fact that a volunteer army, like the United States, should be far more effective than a conscript one simply because the former is made up of career professionals capable of learning about sophisticated weaponry and tactics through years of service while the latter consists primarily of school leavers and other youngsters […]
2009
Posted inNews/Politics
The smell of human flesh and hair burning
Butana Almond Nofomela is about to be paroled after having served 21 years for the murder of Johannes Lourens, a Brits farmer. He had been sentenced to death for this crime, but escaped being hanged by confessing to crimes committed as part of the Vlakplaas hit squad. He was subsequently granted amnesty by the Truth […]
Posted inGeneral
Relationships and the abuse of women
This blog is a recount of an almost typical day of dealing with the women in my life. Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate … My Chinese god-daughter Sunshine meets me at the tacky old bus station I remember so well from my stay in Shaoxing […]
Posted inGeneral
Caster, round three
By chance I had Leonard Chuene, president of the ASA, keep me company on a long drive to Rustenberg on Wednesday. He was on 702 Talk Radio and it’s the first time I’ve actually heard him speak on this issue. It was sadly very entertaining. He postured, got defensive, kept calling Caster a “little girl”, […]
Posted inGeneral
Is the media to blame for the Caster Semenya controversy?
This week’s Talkback question on the Mail & Guardian Online: Is the media to blame for the Caster Semenya controversy?
Posted inNews/Politics, Sport
Why is Caster ‘our little girl’ anyway?
Poor Caster Semenya, magically transformed into a political football nearly a year ahead of the World Cup. Suddenly she finds herself a symbol of the injured womanhood of the nation, under attack by cynical and racist white people, both South African and Australian. What’s interesting is the repeated reference to Caster as “our little girl”. […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Lots of talk about labour brokers, not much listening
Parliament has been holding public hearings on proposals to curtail, and possibly ban, the operations of labour brokers. A marathon two-day session saw lots of talking between the parties but not much evidence that there was much listening going on. The minister of labour has been unhappy with the rise in the use of labour […]
Posted inGeneral
A more Liberal Britain
Two major political anniversaries were commemorated recently: the thirtieth anniversary of the election of Baroness Margaret Thatcher as Britain’s first woman prime minister and the fortieth anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in New York. Both watershed events have been the subject of widespread review and commentary. The Stonewall riots were the first time in America […]
Posted inSport
Semenya saga simply brings out the worst in South Africans
Seldom has there ever been such a clear and insane demonstration of hysteria overwhelming reason as we’ve been subjected to in the last week or so. Every two-bit hack in the country has churned out an article on sex or gender testing, how it’s done, and what it can or cannot prove. Almost every columnist […]
Posted inGeneral
The Ruan/Frans scenario
Ruan in for Frans Steyn. Big talking point this is for Saturday’s Test. But let’s get some perspective here. What the Boks are losing is a long (though no more accurate) boot and dominating defence. What we are gaining is a great ball player that knows how to pass in the tackle, run around opponents […]
Posted inGeneral
Shoppers under siege
Shopping in South African malls has become a dangerous affair. Adrenalin junkies may find the prospect of being caught up in a violent armed robbery a thrilling experience; while the rest of us tremble at the mere thought of having AK47 assault rifles being shoved in your face or becoming the sad victim of a […]
Posted inLifestyle, News/Politics
Caster’s dreams more powerful than politics
When you really think about it, you realise that the success and achievement of gold-winning athlete Mokgadi “Caster” Semenya is more powerful than political speechifying. In fact, this girl-woman should impress us for a totally different reason. What this 18-year-old girl has shown is not only can a person be what they want to be, […]