The ANC government deserves national applause for doing what it should have done a long time ago: honouring the legendary Black Consciousness visionary and icon, Steve Bantu Biko. Since 1994 the ANC has been accused of being myopic and self-serving in honouring men and women who have played a pivotal role in the struggle. In […]
General
Posted inGeneral, News/Politics
Nothing unusual about SABC…er, censorship
Since the ANC took political power and governance from white minority rule 18 years ago, the SABC has been a highly contested terrain. What I have noticed is that the wise guys in the so-called private-owned media and their networks have the same predictable attitude to attack its integrity at every opportunity, even for the […]
Posted inGeneral, News/Politics
Dear Brendon Henry Shields,
I am writing to let you know that your whiteness is not my whiteness. I am doing this because contained within your “frank” confessional piece is the absolute assumption that this discourse represents all white views. Your tone is jocular, earnest and guileless — in fact I can almost visualise you patting yourself on the […]
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‘I’m not racist but…’
The defence of the indefensible. This is how George Orwell described political speech and language. But such is not the sole domain of politicians. The verbal gymnastics used to justify bigotry often reminds me that within us there exists a potential muddier of thought against whom we must guard steadfastly, lest we defend or commit […]
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Books on wheels
By Noella Moshi The Development and Debate Dinner group people are a motley bunch but they have two things in common: a penchant for active citizenship and a fondness for wine. We meet for dinner once a month and discuss how we can be the change we wish to see. It was during one such […]
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Prof Gerwel believed in me…
Edited and compiled by Suntosh Pillay Many sterling tributes and obituaries have already been written, drawn, spoken and reminisced for the late Professor Jakes Gerwel. In addition to his many other roles he served as chairperson of the board of trustees of the Mandela Rhodes Foundation (MRF), which annually selects the Mandela Rhodes Scholars. Some […]
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Kirsty Watts Foundation 2012 Golf Day
SARLA Supports SA Children Helping Children South Africa’s children are her greatest hope for the future of this magnificent country. The South African Rugby Legends Association (SARLA) is committed to the youth of our country and continues to pledge support and aid charity organisations that make a difference in the lives of children across South […]
Posted inGeneral, Lifestyle
Lady Gaga, the avatar
Madonna modelled herself on a sexually unrestrained, powerful and de-sanitised version of Marilyn Monroe and rebelled against patriarchal Catholic constraints of the feminine, using the notion of wanton sexuality as her arsenal. Michael Jackson refused to be categorised according to race and gender and mixed these up in both theatrics and surgery, to much public […]
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Know how to dare!
In Commonwealth (2009) Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri, in their criticism of what they call the “republic of property”, and en route to the conceptualisation of a social democracy which lends itself to the actual transformation of the social and political status quo — and not merely restricts itself to lip-service to such transfiguration — […]
Posted inGeneral, Lifestyle
Woman beater Chris Brown not welcome in SA
Many South African music lovers will flock to see R&B star Chris Brown perform in December. A man who assaulted pop superstar Rihanna in 2009, she was his girlfriend at the time. Unless you’ve been living under a rock these last few years, you know a few vivid details about the assault. You may have […]
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The metaphysical order of the invisible hand
Margaret Thatcher shared with Thomas Hobbes, the great English political philosopher, a typically British, myth-busting receptivity to common-sense. Thatcher saw through the self-serving rhetoric of moralists whose ideals were bankrupting the economy. She pushed government to basic accounting principles and put Britain back on track. Yet “there is no such thing as society” is the […]
Posted inGeneral, Lifestyle
Everyone should have a cat
I might be the only one ever to have had a cat thrown at him to stop him from snoring. My wife did it. In her defence, she was taking heavy medication at the time and was befuddled with sleep. However, that was of not much comfort to Sheretz, our large black tabby, as he […]