KwaZulu-Natal has a long, proud history. It is renowned as the home of the Zulu kingdom and has a diverse racial, cultural and natural heritage, making it attractive to both domestic and foreign visitors. The English so loved it they made it a home from home and the province retains an element of its colonial charm, especially in the coastal city of Durban.

Birth, death, love and taxes are said to be the only constants in life, but one more thing could be added: a Robert Mugabe Cabinet. One would like to think that Stan Made -- a man who has presided over the near-death of Zimbabwe's agriculture sector since the start of the land invasions -- would be relieved of his duties and packed off to a place where he has nothing at all to do with anything.

On Friday night four women will be acknowledged in the country's first Distinguished Woman Scientist Award. The winner will walk away with R50 000. Finalists are Professor Esté Vorster, Professor Zephne van der Spuy, Biotechnologist Professor Jennifer Thomson and Professor Vanessa Watson.

It seems this isn't the best time to be an English rugby fan. For one thing, their team just seems to keep losing -- even off the pitch! This week the internet was awash with rugby shirts bearing the "036" logo after the English went down by that margin to South Africa last Sunday.

Last week Julius Malema had attendees at a gala dinner choking on their crème brûlée when he proposed a radical new plan to further the revolution.

With only four candidates applying for a vacancy at the Constitutional Court, there are rumours that Ray Zondo will merely rubberstamp appointments.

Botswana's Court of Appeal has struck down an earlier ruling that denied Kalahari Bushmen access to water on their ancestral land.

Assault charges against Mail & Guardian photographer Oupa Nkosi have been withdrawn as a result of insufficient evidence.