By Mthokozisi Nkosi Leaving the ANCYL was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made. And once I became a member of the Democratic Alliance Students’ Organisation (Daso) at the University of Pretoria I endured endless insults from my former “comrades”. A few years ago I made a decision to build a better SA. On […]
2011
Posted inGeneral
Nokia positioning for smartphone growth
Nokia is looking to position itself strategically for smartphone growth in SA. It’s signed an agreement with Microsoft to get the Windows operating system onto Nokia handsets and smartphones, like the N8, available on some seriously cheap contracts. Having just got an N8 on contract, some things about Nokia’s strategy started to fall into place […]
Posted inGeneral
Of ancestors, shoot the boer and muti
A discourse analysis of utterances by members of the ANC yields interesting results. By discourse analysis here I mean an analysis of linguistic practices through a focus on the link between linguistic meaning and the power relations such linguistic practices serve. First, the ANC’s persistence in defending their right to sing the liberation song containing […]
Posted inGeneral
Off the shelf v custom software
Telcos are under tremendous pressure to reduce costs, while at the same time improving the experience of customers. Trying to achieve this requires a thorough review of supporting IT systems’ operational support systems/business support systems (OSS/BSS) and a drive to automate service-delivery processes. This is where the modern telco’s competitive advantage lies. It certainly doesn’t […]
Posted inGeneral
Hey Dutchman! The dignity and self-discipline of the Afrikaner
Crruuncch! It was like crashing against a concrete pillar. The Dutchman, erm, Afrikaner kid shrugged me off and ran towards the school rugby field touchline, the crowds roaring. I lay on the spiky grass, dazed from my attempt to tackle that big bastard. I was thirteen then and to this day I swear blind it […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Vote with your head, not your heart
By Faatimah Hendricks It’s just two days until plenty of youth, including myself, will be casting their vote for the first time in local government elections. Deciding on who to select as the caretaker of my neighbourhood and the perfect person to run my city has been giving me sleepless nights (well, almost) as I […]
Posted inGeneral
Stormers have it all to play for
Week 14 of the 2011 Super 15 is fast approaching, and with only a few weeks left till the “finals series” (feels like a bastardised PR word to me) the chaff is being separated from the wheat. The Brumbies are now certain to be the running punch line for this season, considering their own coach […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Olweto’s story
By Emma Louise Powell He is sitting huddled up in a bundle with his knees drawn close for warmth, leaning listlessly against a cold concrete pillar while he exhales the last clouds of glueish haze encasing his lungs. His torn, brown rags resemble the hessian sacks that line the floors of agricultural warehouses. He looks […]
Posted inGeneral
Religion and hate crimes
How dare I attribute the blame for the continuation of hate crimes against lesbians in South Africa to religion? The Bible preaches love and prohibits murder. How can I make the sweeping statement that religion is complicit in the perpetration of hate crimes? And my personal favourite: how can a law professor use this blog […]
Posted inGeneral
The ambiguity at the heart of the concept ‘liberal’
The history of politics, or of political struggle and political change, can at least partly be understood in light of the tension between two of the three constituent concepts comprising the battle cry of the French Revolution, triggered by the storming of the Bastille in 1789: “Liberty, equality, fraternity!” There is an irreducible tension between […]
Posted inNews/Politics
The best election scenario for ANC supporters
The best conceivable result for African National Congress supporters in next week’s local government elections is not a landslide win for their party. Paradoxically, in delivery terms best result would be a vastly improved showing by the opposition parties. Local government is in collapse. Corruption and incompetence are not only costing billions, but have eroded […]
Posted inGeneral
Of Western, Jewish and Islamic fundamentalism
The Cold War between 1947 and 1991 was fought on ideological grounds. The imperial West sought to establish its dominance in world affairs to the defeat of the Soviet Union and its allies. In the aftermath of WWII, communist ideology had gained unprecedented popularity and was spreading across Europe. The US and Britain were terrified […]