Just what does a coloured have to do these days — short of knocking out the rest of his teeth or picking up the banjo — to get noticed in South African national debates? One really wishes the government would make up its mind. First they were saying there’s historically been an ‘over-concentration’ of bruin-ous […]
News/Politics
Posted inNews/Politics
Nannying the ninnies on the last frontier
South Africa is cowboy country. In case anyone hasn’t noticed, law abiding instincts are poorly developed here, on the southern tip of the continent. But the upside of being the last frontier is that we are not yet cocooned in that regulatory cobweb that has reduced much of the world’s citizens to quivering ninnies, reliant […]
Posted inNews/Politics
The perfect way to celebrate Mugabe’s birthday
This week, there was a significant birthday. Possibly the most significant birthday in the world judging by the amount of coverage it got. The English might have a public holiday for the birthday of the Queen, but no octogenarian’s longevity continues to fascinate the world quite like that of Robert Mugabe. The spectre of Zimbabwe […]
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Farm workers’ plight: Talk is cheap, Minister
By Isaac Mangena A 2011 Human Rights Watch report revealed shocking details of human rights abuses against farm workers in the Western Cape’s fruit and wine industries, and the appalling conditions under which they work and live. Titled Ripe with Abuse: Human Rights Conditions in South Africa’s Fruit and Wine Industries [PDF], it documents “conditions […]
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Enemies, enemies, everywhere
“No rubbernecking,” I was told by an official when I crossed into Zimbabwe from Botswana in the late 1990s. I immediately understood that as a journalist I am allowed entry as long as I don’t “snoop around”. Zanu-PF’s resistance to being held accountable, also by “outsiders”, had already by that early stage infiltrated the lower […]
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Courting disaster: Is there a con in Constitution?
No head of state, whether they’re a monarch, an elected president or the ruler of a party in office, can be happy seeing their decisions made null and void or the laws they pass overturned by some other authority. In his 2010 State of the Union address, President Obama said, “With all due deference to […]
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Corruption: The ANC just has to say no
It’s difficult to get excited about the Congress of South African Trade Unions’ (Cosatu) recent launch of a dedicated unit to combat corruption. Like the proverbial pebble in the ocean, Cosatu’s Corruption Watch will almost certainly sink without a ripple. It will plink down next to the National Anti-Corruption Forum, the Forum Against Corruption, the […]
Posted inGeneral, News/Politics
Protection of sources: M&G is fighting solo
By Akanyang Merementsi From 2009, the Mail & Guardian has revealed shocking details of corruption in tenders awarded to Bosasa by the department of correctional services. This was also at the same time the company was investigated for other corruption-related activities dating back to 2004/2005. This week, the newspaper has been fighting a court battle […]
Posted inMedia, News/Politics
A letter to my Valentine
Weren’t expecting that one, were you? I’m the anti-love, anti-relationship cynic, right? Well, not quite. So here goes: Dear Valentine, To be honest, I wouldn’t say you’re the love of my life. I’ve known you were there, and I’ve known, theoretically, that you meant something to me. When others said you were gay or misguided, […]
Posted inGeneral, News/Politics
Zuma’s best laid economic schemes for 2012
With my dangling laptop bag bumping rhythmically against my well-cushioned behind, I sprint from the parking lot at OR Tambo International Airport (Johannesburg), up and down the stairs and through the crowd of baggage-wielding travellers. After tossing my laptop plus all the earthly belongings in my pockets onto the conveyer belt for security scanning, I […]
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How spooky is President Zuma?
Boss, the old apartheid Bureau of State Security, is back, says Laurie Nathan, director of the Centre for Mediation in Africa. A process of ‘Stasi-fication’ is underway, claims DA MP David Maynier. What they are referring to is the proposed Intelligence General Laws Amendment Bill, the latest assault by the executive through the legislature on […]
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A reinvigorated Zuma does the Sona shuffle
Despite always being cloaked in the fine threads of statesmanship, the State of the Nation address (Sona) is actually party political workwear. It exists to advance the narrow interests — the year ahead — of the leader concerned. That’s true whether the leader is Jacob Zuma, Barack Obama, or David Cameron using the queen as […]