News/Politics

The decision of a full bench of the North Gauteng High Court to dismiss the parole application of Chris Hani’s murderer, Clive Derby-Lewis has invariably drawn criticism from various quarters. Of primary interest to me are those who would compare Shaik being granted parole with the rejection of Derby-Lewis as well as those suggesting that […]

This week we are celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Cape Town Festival and I can’t believe that ten years have gone by so quickly. The festival was born out of the “One City, Many Cultures” project that I initiated while I was editor of the Cape Times. The project was a direct response to […]

When news emerged that Zuma had descended on Rhema Church and blessed regular congregants with his presence, a thought swiftly somersaulted in my mind that at last this man has decided to put aside all that unsavoury behaviour that has got him into trouble all so often. Then it became all too clear that being […]

Fellow Thought Leader contributor Grant Walliser recently wrote a lengthy piece titled “Why I will vote for the DA” — I must sheepishly confess that I rather enjoyed it. Being the notorious fence-sitter that I am (read: willing to be swayed by compelling arguments), I like watching people with hearts around their sleeves. Grant opened […]

On and on free enterprise thrives Thanks for the competitive open market economy guys As we coming up in the world today Everyone has heard somebody say They promise they promise … we know it’s a lie They promise they promise you a … better life Empty words, broken dreams and hearts Now’s the time […]

Sixty people were so disgusted with what they claimed was electioneering and a refusal or failure to invite other party leaders that they walked out during ANC president Jacob Zuma’s address of the Rhema Church on Sunday. The church thereupon denied that they had in fact endorsed Zuma. Pathetic. The likely future president of South […]

In May 2000 Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry of Pakistan was one of 12 supreme court judges who endorsed the military coup of former president general Pervez Musharraf. This was the start of a love-hate relationship between the two which would see Chaudhry, then chief justice, suspended by Musharraf during March 2007 and then reinstated during July […]

What happens if you have given a donation to a public benefit organisation and then find it is using its resources to support a political party? Gift of the Givers, an aid organisation that operates in South Africa and internationally, has been criticised for providing goods such as blankets and food parcels worth more than […]

So, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has electrified Australians with the use of the word “shit storm” to describe the political consequences of job cuts. “People have to understand that, because there’s going to be the usual political shit storm, sorry, political storm, over that,” he said on live television. Kevin 747’s political rivals have accused […]

It is interesting to see how many people are of the belief that if you are highly critical of personalities within a party that you cannot, surely, be voting for them in an election. That if you place, as I have, the fight against poverty and the need for transformation above all else as I […]

… joyless and de-fea-ted, oh come ye, oh co-ome ye to Luu-thuu-li house. Oh co-ome and behold him, with glorious spout sur-mouun-ted… Jokes and a new song for the shower aside (with lots of soap after a night of serious bed-jostling to make sure), what’s so bad about the ANC getting “in” again, note the […]

The crisis at the SABC seems to literally deepen by the hour as it haemorrhages money like a crazed gambler at the slot machines, drives out its most talented performers and continues to bolster its reputation as a crude propaganda organ of the ruling party. In the space of a few days: • Cosatu has […]