Any negotiator worth his salt will tell you that when you have a man in a corner always make sure that you leave him with a back door from which he can escape. If you fail to provide that you leave him only one option ie to come straight for you with all guns blazing. […]
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, Sport
Sorry Naas, Springbok emblem goes far deeper than that
Francis Fukuyama, professor of international political economy at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, in an article entitled “The damage to Brand USA needs urgent repair”, submits that the damage to the American brand will be far more costly to the United States than the implosion of its investment banks. www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article4937563.ece “After 9/11 […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Zuma versus Mbeki to start the great debates?
The Mail & Guardian, among others, is reporting the possibility of the ANC calling for an early election in order to reduce the impact that the breakaway party in contemplation could make in 2009. Gwede Mantashe the secretary-general of the ANC has dispelled this insisting that the focus will be on strengthening party structures rather […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Mbeki needs to defuse fears of Zimbabwe military
A New York Times article headlined “Zimbabwe generals’ fears of prosecution threaten deal” has cut to the chase on what is proving to be the major stumbling block to the implementation of that country’s power-sharing deal. The agreement reached previously always had contemplated that Robert Mugabe would retain the Presidency and lead the Cabinet, while […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Mbeki’s Zimbabwe deal will succeed
While the world’s media speculate on the imminent collapse of the power sharing agreement in Zimbabwe, the realities on the ground preclude President Mugabe’s ministry grab, which is jeopardizing the deal’s implementation, from succeeding. The fact of the matter is that unless the MDC control the ministries of Home Affairs and Finance there will be […]
Posted inSport
Luke Watson, international man of dysentery
If we ever held a contest to choose South Africa’s “foot-in-mouth sufferer of the year”, then Luke Watson would be unbeatable. The only time this genius seems to open his mouth is to change feet. What can be said about this national disgrace that hasn’t already been said about diarrhoea? The following was sent to […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Zuma and Lekota a catalyst for positive change?
The time has come for the ANC to abandon finally the mentality of the liberation movement and become the government of the people of South Africa. Accept that all this talk of divorce and dissention is a blessing in disguise rather than the straw that finally broke the camel’s back. The Zuma trial with all […]
Posted inNews/Politics
McCain’s half-baked Alaskan
Sarah Palin’s family feud with her former brother-in-law, which formed the subject matter of an investigation dubbed “Troopergate” by the media, finally came home to roost yesterday and the result was not a Norwegian omelette but rather a half-baked Alaskan. The inquiry into the conduct of the governor of Alaska found that she had abused […]
Posted inNews/Politics
ANC split is about power not policy
An ANC split would be good for democracy in South Africa is the recurrent theme running through opposition politics at the moment. A division of the party’s support, which in theory would vastly reduce the ruling party’s majority, would act as a safeguard against using its two-thirds majority to amend the Constitution and against forcing […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Great pre-election party political adverts we’d like to see
It is becoming apparent that political parties will be allowed to advertise on television in the lead up to next year’s general election. While the SABC is up in arms about the huge losses in revenue that this might occasion we as South Africans must stand up and be counted. Demand that parties be given […]
Posted inGeneral
Great moments in ANCYL auditing we’d like to see
“The new ANC Youth League under Julius Malema wants to wrestle control of the R120-million investment company away from ‘old comrades’ who became ‘millionaires’ in the name of the young people,” reports IOL. Apparently the ANCYL were furious when they were advised that “wrestle”, in this context, did not actually mean physically mutilating the old […]
Posted inLifestyle
ANC Lite
With the resignation of president Thabo Mbeki, following intense pressure from elements within the ANC, ANCYL, Cosatu and the SACP, speculation has grown about the possibility of a party split. Ministers and others loyal to the former president are believed to be weighing up their options pursuant to their misgivings about the current direction of […]