Submitted by Steve Woodhall I got the impression that the Mail & Guardian had their knives into the IPL series, some of the blogs have been a bit … mean. I was suspending judgment but I’ve just watched the wonderful game between Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians at Kingsmead (May 14). I’ve decided this IS […]
2009
Posted inGeneral
Pangaman: A boxing champ and struggle hero!
Think like a champion, speak like a champion, but live like a forgotten hero. The story of Norman “Pangaman” Sekgapane, transcends record-breaking boxing title fights, and speaks of a nation with little or no value for its human assets. If Helen Zille is a “struggle hero”, then what do we call “Pangaman”? It seems the […]
Posted inGeneral
The ring: A love-hate relationship
If the people loved boxing, does boxing love the people? Many would find it puzzling that the son of a once famous boxing champion hates the sport so much that he would rather play rugby. In the Queen’s language his name translates to “Happiness” but Thabo Sekgapane makes it no secret that he cannot be […]
Posted inGeneral
The story of boxer Derrick Phetoe
There were the great, and the greatest. And then there were those who moulded their success. The history of boxing is very rich and littered with inspirational stories. Yet so little has been told. It is an honour for me, today, to tell the story of Derrick Phetoe for reasons to be apparent at a […]
Posted inGeneral
Kani’s ‘Nothing but the Truth’ on struggle heroes …
Now that the legendary actor, director and theatre producer John Kani has received an outstanding ovation for his Nothing but the Truth, I wonder what those who recommend the play say about it. I must admit that I loved its vivid portrayal of the rivalry between the former exiles and those who stayed behind. The […]
Posted inGeneral
Zille needs to understand symbolism
Helen Zille was an anti-apartheid activist who repeatedly put her life in danger in order to bring about a free, non-racist and just South Africa. In addition to exposing the truth about Steve Biko while she was still a journalist, Zille allowed the use of her home as a safe house for other activists and […]
Posted inLifestyle
Life’s little lessons
Life, what a joy and teacher of great lessons on how to live, what your limits are and how to behave as a man of stature. And life commonly finds it necessary to revise these lessons when you seem to be losing your way in blissful ignorance and excitement. It was so this past weekend […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Heretical Helen
One of the deadliest political put-downs I have seen was actually framed as a compliment. The then prime minister, BJ Vorster, when commenting on the performance of United Party leader Sir de Villiers Graaff, emphasised his gentleman-like qualities and concluded that no prime minister could have wished for a more suitable leader of the opposition. […]
Posted inGeneral
Spare me the African sunsets
The secret to successful relocation — whether between cities, countries or continents — is not to think about what you miss about the place where you used to live. I’ve never bought into romanticised notions of uniquely African sunsets or the magic of Highveld thunderstorms, and though I love the bush more than anywhere else […]
Posted inNews/Politics
What was Cosatu thinking?
It’s very commendable for Cosatu to have gone to such great lengths to fight for workers’ rights in the Vodacom-Vodafone deal. Cosatu filed court papers opposing the transaction in which Vodafone would acquire a 15% stake in Vodacom from Telkom for a cash consideration of R22.5 billion. The transaction increases Vodafone’s shareholding in Vodacom from 50% […]
Posted inGeneral
Prophet from China: ‘If cars sin against thine wallet, pluck them out’
Question time before the blog: have you commuted in an SA “township taxi”? Would you/do you consider it to be your normal transport to and from work? Good grief, no fricken waaayy, I thought to myself after reading Sarah Britten’s article on buying a BMWobble your cash flow (as in wobble your cash flow) now […]
Posted inBusiness
Zuma’s balancing act: Cosatu takes on Vodacom
Immediately after the election, and referring to President Jacob Zuma selecting his first cabinet, I observed that the vested and conflicting interests of business and labour was going to be a particularly tricky political tightrope that he needed to walk. On Friday, and while we are still digesting the appointments in cabinet relating to this […]