Posted inNews/Politics

Don’t let the ANC bully you

I recall a conversation I had with my Iranian-American friend Farhang Erfani when I was living in the US and despairing for that country after George W Bush’s (to my mind) fraudulent election as president ahead of Al Gore. When I expressed my misgivings about America’s future under ”presidents” like George Dubya, he pointed out […]

Posted inNews/Politics

Truth and treason

This is not per se another article on the ANCYL’s comments regarding FNB’s new advertising campaign. If it were, it would probably devolve into an angst-filled rant at the ANCYL’s stupidity and FNB’s corporate power, much like the others I have read. Instead I want to focus on just one word, the word that the […]

Posted inNews/Politics

FNB, the national anthem and patriotism

What’s a national anthem? Well, according to the Oxford Dictionary a national anthem is defined as a “solemn patriotic song officially adopted by a country as an expression of national identity”. That’s a pretty clear definition. Now, the question begs, how many South Africans stop where that definition ends and see it as nothing more? […]

Posted inBusinessGender violence

Banking on sexism

Earlier this year I told Standard Bank that they could stick their dishwasher where the sun doesn’t shine. The reason? It replicated 1950s sexism assuming that men in the family are breadwinners, sit around watching TV all day, and that the women in the family do all the cleaning. Accordingly men were given the opportunity […]

Posted inGeneral

So there is hope (and you can help)

“Do you get As?” I ask. The two girls – they must be around 11 – giggle and exchange looks. “Yes!” they say. “How many?” “Five!” “How many As will you get for matric?” “Six!” I’m at Home of Hope in Kensington. It houses 24 girls rescued from the Johannesburg inner city and as the […]