As predictable as sensationalist coverage of the ”lesbian murder trial” recently was the reaction from conservative religious groups to the verdict. No sooner had magistrate Rita Willemse found Haneline Botha and her partner, Engeline de Nysschen, guilty than the African Christian Democratic Party released a statement headed ”Lesbian couple murder boy shows moral decay [sic]”.

It’s a tribute to modern vehicle manufacture that the biggest problem I’ve encountered since buying a car last year is to describe its colour. ”Oyster silver” means little to anyone beyond the motor trade, while ”brown” requires several adjectives, such as ”light” and ”silvery”, to remove the look of horror from the faces of friends and relatives.

The Mail & Guardian‘s business section ran stories late last year on how advances in voice-over-internet protocol present a huge challenge to Telkom. The telecommunications giant’s discomfort was reported with no little glee in the media. It was David vs Goliath. However, the media are soon to find out that the internet is a creature from a different mythology.

The South African swimming team could probably practise in a pool filled with the tears brought to the eyes of their compatriots by Roland Schoeman’s statement this week that he wants to hear Nkosi Sikilel’ iAfrika played when he wins gold medals.