Marianne Merten Large numbers of the Western Cape’s Muslim 150 000-strong population went to the polling booths across the province despite earlier calls on them not to vote. Those who cast their votes were unanimous – it was a Qur’anic duty to vote. Two weeks ago, the Islamic Unity Convention (IUC) called on Muslims not […]

Libby Young The last year has seen South African cyberspace grow up. The number of users has passed that crucial one million benchmark, Web addresses are starting to appear on bumper stickers and no business card is complete without an e-mail address. So what’s been happening to South Africa’s search engines? Newcomer Max, , from […]

Howard Barrell Like any politician, Thabo Mbeki has his fair share of detractors and enemies. But Zanele Mbeki, his wife, appears to have only admirers. Across the worlds she inhabits – business, development work and politics – she attracts superlatives. “An excellent person”, “of deep conviction”, “very smart”, “dignified”, “lovely” – these encomiums come from […]

The winner of the Lillian Hellman/Dashiell Hammet award is not a standard academic, reports Mercedes Sayagues Judged on her writings alone, Dr Patricia McFadden appears to be an African Valkyrie in metal breast-plates, who sees the world through rigid prisms of gender and race. But when you meet her, she is a warm woman with […]

Aaron Nicodemus It was a bright Sunday afternoon when Tsepo Molemohi (11) went to play his favorite game – soccer – on a field between Central Western Jabuvu and White City in his Soweto neighbourhood. Before he left, he kissed his mother goodbye. Tsepo, with his soft voice and wide smile, always told his mother […]

The famous rave drug on its own is not responsible for the deaths of productive young people, argues Ted Leggett The death of a young woman after her first experiment with “ecstasy” last weekend has brought the so-called “club drugs” to national attention. The incredible variety of substances associated with the rave scene have led […]

supply lines Unita’s smuggling Chris Gordon The United Nations, having faced up to the failure of its peacekeeping operation in Angola, has launched a new bid to shorten the war by targeting the sanctions-busting arms, oil and diamond trade that is keeping Unita in business. After 16 intensive days in Southern Africa, Robert Fowler, Canadian […]

irregularities Ivor Powell Election observers and monitors have reported more than 30 electoral irregularities in KwaZulu-Natal, ranging from likely political murder to multiple voting in some areas. The incidents occurred despite the presence of intimidating contingents of security forces personnel to guarantee stability at nearly every voting station in the province. While the disruptions recorded […]

The government may not like it, but land invasion is a reality in South Africa, writes Louis Freedberg Isaac Williams, a land invasion officer for the Tygerberg municipality, has an uncanny ability to spot an unauthorised shack amid the hodge-podge squatter settlements in Khayelitsha and surrounding townships. To help him do the job, the city […]