By Anneke Meerkotter The first thing you are confronted with when you walk into the service section of the South African embassy in Harare is a South African department of home affairs poster on the process to register civil unions, including same-sex marriages. Why is this interesting? Because Zimbabwe’s first draft constitution released last week […]
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Posted inGeneral
The unilateral road towards nation-building: Danger signs ahead
By Gugu Ndima I was intrigued by a very innocent, captivating picture on the front page of two major publications. Two “born free” young South Africans who represent diversity in SA were nicely captured. The picture alone tells many tales; at first glance it’s perfect and void of sin or pretence. It’s a picture of […]
Posted inGeneral
I apologise for apartheid
By Ronèe Robinson Ag hemel – wat op aarde het FW besiel? (What on earth got into FW?) Does he really believe that apartheid merely failed because black people did not want to live with separate development? What about all the injustices that were perpetrated under apartheid? Apartheid was not merely about a dream (or […]
Posted inGeneral
Palestinian solidarity and the responsibility of South African intellectuals
By Nina Butler “I wish you empowerment to resist; to fight for social and economic justice; to win your real freedom and equal rights.” These are the stirring words of Omar Barghouti in his open letter to “people of conscience in the West”. The prominent Palestinian human rights activist gave an indication of the poetic […]
Posted inGeneral, News/Politics
The press club that is not a press club
By Rams Mabote Imagine walking into a butcher shop only to find that it is actually a morgue, in spite of the signage outside. Worse still, how would you feel if you took your car for a service only to realise that the place advertised as a workshop is actually a chop shop? Do you […]
Posted inGeneral
A crisis of moral leadership
By Gregory Solik The struggle against apartheid produced a long tradition of exemplary leaders. This tradition continued through the negotiations post 1994 during the years of transition. Yet despite this strong tradition, we currently talk very often about the “crisis in leadership”. Julius Malema’s recent expulsion from the ANC has been upheld and this marks […]
Posted inNews/Politics
18-year-olds on SA’s 18th Freedom Day
The Mail & Guardian asked 18-year-old South Africans, the born-frees, about what this Freedom Day means to them. Here are their responses: I was born in January 1994. To me, Freedom Day means success for South Africa and its citizens. For the past 18 years the democratically elected government has not disappointed. Much has been […]
Posted inNews/Politics
A political affiliation to Pedro
By Sarah Silber I was exactly seven months and 21 days old on the day democracy was born in South Africa. You’ll have to forgive me if I don’t remember much about that big day in our nation’s history … but my Dad remembers it well. Every April 27th, he tells me all about it. […]
Posted inGeneral
Dispelling a stereotype: Women in the Arab Gulf
By Richard Ferraris Stereotypes. The fast food of our intellectual age. They are available on every corner and appeal to every taste. In the developed world, it has become fashionable to cite the example of the stereotypical oppressed Muslim woman, which lends credence to a Western view that must inevitably triumph. The Muslim woman. Veiled. […]
Posted inGeneral
Change the ANC voting system
By Fumani Mboweni When a person goes for a job interview, it is to ascertain if he/she is good enough to fulfill the requirements of a particular role. The incumbent is drilled to see if he/she is best suited from among other candidates to do the job. This process can go on for a while […]
Posted inGeneral
American dreaming
By Jane Madembo Sometime last year I received an email from a young South African man whom, after reading my article in the Mail and Guardian wanted some advice about coming to America. This was not new. Every time I visit Africa I meet many young people who share their dreams of coming to America. […]
Posted inBusiness
Eskom’s water accountability
In the article “Eskom, Sasol sound warning over water supply”, published on March 18 2012, it is made clear that a big drought in the Vaal River catchment could jeopardise the region’s agricultural and industrial output. But because Eskom and Sasol are “strategic water users” their use of water would not be curtailed. The same […]