Residents of a remote rural area hope a state-of-the-art school will be the first step in the region’s developent Barry Streek The construction of a R3,7-million high school, donated by Shell at the request of former president Nelson Mandela, in an area that could not even be reached by car this week – unless it’s […]

Peter Dickson The Eastern Cape provincial government has announced plans to close 700 of the province’s farm schools just days after its education MEC promised the Human Rights Commission (HRC) he would bail out the schools with a R14-million subsidy. Premier Makhenkesi Stofile told last Thursday’s opening of the provincial legislature that the farm schools, […]

Shaun de Waal MOVIE OFTHEWEEK Inevitably, once Leonardo DiCaprio got involved, the making of The Beach became a major gossip-fest. Allegations flew about the film-makers’ ecological destruction of the beach where it was being filmed in Thailand; and Leo had allegedly hired an entire island nearby to house his current girlfriend. The rumours that impinge […]

South Africa’s free antenatal care is delivering – literally Khadija Magardie It’s 4.15pm in the labour ward at Johannesburg hospital, fondly known as “the Gen”, and staff have just delivered their eighth baby for the day. At the front desk, midwife sister Pretty Dubazana is talking to a patient. Her shift should have ended in […]

A critic gets paid $10E000 a day to tell designers not to be too clever Jack Schofield For only $10E000 a day, usability expert Jakob Nielsen will tell you why your website is rubbish. Surprisingly, what you get for the money isn’t a high-powered marketing executive, or even an expert in Web programming. He’s just […]

SHARES in steel giant Iscor extended early losses on Thursday on news that recent floods will impact negatively on its production. The counter, which was down almost 3%, slid further to be 3,19% lower at R22,75 on the news. The company said that floods are expected to result in a loss of 500000 tons of […]

With a new film out and a new job as chair of the UKFilm Council, how does Alan Parker see the future for British movies? Tim Adams ‘Oh, I’m much calmer, less controlling, more relaxed these days,” says Alan Parker, smiling, telling me how he has not only written and directed the film version of […]

Robert Colman Gregory Vuyani Maqoma is one of the young choreographers commissioned to do a piece for this year’s FNB Vita Dance Umbrella. I sat in on a rehearsal of his work, Rhythm Blues, at the Dance Factory. At first the dancers are self-conscious, pretending not to be, of the stranger in the rehearsal room. […]

Gavin Foster Your 12-year-old daughter goes to an indoor karting venue with friends and is hurt when a wheel flies off her kart on the track. “You’ll pay for this,” you tell the manager of the track. “No I won’t,” is his response. “Take a look. Your daughter signed an indemnity.” The following day you […]

policy Marianne Merten The new land reform policy unveiled this week by Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs Thoko Didiza after eight months of stony silence, has raised serious concerns about the lack of public debate and consultation in the formulation of a new policy framework. The introduction of several controversial changes in the new […]