General

If Julius Malema learned a few lessons yesterday it was that neither Gwede Mantashe nor Blade Nzimande will put up with his fiery rhetoric and neither are the people to start with when he’s trying to make a name for himself. Indeed the ANC Youth League president, constantly fed a diet of “boys will be […]

Much has been said, and shouted, and debated, about the Zulu practice of ukweshwama, or the ritual killing of a bull by (if I recall correctly) 30 Zulu warriors with their bare hands. With the exception of a few sporadic signs that some of the contributors to the debate have understood the place of this […]

Most people masturbate. And by people, I mean women too (for the chauvinists out there who haven’t caught onto our people-status yet). It is interesting then that this topic is treated as taboo by most media sources, life-skills counsellors and women. Sexuality is by necessity an intimate and personal thing, and discomfort around public speaking […]

When Springbok captain John Smit explained to those who had waived the old flags in the faces of him and his team that the players were aware of the fact that they were playing for all South Africans not just a minority, he captured right there the essence of the debate. The old South African […]

The legendary former Australian rugby captain, John Eales, was known as “Nobody”. It was not for lack of talent — because any goal-kicking lock forward is certainly not a nobody! Eales earned the tag when he missed a match-winning kick in a Bledisloe Cup match against bitter rivals New Zealand. Hence the nickname, “Nobody’s Perfect”. […]

Now that the idea of nationalisation has risen from the dead like a movie monster, we need to talk about its meaning. Nationalisation is when the State takes ownership of assets from the private sector. Nationalisation is not State ownership, or part State ownership, or joint ventures. Joint ventures by the State and the private […]

An open-and-shut letter to Buti Manamela Dear Comrade Buti, The Young so-called Communist League is battling to remain relevant. I am making this bold statement because I know that though you may disagree with it you will understand it perfectly. Two years ago I wrote with appreciation for the work that your organisation was doing […]

The mere mention of the name “Tiger Woods” even a month ago would arouse images of greatness, golf’s version of Zeus, and an example to all of his supporters and corporate sponsors. Professional sport, comparable to other celebrity-driven industries, appears from this vantage point at least to operate within its own time vacuum. While any […]

When the news broke that Durban’s Moore Road was going to be renamed after a famous motorcyclist I nearly choked on my morning muffin. Was the ruling party going soft? Which of our province’s four motorcycle world champions had cracked the nod? The thought of riding my bike down Ballington Boulevard, Ekerold Expressway, Langston Close […]

The focus of this article is on contemporary slavery with some remarks about the past. I am not an expert on the subject, but one does not need to be to speak out against suffering and abuse. I believe that people ought to pay attention to and fight against modern slavery. Please do follow some […]

A friend of mine (who is getting increasingly cantankerous with his advancing age) recently managed to turn a beer-nursing afternoon, while watching nubile young ones go by, turn into a dark day of discontent. The cause of all this? A wall painted in a colour he deemed unpleasant. True story. I must also add that […]

Why is it that a man is never able to see how good he has got it? Why are we so willing to gamble a life’s happiness for a moment of cheap satisfaction? Tiger had a great wife. Beautiful, smart, university educated, worldly and by all accounts a nice person. Plus she has given him […]