Stephen Grootes writing for Eyewitness News on Thursday confirmed that the Constitutional Court has dropped a bombshell in the lap of the government after ruling that the legislation disbanding the Scorpions was essentially invalid and did not give the unit’s successor, the Hawks, enough independence. Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke read out the majority judgement, […]
2011
Posted inGeneral
Revolutions in Africa and my new home China
School one: As I approached my very first classroom now I am back in China, some children saw me through the window and let out a whoop as the bell rang. They surged out of the classroom ahead of their smiling teacher to swamp me with their bodies, hellos! and thumping my hands and arms […]
Posted inNews/Politics
My problem with Morgan Tsvangirai
Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Tuesday embarked on a regional tour to seek support from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in finding a lasting solution to the multi-faceted but mainly political crisis in his country. He is reported to have met with leaders in South Africa, Zambia and Mozambique. Last week, Tsvangirai threatened, […]
Posted inNews/Politics
The fallacy of ‘freedom’: USAid and neoliberal policy in Egypt
The uprising that began in Egypt on January 25 and concluded more than 18 days later with the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak — a dictator who clung tenaciously to power for 30 years — has been rightfully celebrated as an historic turning point in international politics. But the meaning of the “revolution” remains far […]
Posted inGeneral
The mother of all embarrassments
While Schabir Shaik, the former financial adviser to President Jacob Zuma, has been arrested by officers from Correctional Services this does not mean that the South African public should assume that his bail is about to be cancelled. Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula confirmed on Monday that Shaik had been picked up and taken to the Durban […]
Posted inGeneral
SA believe again as India question themselves
It all started in India. The new generation, which had the great side of 1970 to follow as the last to represent South Africa, walked out on to Eden Gardens in 1991. It was India who offered a hand to a nation not yet three years away from the end of apartheid. Since then, South […]
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Will Manning become Obama’s Gitmo?
After Bush, Obama was a breath of fresh air. A man who seemed smart, rational and decent. Of all these qualities the last is the clincher. Decent. That’s what you want from a leader. You want a decent man. A man who bears witness to the basic tenets that his country was founded on. A […]
Posted inGeneral
With friends like Schabir Shaik, does Zuma need enemies?
President Jacob Zuma must be feeling pretty miffed right about now. I certainly would be if I was in his place. Even accepting — as our legal system has and we certainly must respect their decision not to proceed — that the president was not in any way involved in corrupt activities with Schabir Shaik, […]
Posted inGeneral
The best SA golfers and the rest
The Presidents Cup is the rest of the world’s answer to the Ryder Cup. While the Europeans and Americans square off in the Ryder Cup, the Internationals, as they are called, are a team made up of the “best of the rest” from across golf courses the world over. South Africa has had strong representation […]
Posted inNews/Politics
The root of the black vs coloured problem
It has not been my intention to enter the so-called debate on the state of black and coloured relations for fear of generating more heat than light. But we need to put our ghosts to rest on this matter through constructive self-criticism, honest exchange and historical grounding. Even though some of us were raised under […]
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Argus: A perfect Day
Tyler Day (Bonitas) benefited from a perfect lead out by his team to win the 2011 Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour. The 21-year-old crossed the finish line of the 110km mass-participation event in a time of 2 hours 32 minutes ahead of experienced teammate Malcolm Lange. It was Lange’s last race as he […]
Posted inGeneral
C(r)ash in cricket
We are well into the Cricket World Cup in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh — by all accounts it would seem that the organisation is very good — unlike the Commonwealth Games earlier. Haroon Lorgat opened his stance on the World Cup very early on calling for reduced Cricket World Cup in 50-over format. There […]