Howard Barrell Over a Barrel In response to the Mail &Guardian’s lead story last Friday predicting a “big bang” in government economic policy in the next six weeks, economist Nico Czypionka told Business Day he thought a “slightly damp fire cracker” was more likely. He may well be right. How so? Because the government may […]

NIGERIA and Arsenal striker Nwankwo Kanu has been voted African Sports Personality of the Year by BBC listeners. Ghana and Bayern Munich defender Samuel Kuffour came second.

Reports by Marianne Merten Helicopters scampering over the blazing vineyards of Constantia became the “motif” of the Cape of Storms this week as the Peninsula burst into flames producing scenes that could have been staged for a mega disaster movie. >From the beaches of Muizenberg columns of smoke rising above the mountains behind Scarborough and […]

Life with the creature feature – Jack Schofield charts the rise of the robots The creation of artificial life will be one of the themes of the 21st century; it’s already helping to drive the toys and games market, from CyberLife’s Creatures to Sony’s AIBO robot dog. A generation of children is keeping “virtual pets” […]

REBELS in Burundi opened fire on an armoured car carrying aid workers and burnt out a second vehicle on a main lakeside road south of the capital, humanitarian staff said on Thursday. Twenty to 30 rebels laid a tree across the road near Magara, around 35kms from Bujumbura, on Wednesday and shot at the vehicle […]

If approved by Cabinet, the proposed `dole’ system could be linked to the new Welfare Payment and Information Service, expected to be up and running in 2003. Barry Streek reports The government has been committed to the introduction of a “dole” system in South Africa since 1997 but the estimated price tag of about R7-billion, […]

Dense uncontrolled alien vegetation fuelled the flames which scarred the Cape Peninsula this week. As the worst fires in decades ravaged the area, scientists blamed vast tracts of alien vegetation for the scope of the inferno in the current dry, hot and windy conditions. It has proven a combustible mix. From Noordhoek, Kommetjie and Hout […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Thursday 7.00pm. THE National Director of Public Prosecutions, Bulelani Ngcuka, has decided not to prosecute police commissioner Jackie Selebi for insulting a Brooklyn police sergeant by calling her a “chimpanzee”. Ngcuka says it is not in the interest of the public to take steps against Selebi. He also says that prosecution […]

Howard Barrell The Mail & Guardian’s third-largest shareholder, British-based Joel Joffe, has been made a baron in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List in recognition of his work for good causes, which include his chairmanship of Oxfam. Lord Joffe – as he is now known – was also the lawyer for Nelson Mandela and others […]

PORTUGAL’S Carlos Sousa and his co-driver Joao Manuel Luz, seriously injured in the 13th stage of the Paris-Dakar rally arrived at a hospital in Paris on Thursday, medical officials said. The two men were admitted to the Beaujon hospital after arriving on a medical plane from Tunisia. The condition of the two competitors is considered […]