Gnnaarr…nggg…kapow!….fuggoff are some of the typical sounds associated with this Irish South African as he clambers on or off the subway trains in Shanghai. The Chinese don’t queue, they just blithely surge on and off at the same time, pushing and shoving to get a seat. Hoooaaahhh…there is something surreal about the serenity with which […]
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Posted inNews/Politics
Examining Zuma’s grand plan of tackling the problem of unemployment
I have been most curious to find out how the Zuma government intend tackling the problem of unemployment, given its populist rhetoric and what we know to be empty promises to the poor. Jacob Zuma has come out to outline exactly how his government intends dealing with the scourge of unemployment. A problem we all […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Electoral system in need of reform
I hold no particular candle for Bantu Holomisa or his party. I’m sure he doesn’t even know who I am. The comment piece below is from this morning’s Cape Times, and, while it patently does not advocate as harsh anti-voting views as mine, it is, I think, enlightening in what it discloses about the Independent […]
Posted inGeneral
We, the naïve, salute the ideal
Submitted by EMil Wentzel Every week I read Thought Leader for interesting articles that challenge my frame of mind and particular bias; I’m pleased that my view has been expanded on or crushed and changed constantly. It reminds me that we must stay malleable and exposed to the fine facets of our society through interaction; […]
Posted inLifestyle
Hannah Jones: not euthenasia, just heartbreaking
What should the courts or the state do when a 13-year-old girl refuses to undergo a heart transplant, which may or may not extend her life? Intervene and compel the operation or adhere to the wishes of the child? Before reading further bear in mind your initial answer to the question set out above, which […]
Posted inLifestyle
The magnetic symbolism of Chinese characters
I have resisted trying to learn written Chinese for a long time. It was like trying to read a forest of wind-whistled leaves and twigs. To wit: 我的中文的名字大树. Then I gained interest as I discovered the unbelievably magnetic symbolism attached to some of the characters. Now I know 我的中文的 名字大树 means “My Chinese name is […]
Posted inBusiness
The colossal failure of credit rating agencies to prevent the global financial crisis
The role of credit rating agencies such as Fitch Ratings Agency, Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s has been under greater scrutiny since the subprime crisis caused havoc in the US economy and spilled to others. It is without doubt that these rating agencies have been the law unto themselves and accorded absolute power to shape […]
Posted inGeneral
Training social entrepreneurs
The Inyathelo Philanthropy Awards have once again highlighted the role of philanthropy in South African society. They revealed inspiring examples of individuals who have become passionately involved in South African institutions and civil society, from small beginnings to ambitious programmes such as NOAH and SAEP. The Awards included a university Vice Chancellor who took a […]
Posted inLifestyle, News/Politics
Can African voters break with the political tradition of voting ANC?
SOMETHING magical in the air seems to have aroused the black giant from its political slumber. Of course, this spirit has always been there and was easy to notice in 1994, 1999 and, again, in 2004. Ironically, the experts and other political commentators have always missed it by more than a mile. I guess it […]
Posted inNews/Politics
SADC’s Zimbabwe insanity
Is it any wonder that the Southern African Development Community continuously fails to achieve closure on the issues that affect the region? Zimbabwe is just the latest in their long line of failures to act with anything like the courage, vision and resolve required to bring solutions to problem areas. Indeed if it were left […]
Posted inGeneral
The tortoise, the hare and Google in the sea
The moral of the tale of the tortoise and the hare is a warning against the dangers of resting on your laurels. Well, that’s arguably the main moral. But there are probably others that can be drawn from it too. Don’t be arrogant. Don’t give up. Don’t eat carrots. Don’t fall asleep on the job. […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Should Mbeki be held to account for HIV-Aids related deaths?
Zackie Achmat, a loyal member of the ANC and a Zuma supporter, as well as leader of Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) has accused Thabo Mbeki of having “blood on his hands”, referring to deaths related to HIV/Aids. Achmat is emboldened in his reckless statements by an inconclusive study conducted by a group of professors from […]