Nuruddin Farah, one of the extraordinary novelists of our times, succinctly captured — in his novel entitled Secrets — the beginnings of Somalia’s civil war. Kalaman, the protagonist, relates what he was going through as the tragedy unfolded: “I sat in the car. I was a storm-beaten, lonely man. I was sad. I was mournful. […]
2010
Posted inNews/Politics
Zapiro a rebel with one too many causes
In what is going to be considered a highly controversial move the National Press Club (NPC) on Sunday called for a meeting between Jonathan Shapiro, the Mail & Guardian and Muslim leaders to discuss the cartoon that has angered the Muslim community. According to NPC chairperson Yusuf Abramjee: “The media needs to be sensitive to […]
Posted inGeneral
Bulls and Sowetans teach us nation building
When South Africa became the rainbow nation in 1994, much was expected of the country that had transformed itself from the egregious system of apartheid into one of the most modern democracies in the world. Founded upon a Constitution that is the match of any on the planet in terms of guaranteeing the rights of […]
Posted inNews/Politics
The Pollyannas and Eeyores square up in Soccer World Cup
One foreign correspondent fancifully warned his animal-loving British readers that each game would be preceded ‘by the ritual slaughter of an animal – probably a bullock or a goat – out on the pitch’.
Posted inLifestyle
If you call me ‘gorgeous’ I will hate you
The other evening, while downloading mail as I sat in the Rosebank Mugg & Bean and cursing the fact that the waiter had brought me wine that tasted like cooldrink, a student approached me. He launched into his sales pitch so quickly I had no time to ask him (politely) to leave me alone. Instead, […]
Posted inGeneral
Why South Africans are arming themselves to the teeth
With all the concerns about Bafana Bafana’s chances of making it through the first round of the 2010 World Cup, the host nation appears to have been handed a lifeline. It comes in the form of the mighty vuvuzela, a plastic trumpet which emits a noise that has been compared to a swarm of bees, […]
Posted inGeneral
This is why we write about strip clubs
By Ilham Rawoot Some readers seem to have gotten the wrong idea about Amabhungane’s coverage of the strip-club industry — coverage that we plan to continue. Some comments are that I, as the writer, am a prude, that I am against the decriminalisation of prostitution, and that what I am writing about in this regard […]
Posted inBusiness
Six days after this saga began, I again have no cash
When Mastercard sent the emergency card ydy they said cash could not be drawn at an ATM, but at any bank. Last night Mastercard supervisor Michael Monk phoned to apologise for the lack of service I had received and said I would have no problems with the card. Today before my Italian class at 8.30 […]
Posted inGeneral
Benni doing what he does best: Being a douchebag
“Who at all the pies?” shouted Carlos Alberto Parreira as he milled about the Bafana Bafana cafeteria. Aaron Mokoena, having recently arrived from England, was about to dig into some green Thai curry when he hard his coaches rancour, and replied, “Not me coach. I’ve just come from a place that is pie central.” Parreira […]
Posted inGeneral
Malawi ruling takes gay rights back to the dark ages
Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Steven Monjeza, the gay couple who dared to stage an illegal same-sex wedding in Malawi, have been sentenced to 14 years in prison with hard labour. The pair was sentenced by a Malawi court on Thursday pursuant to their arrest on December 28 following a symbolic wedding. They were subsequently denied bail […]
Posted inLifestyle
Peak oil crisis just ain’t sexy enough
By Roger Diamond Your grandmother passing away at a ripe old age from general ailments will never make the headlines. A person in their prime, stricken by a nasty disease or a fatal accident is always good, newsworthy material. This seems to be a simple formula, which rules in all fields and areas of information, […]
Posted inGeneral
My Cup runneth over, again
By Odirile Mekwa I sat on the psychologist’s soft leather couch and he asked us to play a game called “association”. I take it most people have seen this game in movies. The “shrink” pulls out a picture and the patient says the first thing that springs to mind. The game we played was with […]