In April 2009, shortly before the general elections, the then acting director of the NPA, Mokotedi Mpshe, and his deputy, Willie Hofmeyr, decided to enter a nolle prosequi in the pending criminal prosecution of Jacob Zuma, the president of the ANC. The DA then brought a lawsuit to review the legality of the dropping of […]
2011
Posted inGeneral
When do the Proteas get ‘to pick themselves up’ then?
“We have to pick ourselves up. We haven’t become bad players because of one performance. We’ll have to work on our decision making.” — Graeme Smith, January 15 2011. “We’ve got to learn from today, pick ourselves up.” — Graeme Smith March 6 2011. Urm, yeah. Because that is an all new lesson which needed […]
Posted inNews/Politics
When being black ain’t black enough
By Zuki Mqolomba The recently publicised video clips of Jimmy Manyi’s utterances on coloureds and Indians as the then director-general of labour and government official reveal much of the hidden prejudices and social attitudes that leverage racism and tribalism in South African corridors of power. In the televised clip titled “Jimmy Manyi on coloureds in […]
Posted inNews/Politics
It’s apartheid as usual for big business
At the risk of generalising, I think big business in this country has neither love nor respect for people, especially those of African descent. It does not treat them with dignity or justice. In fact, the oppression and exploitation of the majority in this country is NOT committed by the ANC government but big business. […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Jimmy Manyi is guilty but Trevor Manuel is not innocent
I proceed from my recent blog posting on Manuel’s open letter to Manyi Manyi is guilty as charged — no two ways about it. His statements about coloured people being over-concentrated in the Western Cape and his astounding rebuke for them to “stop this over-concentration” are truly shocking. It does not matter in what capacity […]
Posted inGeneral
What were the policemen doing at the Public Protector?
The South African Police Service, commendably, have confirmed that they will be investigating the allegedly unauthorised visit by crime intelligence officials last Wednesday evening to the offices of the Public Protector. Public Protector spokesperson Kgalalelo Masibi on Friday said that two policemen — a Colonel Maluleka and a Captain Nkuta — arrived at their offices […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Through the haze of that race cloud
My biggest fear in entering the debate about Jimmy Manyi’s comments on coloured people is that I will be seen as a coloured person speaking about coloured issues. My fear is that, because of this, my views will not be taken seriously. Unfortunately, our post-apartheid society has become so racialised that we no longer look […]
Posted inGeneral
Cricket out of Compton, LA
The Compton Cricket Club in Australia (c) Katy Haber It’s been a summer of strange in the south of Victoria, Australia’s second most populous state. Victoria is normally prone to dry summers, where temperatures march relentlessly into the mid-40s but this year rain and wet weather have loitered about since winter. In similar […]
Posted inGeneral
An open letter to Andile Jali and Thulani Serero
Dear Andile and Thulani, South Africa is a country blessed with an abundance of raw and natural talent but only a few manage to make it to the top and actually make an impact. And you boys are just two of the few lucky ones. Some made it but somehow fame and fortune become too […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Pirates to make SANDF walk the plank?
It should be called the SA National Defunct Force. After all, it has soldiers that it cannot deploy, ships that it cannot sail, and aircraft that it cannot fly.
Posted inNews/Politics
Petrol price spike proves ‘peak oil’ predictions
By Roger Diamond The crude oil price is currently hovering at about $100 a barrel, having been well below this mark for a good couple of years now since late 2008. The proximal (or direct) cause of the rather sudden jump in price is two things: an actual decrease in oil supply and a perceived […]
Posted inNews/Politics
My dearest, honourable minister Trevor Manuel
Let us not drop any titles. Let us not pretend that you are not a cabinet minister. Nor should we act as if Mr Jimmy Manyi is not a “director-general equivalent”. Shamefully, some of us did not partake in the “misery of exile”. Had we done so, we might not have returned from foreign lands […]