In June of last year Barack Obama, soon to be inaugurated as the next president of the United States, declared Robert Mugabe’s regime illegitimate and lacking in credibility. Then Senator for Illinois, Obama expressed the view that “If fresh elections prove impossible, the US and other countries should tighten “targeted sanctions” and “pursue an enforceable, […]
Michael Trapido
Mike Trapido is a criminal attorney and publicist having also worked as an editor and journalist.
He was born in Johannesburg and attended HA Jack and Highlands North High Schools.
He married Robyn in 1984 (Mrs Traps, aka "the government") and has three sons (who all look suspiciously like her ex-boss).
He was a counsellor on the JCCI for a year around 1992.
His passions include Derby County, Blue Bulls, Orlando Pirates, Proteas and Springboks.
He takes Valium in order to cope with Bafana Bafana's results.
Practice Michael Trapido Attorney (civil and criminal) 011 022 7332
Posted inNews/Politics
Zuma and Selebi conundrums
South Africans have every right to look to the government for an explanation of their handling of the Scorpions and Vusi Pikoli disbandment and dismissal. In both cases the impression that is left is that, regardless of the feelings of the citizens of this country and the findings of the commissions into both issues, the […]
Posted inGeneral
Derby County: In the name of the father, the son and the holy Clough
Any Derby County fan older than five years of age will know the significance of the appointment of the boy Clough as the manager of the Rams — the messiah has come. (NB ANC members need not panic this is not a reference to the one referred to by ANC president Jacob Zuma when he […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Mugabe takes leave; he deserves arrest
Like me many of you must have been delighted to learn that Grace Mugabe has taken the family off to Malaysia for a month’s hard earned rest. After all the “first lady” must be exhausted from having had to spend the entire year in her mansion listening to stories about her countrymen and women dying […]
Posted inNews/Politics
ANC must clamp down hard on disruptions of Cope meetings
“We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, […]
Posted inGeneral
Helen Suzman: The passing of a giant
Having spent the first 34 years of my life under the rule of apartheid South Africa I am acutely aware of the enormous role played by Helen Suzman in not only attacking that evil system but also, unlike Breyten Breytenbach, having the courage of her convictions to usher in and try to improve the new […]
Posted inGeneral
Katlego Zabala: A South African superstar
Over the weekend I noticed with some amusement that ANCYL president Julius Malema cracked the Mampara of the Year Award from the Sunday Times. No doubting that the youth leader has the credentials for this dubious honour just as there is no doubting his vastly improved approach to the job at hand. Malema has shown […]
Posted inSport
Steyn and Duminy, together in perfect harmony
If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich. — John F Kennedy When the walls of apartheid came crashing down in 1994 many racists predicted the end of South African sporting dominance or competitiveness in rugby and cricket, while football, which they perceived to […]
Posted inGeneral
Wrong Mr Mantashe, invasion of Zimbabwe is unnecessary
African National Congress secretary general Gwede Mantashe told editors and journalists at a breakfast in Durban that neither tougher sanctions nor an invasion of Zimbabwe were on the cards. “I don’t think invading Zimbabwe or sanctions would work”. The ANC won’t “subscribe to an invasion and preferred to deal with Zimbabwe on a government-to-government level […]
Posted inNews/Politics
ANC prepared to sacrifice credibility in order to support Mugabe’s lawless Zimbabwe
Zimbabwean police ignored a High Court decision ordering the release of Jestina Mukoko and eight other activists to a local hospital. Reuters are reporting that instead armed police have removed them to an unknown location. As in the case of the decision of the SADC Tribunal on land expropriation, Mugabe and the Zanu-PF are showing […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Avoid ANC blue light brigade over the festive season
“Among other things, the vision, principles and values of the ANC teach the cadres of this movement life-long lessons that inform us that, wherever we are and whatever we do, we should ensure that our actions contribute to the attainment of a free and just society, the upliftment of all our people and the development […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Tutu says Zimbabwe “awful indictment” on South Africa; now ANC must tell us why
Archbishop Desmond Tutu told the BBCthat “he was saddened that his own country appeared not to be on the side of Zimbabweans. How much more suffering is going to make us say ‘No we have given Mr Mugabe enough time? I have to say that I am deeply, deeply distressed that we should be found […]