In an unexpected move by former president Thabo Mbeki four years ago, he apologised for what he knew he could have acted on earlier, but didn’t. It was at the time when the term “load shedding” became fashionable because it was dawning on everyone, including Mbeki, that the country was heading for darkness. Mbeki gathered […]
News/Politics
Posted inNews/Politics
The ANC must show leadership and reverse patronage and corruption
The reality of post-apartheid South Africa is one that shows the incapacity of the state to deliver services to the poor and marginalised. Service delivery protests are a frequent occurrence throughout the country. At the centre of the protests is a demand that the ANC must demonstrate leadership and decisiveness in fighting patronage and corruption […]
Posted inGeneral, News/Politics
Playing the victim: Malema’s survival strategy
ANC Youth League president Julius Malema and company have the ruling party exactly where they want it to be – i.e. they have got the ANC to mete out the harshest punishment possible. To their credit, I’m sure the ANC itself knows exactly where Malema wants it to be. It has become clear that Malema […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Suspicion-mongering to discredit critical civil society
Cynicism permeated the atmosphere at Parliament’s latest round of public hearings on the Protection of State Information Bill (POSIB), ringing alarm bells about increasing hostility emanating from parliamentarians towards civil society. While the interaction should be rigorous, as different views are tested, the mere hosting of public hearings should not in itself be contentious in […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Africa gets a new angle on the Chinese take-away
South Africa’s gold and platinum might be doing well, but it is the rhino index that is going stratospheric. With 11 rhinos a week biting the dust and the horn going at $55 000 a kilogram, a lot of pockets are being lined. Last week local activists publicly ruffled some feathers with an advert that asks […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Sticking a rhino horn to China’s Giant Panda
Developing nations don’t hold much truck with wildlife conservation for sentimental or scientific reasons. In places where human existence itself can be nasty, brutal and short, animals are butchered without compunction and often with thoughtless cruelty. They are clubbed, shot, stabbed, fished, or slaughtered with zero regard to the long term effects on species survival. […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Can’t tell my right from my left
I am no longer sure where I fit upon the political spectrum anymore. I wish I could be as righteously anarchic as some of my Libertarian friends, but I like the rule of law too much. I am also known to display certain hippyish tendencies that preclude the possibility of ever being seriously considered a […]
Posted inNews/Politics
A lesson in political brinkmanship
President Jacob Zuma’s biggest strength is simply that most of us, including embattled ANC Youth League President Julius Malema, underestimate him. We look so much at his blunders and gaffes that we forget that he has in fact been a leader in the ANC for decades and has vast experience in that regard. We also […]
Posted inNews/Politics
The ICC: Justice denied to Gaza victims
There was a sense of hope across the world in 1998 when 120 countries signed a treaty that would establish an international court. This court would, among others, follow noble principles to protect citizens from violence and abuse by their own governments, rebels or even foreign nations. The International Criminal Court which was to be […]
Posted inNews/Politics
The ConCourt vs provincial legislatures
The Constitutional Court recently handed down judgment regarding the nature and scope of the powers of provincial legislatures. The judgment, Premier: Limpopo Province vs Speaker of the Limpopo Provincial Legislature and others, (2011) (Limpopo 1) was a consequence of the Constitutional Court’s finding in Premier: Limpopo Province vs Speaker: Limpopo Provincial Legislature and others, (2012) […]
Posted inMedia, News/Politics
Fighting the Good Fight?
By Christopher Clark Over the past year or so, the profession of journalism has been under heavy attack from different sides. Even before the Protection of State Information, or secrecy, Bill crept on all fours into the South African Parliament, there was trouble. In the UK, the News of the World‘s scandalous phone hacking of […]
Posted inGeneral, News/Politics
Is Motlanthe in the Eighteen Area?
If recent media speculations are anything to go by, it could be time to bring up to date a line in the song titled Shibobo by “celebrated South African musician” (read soccer player) Benedict McCarthy — a song co-produced with South African kwaito music group TKZee: “Kgalema in the 18 areaaa!” Eighteen yards from the […]