Determining who is responsible for the most frightening financial meltdown since the Great Depression requires some clarification of the facts. The first is this: blaming America’s housing collapse for the crisis is simplistic and deceptive. The Economist reports that by 2006 the total value of sub-prime mortgages amounted to $600-billion. That total had probably increased […]
News/Politics
Posted inNews/Politics
Motlanthe can take the Terror out of the ANC
Over the last year I’ve been looking at the question of a political solution for Jacob Zuma as a possible means of bringing about stability and avoiding conflict within the ranks of the ANC and thereby the country as a whole. As events have unfolded it would appear that whenever the pressure on Zuma in […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Of political somersaults and contradictions on economic policies
Jacob Zuma’s insincere economic mantra since Polokwane has revolved around providing contradictory assurances to international investors about the ANC’s position on economic policies. That Zuma and the ANC have been inconsistent in their messages to investors is an understatement. A conclusion that can be drawn from all these inconsistencies is that either Zuma is a […]
Posted inNews/Politics
The fatcat and Bara’s broken lifts
Gauteng’s provincial health minister, Brian Hlongwa, has splashed out on renovating his boardroom with R1 million from the public purse according to this article in last week’s Financial Mail. This outrageous extravagance comes at a time when Gauteng’s hospitals are under more strain than ever, with vastly inadequate and ill-maintained infrastructure (such as broken lifts), […]
Posted inNews/Politics
How should the government speed up land reform?
This week’s Talkback question on the Mail & Guardian Online: How should the government speed up land reform?
Posted inNews/Politics
Stofile: pawn takes Springbok, Pillay takes pawn – checkmate
Do you remember the old Peter Stuyvesant adverts? Something like: “When it’s skiing time in St Moritz or the cowboys are bringing in the herd down El Paso way that’s where you’ll find them; for this is the great big wide world of Peter Stuyvesant yadda yadda yadda”. Down here we get: “When the world’s […]
Posted inNews/Politics
On Mo Shaik, spy allegations, arms deal and political conspiracy.
The genesis of absurd assertions of a political conspiracy against Jacob Zuma can be traced back to 2001 when former President Mbeki ordered a probe by the Auditor General, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the Public Protector into allegations made by Patricia De Lille in parliament in 1999 that members of government were involved […]
Posted inLifestyle, News/Politics
From socialists to socialites
It has been interesting to note the personal attacks from ANC alliance leaders to the potential breakaway party to be launched by Mosiuoa Lekota and Mbhazima Shilowa. Several ANC leaders, including spokesperson Jessie Duarte, Women’s League President Angie Motshekga, and Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi, have taken swipes at Lekota and Shilowa’s personalities and their […]
Posted inLifestyle, News/Politics
Alien nation: middle class linguistic migration
A small group of Bushmen sell their wares at the junction of the main road to Rietfontein, close to the Namibian border and Tweerivieren in the Kalahari Gemsbok Park. The two women huddle in the shade of a makeshift ‘skerm’, their fingers busy with ostrich-shell beads and threads. The two men are dressed in skin […]
Posted inLifestyle, News/Politics
Why didn’t we think of that?
Next Friday is Halloween. In many parts of the world All Hallows Eve, end of the harvest and the onset of advent in the build-up to Christmas, is celebrated. Steeped in pagan traditions centuries old and heavily seasoned with ancient superstition and autumnal fear, it is a time to marvel at the irony and paradox […]
Posted inNews/Politics
What leave to appeal in Zuma case means
The media are confirming that the National Prosecuting Authority has been granted leave to appeal against the judgment handed down by Judge Chris Nicholson last month in the matter against ANC president Jacob Zuma. Judge Nicholson, based upon the application before him, held the view that another court – the court where the appeal will […]
Posted inMedia, News/Politics
What young Afrikaners can learn from Nelson Mandela about freedom of expression
A childhood friend, Simphiwe Sesanti, who is the only African lecturer at the Stellenbosch School of Journalism invited me to deliver a talk to post-graduate students last Monday. Following is the talk I delivered to, mostly, young Afrikaner boys and girls who are the future media leaders of this country: “I am proud to come […]