Barry Streek The country’s poor have been the main beneficiaries of the government’s social spending, which has between 1993 and 1997 increased by an estimated 34%. This was revealed by Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel in this week’s budget speech in Parliament, where he emphasised this “significant shift in social spending from the more affluent […]

CONTROVERSY over the radical revamp of New Africa Investments Limited took a new twist on Wednesday when co-founder Jonty Sandler denounced the group’s planned restructuring. In a full page advertisement in South Africa’s leading business daily, Sandler said the unbundling of Nail, which has been held up as a model of black advancement, will undermine […]

Neil Manthorp CRICKET The only surprise the South African players have encountered in India so far has been just how predictable everything has been. Knowing what to expect is one thing, but you still expect some surprises in the land of people, chaos, enthusiasm and people. And more people. Preparations for the first Test, which […]

Khadija Magardie Dr Werner Bezwoda, South Africa’s top chemotherapy expert who has admitted to faking groundbreaking breast cancer trials, conducted his experiments on more than 100 indigent black women without their formal consent. Bezwoda made his bombshell admission this month after investigators from the United States flew to South Africa to verify his research, which […]

Bob Woolmer FROM THE PAVILION The recent tug of war over Allan Donald mirrors, in a way, the club or country pull that Bafana Bafana players are experiencing. In all these matters, inevitably, it is the player who suffers. Naturally Donald wants to play for South Africa – as I am sure Mark Fish does. […]

Steven Friedman WORM’S EYE VIEW Sometimes, the way we try to start a conversation can be guaranteed to end it. An example is the planned government attempt to start a discussion on race. There is no issue on which we need more urgently to talk. Race continues to dominate our society and will do so […]

Duncan Campbell New techniques are revolutionising the art of creating murals in the world’s mural capital, Los Angeles. A new generation of artists is exploring the potential created by digital imaging. “Digital imaging is going to bring muralism into the 21st century,” said Judy Baca, founder of the city’s Social and Public Art Resource Centre […]

Barry Streek The Pan South African Language Board has accused state railway company Spoornet of acting unconstitutionally and unlawfully in banning the use of Afrikaans in the work place. In an unprecedented ruling, the board, which was appointed under the 1994 Constitution, says no institution is “allowed to restrict the use of a language between […]

A system of mutual aid supports the Congolese community in South Africa Evariste Katanga It’s the first day of January; the transition to a new millennium has taken just one second. The joy that erupts all around the world is the same joy experienced at the Hillbrow night club Chez Ntemba. The majority of its […]

PARLIAMENTARIANS on Tuesday rained praise on former president Nelson Mandela at a special debate on his release from apartheid jails a decade ago and proposed that his bust be erected in the legislature. The proposal was mooted by ANC chief whip Tony Yengeni and supported by opposition politicians, who voiced as much admiration for Mandela […]