THE Pan Africanist Congress said on Thursday some of the appointments to the new Cabinet were so surprising that they were “spine-chilling”. PAC spokesperson Wonder Masombuka said the appointments of Dr Nkosazana Zuma to Foreign Affairs, Patrick Lekota to Defence and Thoko Didiza to Land Affairs were of particular concern. The appointments appeared to be […]
FRIDAY, 10.30AM: ERNIE ELS carded a pedestrian five-over-par 75 after the first day’s play at the US Open on Thursday, putting him nine shots behind the leader, Payne Stewart, who closed with three straight birdies to finish on a four-under 66. Qualifier Mark Carnevale, playing in only his second US Open, was one stroke behind […]
A 66-year-old Japanese businessman visiting South Africa asked his family at home on Friday to send $50000 as ransom for his release from captivity under unclear circumstances, police said. The businessman, whose name was withheld, telephoned his 32-year-old eldest son in Tokyo twice to give the bank account and other details for the requested payment. […]
THURSDAY, 11.30AM: ITALY beat Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions 3-0 on Wednesday, breaking the deadlock in Group B of the World Cup. The Lions suffered one goal from Italy’s new star, Luigi di Bagio, and two from Christian Vieri. Unfortunately, the Africans handicapped themselves in the 43rd minute — Raymond Kalla was sent off for an overly […]
Peter Bradshaw After the flop that was Johnny Mnemonic, the idea of casting Keanu Reeves in another virtual reality thriller must have taken a lot of nerve. Either that or they really wanted Ben Affleck but Ben wasn’t available. In any case, I must admit that if I had been offered a chance a year […]
Mail & Guardian reporters First-time visitors to the Summit Club in Hillbrow are invariably taken aback by the sign at the entrance indicating the “gun un-loading point”. Several months ago a drunk patron took the sign rather too seriously, and left three bullet holes in the crumbling plaster. But venture beyond and up two flights […]
Adam Mars-Jones AN EQUAL MUSIC by Vikram Seth (Phoenix House) It was famously observed of Henry James that he sometimes bit off less than he could chew, but the accusation is an unexpected one to be directed at Vikram Seth. His first novel, after all, the monumental A Suitable Boy, was a feat of absorption […]
THURSDAY, 11.30AM: THE government is scheduled to meet synthetic fuel producer Sasol this week, where it is expected to propose cutting its tariff protection in the synthetic fuel industry. Current low fuel prices have pushed the cost of maintaining the subsidies up to an astronomical R3-million a day. In terms of a formula agreed to […]
Cameron Duodu Letter from the North I am extremely proud to inform you that the only reason I was able to watch President Thabo Mbeki’s inaugural speech live was because your brothers and sisters in the north have begun to pull up their socks. I was watching the ceremony on BBC World. Just as Mbeki […]
OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Friday 2.20pm. ABOUT 100 public servants on Friday morning surprised President Thabo Mbeki with a party and a cake for his 57th birthday. Among those attending the function at the Union Buildings in Pretoria were Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana Zuma, her deputy Aziz Pahad, Minister in the Presidency Essop Pahad, and […]