Jacob Zuma was made to wait for three hours because the start of the ANCYL’s elective conference (Midrand, June 16 2011) was delayed by, among others, the late arrival of ANCYL president Julius Malema. Once the conference began, Zuma had to listen to Malema‘s wide-ranging, 90-minute speech — a speech that was not all that […]
2011
Posted inGeneral
Fourteen – Nine
The Wallabies don’t often win in South Africa, but Durban must be their favourite city. Three of their only four away Tri-Nations victories against South Africa have been played at this venue. Fourteen-Nine. The Kings Park clash was a low-scoring, tight affair, two closely matched sides slugging it out for honours. What a pity that […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Et tu, Tutu?
Dear Reverend Tutu, I apologise for giving this blog entry such a corny name. I realised the phrase “Et tu” had been used at least twice before — once by some old Roman politician and once by Dr Bandula Kothalawala (not to mention the band by that name somewhere on YouTube). Be that as it […]
Posted inGeneral
England topple India as Test kings
England has wrapped up its victory against India at Edgbaston and quite comprehensively. Alastair Cook’s serene 294 (more runs than India have managed in an entire innings throughout the current series) proved the platform for England’s monumental 710 for 7 declared and combined with their fine bowling attack’s efforts on day one when India were […]
Posted inBusiness, News/Politics
A cellular licence to print money
Cellular companies were happy to take advantage of consumers – many illiterate and poor, and for whom a cellphone is a necessity that comes at a disproportionately large monthly cost – for as long as they could get away with it.
Posted inMedia, News/Politics
The loyalty of African journalism
My interest was piqued on reading the deliberate distortion of the thrust of Eric Miyeni’s views on the role of African journalists in corporate media. The question is not how Miyeni said what he said, but the substance of the point he failed to make. Despite the rage of the machine against his hate speech, […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Hackney is everywhere
By Aragorn Eloff What is the crime of looting a corporate chain store next to the crime of owning one? — Luther Brecht The sheer volume of commentary from across the political spectrum has made it hard to keep up with — and even harder to know where to stand on — the widespread riots […]
Posted inMedia
NewsTime, David Bullard and the middle finger
I see a competition for a cover design idea is on for the forthcoming Out to Lunch: Ungagged book by David Bullard. The one I have thought of is a hand showing the middle finger, and the middle finger is in the shape of a spade. This sums up the essence of the manner of […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Malawi on the precipice: Too ghastly to contemplate
Apparently, Bingu wa Mutharika is not the learned fellow we all thought he is. An economist by training, Malawi’s once highly esteemed president has shown himself to be anything but the bright spark we tend to ascribe to holders of PhD degrees in Development Economics. It is a dubious distinction, I am told. In any […]
Posted inGeneral
SA on the right BPO track
Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) has long been targeted by the South African government as a major source of employment growth and skills development. Thabo Mbeki repeatedly called attention to BPO as an employment driver, and the Zuma government has followed suit, launching an industry incentive programme in February which hopes to create 30 000 jobs over […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Springtime for Cameron
Riots? In the UK? What shall we call this phenomenon, these marauders running riot with their Blackberries and bricks? The British Spring? After the widespread pro-democratic protests in predominantly Muslim countries, we were all wondering: who’s next? What dictatorship is about to topple before the angry hordes? Secretly, some of us hoped for something similar […]
Posted inLifestyle
Born at the right time: Celebrating Antoinette
What would you pay for an evening in the company of Lebo Mashile and Don Matera – two of our country’s most gifted wordsmiths? I recently had such an evening at the home of Pitika and Antoinette Ntuli on July 30 2011. Pitika is a world renowned South African sculptor, poet and intellectual. Antoinette Ntuli, […]