NEW FICTION THE ARTIST’S WIDOW by Shena Mackay (Vintage) Now out in paperback, this is Shena Mackay’s first novel since her Booker- shortlisted The Orchard on Fire (1996). Though perhaps not quite as gripping, The Artist’s Widow has some interesting ideas and amusing characters. Through a private viewing of paintings by the recently deceased husband […]

Despite the storm surrounding the first visit of Sergio Garcia, Andy Capostagno tips Nick Price or Colin Montgomerie to pocket the prize money ‘I don’t know how we’re ever going to top this one, said Nick Price after winning the Million Dollar Challenge for the third time last year. Price had prevailed in exceptional circumstances, […]

Stefaans Brmmer The Cabinet is expected to “bless” the construction of a controversial new nuclear power station in January, but environmentalists have threatened legal action against the government if it gets the nod. Eskom confirms it will be briefing the Cabinet on the project in January, and says it hopes this will result in a […]

Andrew Muchineripi Soccer comment One wag interrupted a prolonged perod of silence at Loftus Stadium in Pretoria on Wednesday night to ask a companion what the difference was between the Titanic and South African soccer. The Titantic cannot sink any further, came the sharp reply to much laughter, and while it may have been a […]

Paul Kirk Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini spent R92 500 – of taxpayers’ money – on fumigating his homes for cockroaches in the past year. The Mail & Guardian has invoices detailing the king’s expenditure, which includes R400 000 a month on a Lear jet, R16 000 repairing his jacuzzi and steam room and R12 000 […]

John Henley BODY LANGUAGE The entrance is discreet, dimly lit. At the foot of a nondescript modern block in the 13th arrondissement of Paris, a door opens. A well-coiffed woman in late middle age inspects the new arrivals: smart casual dress only, and sorry sir, no unaccompanied men tonight. That’ll be R300 a couple, please. […]

While top executives at the SABC attack the media for biased reporting, its own house in not in order, report Ivor Powell, Wally Mbhele and Jubie Matlou New irregularities have come to light involving the SABC managers named in the forensic audit by accounting firm KPMG – the basis for an investigation announced last week […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Pretoria | Friday 6.00pm SOUTH Africa’s current account deficit unexpectedly narrowed in the third quarter of 1999, the Reserve Bank said in its quarterly economic bulletin, released on Thursday. Seasonally adjusted and annualised, the third quarter’s deficit came in at R2,5 billion, from R3,6-billion in the second quarter, revised from an originally reported […]

KENYAN football premier league champions, Mumias Sugar, have been stripped of their title and banned from all football activities for one year for match-fixing. The disqualification, announced on Thursday by the Kenya Football Federation’s National League and Competitions Committee, means that Mumias will not play in the African Club champions’ Cup or the African Cup […]

FIFTEEN workmen were killed in Harare on Thursday when a construction hoist dropped 17 floors to the ground. Government inspectors have launched an investigation into what is being described as one of Zimbabwe’s worst construction accidents. The hoist carrying the men and construction materials fell more than 67 meters to ground level shortly after 7.30 […]