Cameron Duodu:LETTER FROM THE NORTH Nigeria is a country that never ceases to amaze me. Only seven months ago, there was so much tension in the country it could be cut with a knife. General Sani Abacha was still alive and all was on course to transform him from a military dictator to an “elected” […]

Sifiso Nkabinde ordered a hit on his own mother, writes a Mail & Guardian reporter The Mail & Guardian is in possession of two statements by former members of slain United Democratic Movement secretary general Sifiso Nkabinde’s Richmond self- defence unit alleging that in late 1989 Nkabinde ordered the assassination of his mother and one […]

AN Wilson FAYED: THE UNAUTHORISED BIOGRAPHY by Tom Bower (Macmillan) One of the most richly enjoyable incidents in this extraordinary story occurs in September 1964. Papa Doc, the Haitian tyrant, has engaged a young but illustrious Kuwaiti sheikh to rebuild the harbour in Port-au-Prince. The sheikh tries to persuade some British oil experts that there […]

Review of the week: Brenda Atkinson The Goodman Gallery’s new year triple billing is headed by Mimmo Paladino’s Carte Siciliane, a set of 12 new works etched on handmade paper. Paladino first came to the attention of Europe’s artworld in the late Seventies with a series of drawings, after which he moved on to painting […]

Park Sechaba ka’Nkosi The government’s land reform programme may be challenged in the Constitutional Court by two Northern Province clans. The Mhinga Traditional Authority, acting on behalf of the Maluleke and Vanwanati clans, cannot reclaim lost land under the Restitution of Land Rights Act because they were dispossesed before 1913. The Act confines claims to […]

Motel Jonathan Romney There have been a few changes round the homestead. There’s a new neon sign out front, and the poky old fruit cellar has been refurbished as a place where you could get down to some serious taxidermy. They’ve even replaced the shower curtain in Cabin 1. Otherwise, life is much as it […]

THE DAVID GLEASON COLUMN My word, some bunk has been written in recent weeks about the so-called sins of insider trading, ever since the new Act (no 135 of 1998) became effective – and by commentators who should know better. It seems everyone is in agreement with the general premise that once the phrase “insider […]

The proposed national lottery is likely to prove hugely popular with South Africans and could benefit NGOs. Evidence wa ka Ngobeni reports Millions of people, and needy organisations, could soon benefit from the first South African national lottery, which is expected to contribute hundreds of rands to government budgets, as well as generating billions of […]

FURTHER flaws in the identity parade involving robbery accused “people’s poet” Mzwakhe Mbuli were exposed on Thursday in the Pretoria High Court. Not only was Mbuli significantly taller than all those standing with him, but an Inspector Christiaan Theunissen who was involved in his arrest was present at the identity parade against regulations. Theunissen, despite […]