General

To be Mahlatse Ralepelle. “Chilliboy” to the okes. Talented schoolboy player with great leadership potential. Rose up the ranks smoothly enough, earning his stripes along the way and maturing into a better rounded player. Then out of the blue (a then) under-fire Jake White picks him to make a cheap political statement. Remember those days, […]

There were so many magnificent moments during the 2009 Confederations Cup — Mohamed Homos’s 40th minute header which handed Egypt a famous victory over Italy, the injury-time heroics from Kiwi keeper Glen Moss against Iraq that secured Bafana a semi-final spot and, of course, Katlego Mphela’s breathtaking equaliser against Spain at the death in Sunday’s […]

I used to look forward to every Bok coach press conference, eagerly anticipating each magnificent metaphor that leapt forth from that equally magnificent ‘tache. But lately Peter de Villiers has rivalled even the great Julius in putting his foot in it. His pearls of wisdom have become serious bones of contention, and indeed his mutterings […]

Enough about the Confederations Cup now. Let’s talk women. Seriously, I’ve heard a lot of “oooh, he is so cute” to last me until the 2010 World Cup. And I’m not player hating. So, Sis Ria Ledwaba once suggested that women footballers should wear skirts and look more like women. It seems Bra Irvin Khoza […]

A friend of mine won an autographed Bafana Bafana T-shirt. There were 20 glasses of different beers. Could he pick out Castle Lager? He did, and he won. I so wish winning was that simple, because I would probably be a gambling addict. So then, what would it take for one to have the guts […]

It would seem that the doctors in the public health sector have rediscovered their mission which has always been to betray poor people. In the years of the anti-apartheid struggle medical doctors were not, necessarily, part of the political work to bring democracy and health rights for all. There were very few of them who […]

Jacob Zuma has called for July 18 to be yet another official public holiday: Nelson Mandela Day. This happens while the great struggle icon is still alive. He turns 91 this month. It is significant that the third appointed president, Zuma, made this announcement in his first State of the Nation Address. Old man Mandela […]

Those who are regular readers of my blogs know I have quite the penchant for playing selector in my imagination. You know the effects of beer on one’s sense of judgement and superior analysis. Two six-packs and suddenly you know better than everyone. It’s a beautiful thing actually. Best cure for low self-esteem and self-doubt […]

By Mohamed Fayaz Khan It is significantly easier to join the chorus of frustration regarding the recent tariff increase awarded to Eskom by Nersa or remain silent for fear of being ridiculed for having a viewpoint that differs with the overwhelming majority of citizens in our country. It is in the spirit of fostering much […]

In the latest issue of TIME magazine, Martin Ivens laments the fact that 1968 seems to be valorised as a watershed year to a far greater extent than 1989. The first of these dates marks the student uprisings in Paris, the US and elsewhere, as well as any number of movements associated with it — […]

The British and Irish Lions got it wrong. South Africa may have played a terrible 70 minutes in the second Test on Saturday, but they proved they are worthy world champions by coming from the depths of defeat to overcome tough opposition. Granted, Ian McGeechan’s side were dealt a major blow when both their props […]

In what seems as a move away from previous calls by Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran made a conditional offer of dialogue to the new American administration in Washington saying it was ready for “talks based on mutual respect and in fair atmosphere”. This statement comes following American overtures towards Iran saying the US is […]