Another day, another mass shooting by a disaffected young man with access to an awful lot of firepower. They seem to happen with depressing regularity in America these days. Naturally, South Africans on Twitter had plenty to say about events in Newtown, and I was no exception (sensing that words become meaningless after a while, […]
News/Politics
Posted inGeneral, News/Politics
Black males are ‘here to protect & preserve white domination’
I’ve never understood why black men have come forward to claim their concern about the state of the country and desire to save it. Black men who not only hold top dog positions in white-owned companies but have been given shares in the name of BEE often make such claims. Now, there is a group […]
Posted inNews/Politics
A triumphant year for the judiciary
The man who casts himself proudly as “100% Zulu boy” is set for a victory worthy of the Zulu hero, King Shaka. This weekend President Jacob Zuma will vanquish all at the African National Congress’ leadership contest, with his formidable impi. The size of the KwaZulu-Natal of delegation to Mangaung should easily ensure that the […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Understanding state-society connectedness
Today a general consensus prevails that sustainable development and security rely on legitimate and effective governments that can provide basic services to their populations and be held accountable both to their citizens and to the international community. In fragile situations, where state capacity is weak or has broken down, the international response in most cases […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Dear ‘These Blacks’
So much has happened since last we spoke, I have been most distracted, these past years, unpicking knots in my mind. My childhood was spent being told that you were inferior, by people who let you raise me. You fed me, carried me on your back and played with me. Imagine that. Abandoned by my […]
Posted inNews/Politics
I know whiteness through and through
Racism is alive and living in the confines of the whiteness construct. This year alone has thrown up many local and global racist incidents that prove that we are a long way off from a post-racist society. It seems to me that whiteness is losing the plot and in serious need of deconstruction — hence […]
Posted inNews/Politics
The unbearable ‘rightness’ of whiteness
By Barbara Mhangami-Ruwende There has been a robust discussion on the issue of white privilege in the world and in South Africa in the last few days on Facebook and I am relieved to see that finally people can have these discussions and express their views without the whole exercise degenerating into an e-blood bath. […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Matching reforms to institutional realities
Social service delivery is weak across the developing world. While there is substantial heterogeneity across regions and countries, the picture of failing services is a familiar one. Challenges such as systematically high levels of absenteeism among teachers, doctors and nurses, persistent rates of drug stock outs — particularly in rural health clinics, rates of leakage […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Merrily down the tube, drinkies in hand
South Africa’s annual midsummer shutdown has begun. For the next six weeks the entire economy switches to ‘pause’ mode. It’s a merry interval that’s grown insidiously over the years. What used to be a week off between Christmas and New Year, expanded to encompass at one end the Day of Reconciliation in mid-December and, at […]
Posted inBusiness, News/Politics
The importance of public spending
The existence of long-term growth effects from public spending is hardly contested in policy discussions. Growth literature that has emerged over the last 20 years supports the belief that public spending affects long-term growth. First, standard growth models explaining total output level as a function of factor inputs (capital and labour), as well as the […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Why (I think) I don’t have more white friends
Last week I was asked to explain why I do not have more black friends. Turns out I am just a prejudiced and complacent old fart with baggage that I need to get rid of. I thank each and every one for their replies to the article for getting a worthy debate going. However this […]
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 […]