By Thabang Motsohi The New Growth Path (NGP) announced by Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel has again refocused our attention on the structural challenges that inhibit our economy to grow and create jobs. This will be the fourth attempt, after the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa, at developing an economic model that […]
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Posted inNews/Politics
Uprising in Zimbabwe?
By Levi Kabwato A long time ago a farmer decided to deal with a troublesome mouse once and for all. The plan was to set a very lethal mousetrap. Upon realising that his life was threatened, the mouse enlisted the services of a cock at the farm to disarm this mousetrap. The mouse pleaded with […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Zuma, Zille flunk the Church vs State test
By Kevin Forster President Zuma’s recent comments suggesting Jesus’s preference for the ANC should not be seen as an analogy taken out of context. It is an attempt to abuse the religious belief of the South African public. If the analogy ended after “when you vote for the ANC, you are also choosing to go […]
Posted inNews/Politics
To be black and ghetto fabulous
By Sifiso Mazibuko So what is it with us black folks and our overwhelming need to be down, ghetto, hood or kasi. This is the quandary that seems to face a black person who achieves any level of success and then as a result, God forbid, decides to move out the hood. He is liable […]
Posted inGeneral
Federer vs Nadal: So who’s the best ever?
By Warren Glam I do love a good story. I’m especially fond of the ones which touch on what you might call heroic motifs — like the errant knight wandering through all manner of realms intent on making his mark in the world. Strong stuff, to be sure. And maybe I’m wrong in this, but […]
Posted inGeneral
For heaven’s sake, leave Mandela alone
By Tim Fish South Africans are melodramatic. We celebrate our successes with exceptional vigour. Think of the TshabalaIa goal celebration against Mexico or Bafana Bafana’s victory against France in the World Cup. On this end of the spectrum the melodrama is to be admired and embraced. It is good to celebrate victories. It is unifying. […]
Posted inGeneral
Do you know who I am?
By Ori Ben-zeev I remember hearing a story a couple of years ago about an Austrian prime minister who parked illegally and received a fine. Are you ready for the twist? He paid it and apologised. Definitely something unheard of in many, if not most, places in the world: a government official that does not […]
Posted inGeneral
The language of God
By Steven Hussey Francis Collins, the lead scientist of the Human Genome Project, has in a recommendable book The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief argued for rational harmony between science and faith. The “language” that he refers to is of course the human DNA sequence. But if you were expecting (as […]
Posted inGeneral
The deceptive God
By Steven Hussey Perhaps the most breathtaking scientific revelation is that of our origins: the dawn of the universe 13.7 billion years ago, the first single-celled organisms 3.5 billion years ago, and the kaleidoscope of multicellular life (and their demise) over the last 550 million years. Darwin’s On the Origin of Species has inconvenienced religious fundamentalists since 1859, […]
Posted inNews/Politics
The problems with defining #African
By Jason van Niekerk Sentletse Diakanyo is not a journalist, and tells his readers not to unreasonably expect balanced articles. He’s not a scientist either, so apparently we shouldn’t unreasonably expect his cherry-picked wikiscience to accurately reflect human evolution. What he is, though, is a stirrer, and his Thought Leader post “We are not all […]
Posted inGeneral
Euthanasia, a kind way to end suffering
By Dr E V Rapiti I fully support the views of Professor Sean Davison on euthanasia and his intention to set up an organisation to assist the terminally ill to die in dignity. I am sure that there are many that would support him but they remain silent fearing the reprisals by the small group […]
Posted inGeneral
The Grace Mugabe story: If you can’t get to the man, go after his wife
By Jane Madembo The first lady of Zimbabwe, Grace Mugabe, was in the papers again recently. She is suing the Zimbabwean Standard newspaper US $15 million. The Standard published a story based on a report from the WikiLeaks US embassy cables, which alleged that the first lady was involved in illegal diamond trafficking. There is nothing […]