We all know that politicians twist words to suit occasion, but the use of nationalisation is the most egregious yet. At times, nationalisation is taken to mean state intervention, for instance by setting up new companies, though that is not the general meaning. My friend Steven Friedman has argued that the ANCYL specifically means selective […]
News/Politics
Posted inNews/Politics
Lamont, you have just censored my history in the name of ‘democracy’
By Gugu Ndima The awfully narrated judgment against Comrade Julius Malema at the Equality Court coincided with the 34th anniversary of the death of one of the most celebrated Pan-African intellectuals to date. He boldly said in one of his interviews, “the most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Steve Biko, and how torture remains a problem in SA
By Clare Ballard Many South Africans remember well the story of Steve Biko’s death on this day in 1977. He died from massive head injuries, which, it was ultimately revealed, had been sustained during his 22-hour interrogation. The death of this extraordinary man exposed the brutality of the apartheid regime, particularly the ruthless and violent […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Mbeki eyes the post-Zuma limelight
After three years — almost to the day — former president Thabo Mbeki is emerging from political purdah. Mbeki, who retreated into virtual isolation after being booted by the African National Congress (ANC) in September 2008, is suddenly popping into the public eye again. True to party loyalties of a lifetime and to reclaim his […]
Posted inNews/Politics
The brigade for boiling and burning blacks
Just north of here, the tree of liberty is being liberally watered — not with the blood of patriots, but with the blood of blacks. And also unlike Jefferson’s dictum, it isn’t just occasionally, but has been going on for months. The vigilantes have even given themselves a name “The Brigade for Purging Slaves and […]
Posted inNews/Politics
What the secrecy Bill should look like
The Protection of Information Bill is an aberration that threatens to eliminate government transparency, cut off the free flow of information and cripple the media’s effectiveness in exposing corruption at the highest levels. Accordingly we need to ask ourselves what can be done to achieve the goals that the legislators purportedly had in proposing the […]
Posted inGender violence, News/Politics
What do parents of rape victims think of crime stats?
Last year a close friend and neighbour who lived two houses away was murdered. As he lay bleeding to death on the floor of his bedroom after being hit on the back of his neck by a laptop — so hard that the laptop bent — I am sure my friend would have been pleased […]
Posted inMedia, News/Politics
Darren: A new word for our dictionaries
Darr-en Transitive verb 1 To use racial epithets to refer to a member of another racial group. 2 To racially abuse another individual. 3 To explain the repeated use of verboten racist epithets on the grounds of anger, stress and/or drunkenness. 4 (Possible future use) To beg forgiveness for the use of racist language. Noun […]
Posted inNews/Politics
11th commandment: Thou shalt not prosecute a fatcat
If regard is had to the Protection of Information Bill it would seem that those who drafted it contemplated achieving a balance between the free flow of information and transparency on the one hand and ensuring that national security is protected on the other. My response has been that this is so much nonsense and […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Libya: SA foreign policy has seen better days
By Francis Kornegay South Africa and the African Union (AU) have ended up internationally isolated on the issue of a post-Gaddafi Libya. This predicament was accentuated by Russia’s recognition of the Libyan National Transitional Council (NTC) on the eve of the Paris “Friends of Libya” summit at the beginning of September. China as well as […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Our real heroes
I will remember the week of August 28 to September 4 2011 for more than the hordes of Malema supporters who descended upon the Johannesburg city centre. The week will be remembered by me for more than the fiery words of the minister of sport, Fikile Mbalula, who while speaking from underneath a gigantic and […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Top secret: Arms deals to Tampax boxes
Cecil Burgess, chairperson of the parliamentary ad hoc committee on the Protection of Information Bill, was quoted in Business Day as saying that the committee had proceeded cautiously and carefully and obtained legal advice at every step of the way and amendments made where necessary. ANC MP Luwellyn Landers supported Mr Burgess, who said that […]