Howard Barrell: OVER A BARREL I was not alone in thinking it must be April 1. As I stared at the early morning sun – or was it my egg yoke? – my radio was telling me that Louis Luyt had formed a political party and expected us to support him in next year’s election. […]
Andrew Worsdale Movie of the week The French have long fetishised the American detective genre in their films. Perhaps the greatest exponent of this was Jean-Pierre Melville who, in films like Bob le Flambeur and Le Deuxime Souffl, perfectly captured the trademarks of American gangster movies – wet night streets, raincoats with bulging pockets, gunmen […]
The men gain, while the rest of us take the pain – financially speaking, of course. Belinda Beresford wonders who’s going to pay for Viagra With fanfare and press coverage greater even than the latest Leonardo di Caprio appearance, Viagra is on its way to South Africa. Some say the latest star in the pharmaceutical […]
The outsider on this year’s Booker Prize shortlist is a bus driver. Peter Kingston caught a ride You’re sprinting for the bus. The driver spots your imploring wave and appears to be waiting, but just as catching the bus looks a real possibility, it pulls away. Why do they do that? “It’s the only pleasure […]
Ferial Haffajee South Africa’s television war is in full throttle with people in the industry at each other’s throats – and the only victors are likely to be viewers. The quick and dirty war has featured an arsenal of snitching to the authorities, comparative advertising campaigns, staff poaching and a drive to snap up the […]
Cameron Duodu Letter from the North Lesotho is a place with which I have an unfulfilled date. While taking part in a BBC African service discussion with the late King Moshoeshoe of Lesotho, I discovered that apart from being nicely spoken and charming, he had almost as much a passion for democracy as I had. […]
HRC David Beresford The Human Rights Commission (HRC) has suffered another body blow with the resignation of Helen Suzman, the fourth commissioner to walk out of the prestigious body headed by the controversial lawyer and theologian, Dr Barney Pityana. Suzman said on Thursday that her resignation would take effect at the end of the year. […]
Ann Eveleth: IN THE ACT T hree pieces of labour legislation working their way through the halls of Parliament promise dramatic changes in the workplace. But tight human and financial resources, coupled with the growth, employment and redistribution programme’s (Gear) industrial growth bias, raise questions about how effective these changes will be. The Basic Conditions […]
Science and technology will never be viewed in the same way after the launch of The Big Idea, reports Lesley Cowling The battle to persuade the average South African to take an interest in science moves into the realm of popular culture this week with the launch of an innovative new television show. Flighting on […]
row with black officers Tangeni Amupadhi Minister of Safety and Security Sydney Mufamadi is extinguishing fires these days. In between shuttles to Lesotho for peace talks, he stepped in to quell a growing rift between the national police commissioner and black managers. It is understood Mufamadi urged police National Commissioner George Fivaz to meet with […]