News/Politics

A friend sent me a link to a site that discusses where US Foreign Aid goes to. And it was quite an eye-opener. But before I go there, I just want to share something I read a few years ago with respect to that little war in the Middle East called ‘Desert Storm‘. This little […]

Put down your weapons, turn in your uniforms and jackboots, beat your swords and guns into ploughshares and let us begin the process of building a new integrated, non-racial multicultural society, nation and country. For some strange reason, whenever I read words like these, I think of the post office. Well actually, I think of […]

In 1989, when I was in Standard Seven, our Afrikaans teacher had us write a short essay on somebody we admired. I chose Helen Suzman. For me, she represented courage, tenacity and the rejection of apartheid – and she was a woman. “Good choice,” said my teacher, a young verligte who taught us to appreciate […]

If the late Helen Suzman DBE had been a cadre of the Congress or of the National Democratic Revolution, she would have no doubt received a state funeral. There would have been speech after speech made by Congress leaders remembering Suzman, against the backdrop of a state funeral bedecked in the colours of the Congress. […]

Looking on the web for some info about Zimbabwe (I’m visiting the Victoria Falls in a few days time), I stumbled across an article dated the 12 December in the Zimbabwean state-owned propaganda machine The Herald about how that beleaguered nation intends to make tourism a key foreign currency earner, increasing its contribution to the […]

It has been said that evaluated experience is the best teacher. Assuming that is true, there is a lot that can be gained from looking back on 2008 and trying to glean whatever lessons experience may have to offer. I live far away, on a small island off the coast of Europe. But even from […]

‘Tis the season of goodwill and forgiveness. And I’m in the spirit and 100% ready to forgive Terror Lekota for being a truly shite Cabinet minister and wishing him well in his new job as undertaker for the ANC. I can do that because I remember the “real” Lekota in the eighties when he was […]

Zimbabwean police ignored a High Court decision ordering the release of Jestina Mukoko and eight other activists to a local hospital. Reuters are reporting that instead armed police have removed them to an unknown location. As in the case of the decision of the SADC Tribunal on land expropriation, Mugabe and the Zanu-PF are showing […]

“Among other things, the vision, principles and values of the ANC teach the cadres of this movement life-long lessons that inform us that, wherever we are and whatever we do, we should ensure that our actions contribute to the attainment of a free and just society, the upliftment of all our people and the development […]

Archbishop Desmond Tutu told the BBCthat “he was saddened that his own country appeared not to be on the side of Zimbabweans. How much more suffering is going to make us say ‘No we have given Mr Mugabe enough time? I have to say that I am deeply, deeply distressed that we should be found […]

Across South Africa, the malls are crowded with busy shoppers buying presents and food for the festive season. And yet just across the border in neighbouring Zimbabwe, thousands of people are dying of cholera and countless more face starvation, with only a meagre assortment of wild berries, seeds and fruits from the veld to provide […]