Having been among the first to slate African National Congress spokesperson Jackson Mthembu for his being arrested for drunk driving in the same week as four Soweto school kids lost their lives, I would like to be among the first to salute his willingness to accept responsibility for his actions. At a time in South […]
News/Politics
We need more ministers like Hogan
So Public Enterprises Minister Barbara Hogan has done it again. After a shocking indifference across the ANC on the Chancellor House/Eskom scandal, she has stood up again to be counted. For those who missed it, this is where the ANC, with a 25% shareholding in Hitachi, is set to fleece you and I through the […]
SpeakZA: Can Jacob Zuma be called an apie?
I am echoing the old debate where Eugene Terre’blanche referred to a statue of Chief Tshwane as an “apie”. For the record, I do not think he is ape-like at all (Jacob, not Eugene; I find Eugene slightly simian). I actually do not even wish to talk explicitly about Jacob Zuma, but about freedom of […]
SpeakZA: The free press will never die
The name Zanu-PF used to be synonymous with liberation as was the ANC. It used to stand for the high ideals of fighting oppression at great cost to those who lead the fight. Across the globe, liberated, free-thinking societies and the media institutions that represented their views stood by Zanu-PF as they have stood by […]
SpeakZA: Bloggers for a free press
Last week, shocking revelations concerning the activities of ANC Youth League Spokesperson Nyiko Floyd Shivambu came to the fore. According to a letter published in various news outlets, a complaint was laid by 19 political journalists with the secretary-general of the ANC, against Shivambu. This complaint letter detailed attempts by Shivambu to leak a dossier […]
SpeakZA: Bloggers for a free press (and ethical leadership)
This post is being circulated on a number of websites and blogs, and is re-posted here in support of a free press in South Africa. The Community of Mandela Rhodes Scholars (CMRS) rejects the actions of Floyd Shivambu based on the CMRS’s commitment to the principle of ethical leadership. Last week, shocking revelations concerning the […]
Sisulu, the minister of offence
After the briefing given by Defence Minister Lindiwe Sisulu on Thursday March 18 relating to information provided by US authorities who allegedly claim that her special adviser Paul Ngobeni is a fugitive from justice, it is little wonder that tensions are developing between Parliament and her concerning her department’s financial woes. According to the minister: […]
Indefensible indignity
A choice between two terrible options is not really a choice for many people. When those terrible options pose a danger to your life and your dignity they can make even the most proud buckle with the weight of the decision. What am I talking about? Many of you will know that earlier this year […]
SpeakZA: Bloggers speak out on free speech
South Africa faces many challenges as a country. We have one of the worst crime rates in the world, unemployment continues to hinder progress and the government faces an uphill battle with corruption within its own ranks. What we have enjoyed so far since the advent of democracy is a free press. Those who drafted […]
SpeakZA: Bloggers for a free press
Last week, shocking revelations concerning the activities of ANC Youth League Spokesperson Nyiko Floyd Shivambu came to the fore. According to a letter published in various news outlets, a complaint was laid by 19 political journalists with the secretary-general of the ANC, against Shivambu. This complaint letter detailed attempts by Shivambu to leak a dossier […]
SpeakZA: Bloggers for a free press
A message from a whole bunch of peeps, read it, share it and all that. Last week, shocking revelations concerning the activities of ANC Youth League Spokesperson Nyiko Floyd Shivambu came to the fore. According to a letter published in various news outlets, a complaint was laid by 19 political journalists with the secretary-general of […]
Verashni Pillay: SA’s newest boeremeisie
Yesterday, while perusing the news, I discovered a small announcement buried somewhere on the M&G website. It stated that columnist Verashni Pillay, along with a whole bunch of other journalists, had been reclassified as a boer journalist by a special decree from ANCYL leader Julius Malema. And as we all know, what Juju wants, Juju […]