News/Politics

This week’s Talkback question on the Mail & Guardian Online: Is there more to Schabir Shaik’s parole than meets the eye?

“I am not going to make the reports of the doctors available. I heard Jody Kollapen from the HRC talking about that this must be a public thing — but for goodness sake do we want to be that silly, would you do that to your sister or brother if they were terminally ill — […]

From Chapter 3 of the DA Manifesto: Pages 17 to 21 Social development There are a few other ideas which come to mind in respect of social development but on the whole the plan is solid and comprehensive. I am rather unhappy with the dependency on grants and social transfers but I think that the […]

One of the most heated and ongoing debates across the planet has been the dividing line between sports and politics. Though most of the major sports governing bodies such as Fifa, ICC and the IOC preclude government interference in local sports organisations this has not deterred politicians from trying to meddle in team selections, tours […]

The decision to release Schabir Shaik on medical parole, just 28 months into the 15-year sentence he received for his conviction on fraud and corruption, is going to create the next political implosion just this side of the election. Sit down Carl Niehaus, please rise minister of correctional services it’s time for a session of […]

Business Day, The Citizen, Sowetan and the Sunday Times – four newspapers that need to pull up their statistical socks. And it’s the leading tabloid paper that avoids tabloid treatment of statistics.

From chapter one of the DA’s manifesto, pages nine and 10 of “21941 DA Manifesto Eng.pdf” Only when the people of South Africa can vote freely for the public representatives of their choice, and demand that those who are elected put their personal interests aside and act only in the voters’ interests, will our democracy […]

Page 1 — It is clear that the DA’s new iconography and message were borrowed from the Obama campaign in the United States, with a little inspiration from the PSL. (minus two points) Page 2 — Isn’t it a crime to distort and deface the flag of a country, even if you are simply trying […]

This week’s Talkback question on the Mail & Guardian Online: Malema’s utterances: Fair comment or below the belt?

I found the fake DA pamphlet some members of the ANC allegedly distributed to make a mockery of the DA somewhat funny, especially the caveat at the end, “Warning: do not show this pamphlet to your maids and garden boy … . We need their votes”. We see this kind of humour in Madam & […]

One of the guarantees of our celebrated Constitution is that every child has the right to education. In order to secure this right in practice the law stipulates that fees should not be charged for any child who is an orphan or in foster care, for any child whose guardians receive a state grant or […]