Every great multinational sports match, from annual events such as Formula 1, the Super 14 and TriNations, the Uefa Champions League soccer, the tennis Grand Slam and the barrage of golf tournaments, to quadrennial events such as the Olympics, the Rugby World Cup and the Soccer World Cup, has long been tainted by the stain […]
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Posted inNews/Politics
Of Cape, coup and country
Submitted by Fran Blandy It is still a mystery what caused the fire leaving Cape Towns’ glorious centrepiece a giant piece of rather misshapen charcoal, but I suspect greater more noble forces at work. Self-immolation, considered by Buddhists to be the ultimate form of sacrifice, is the rather violent practice of setting yourself on fire, […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Balancing China and the Dalai Lama
As a frequent critic of South Africa’s abysmal approach to foreign policies both here in Africa and across the globe I was not surprised to see the latest brouhaha regarding the Dalai Lama. What it boils down to is this: The government has rejected a request for a visa from the Dalai Lama to attend […]
Posted inGeneral
South Africa: A nation in distress
Many thinkers, ranging from as far back as Plato and Aristotle to as recent as Hannah Arendt, spent inordinate amounts of time trying to make sense of the world we live in. With similar intensity and dedication, pioneering psychologists such as Sigmund Freud and Jean Piaget devoted significant energies in an effort to understand the […]
Posted inMedia
Why is SA Tourism wasting this opportunity?
“Hello ma boy! Hallo ma boy!” Such a uniquely South African expression. The fact that we’re watching a man lovingly telling this to an enormous male lion that could kill him in seconds if he felt like it — well, that’s just part of life in amazing (as opposed to poor, benighted) Africa. Now, while […]
Posted inGeneral
Dealing with people who can’t count
Most South Africans can’t count. This is a much more serious handicap than you might think. Of course numeracy is a major challenge even in the so-called First World. I read somewhere that only 6% of Britons exhibited a satisfactory grasp of the concept of a percentage in a survey. If the stat is true, […]
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How can we help you — FNB’s financial community
It’s been a long time coming in this country, and another proud move towards a true virtual community. Today, FNB launched How Can We Help You, a niche social network centred on financial content. And I’d like to think we really are first to market here. Corporate brands can easily become “social” for social’s sake. […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Comparing Derby-Lewis to Shaik is dangerous
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 […]
Posted inNews/Politics
A different kind of festival
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 […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Of pastors and politicians
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 […]
Posted inGeneral
Hlophe and Motata’s innocence is not the primary issue
Once again we are being treated to the less than acceptable conduct of two judges who have failed to appreciate the importance of their position within our fledgling multiracial democracy. In the case of Judge Nkola Motata the accused in a drunk driving matter, he has been called upon by the magistrate to explain why […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Why shouldn’t Zuma address religious groups?
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 […]