Andrew Marr ENGLAND, ENGLAND by Julian Barnes (Jonathan Cape) That England has become a theme-park nation is a chattering-class clich. It is also at least partly true. There is no English crisis, but there is a problem. In England, everything becomes a tradition, and that includes the confection of tradition. But the quantity of contemporary […]

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. […]

Ian Wylie Aside from a little bruising, Kevin Warwick is feeling no side-effects from last month’s operation to remove the silicon chip implanted under the skin inside his left elbow. The skin chip has the capability to become a household aid: turning on lights, opening doors or switching on the television as you approach. But […]

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 […]

Wally Mbhele `These are times that try man’s soul. The summer-time soldier and the sunshine patriot will shrink from the services of the nation. He or she who stands it now, deserves the honour of the nation.” These were introductory quotes from chief land claims commissioner Joe Seremane in a controversial address he made to […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Accra | Friday 7.30pm. GHANA’S First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, has denied allegations in an Accra circuit court that she has a bank account worth $18-million in Switzerland. Defence counsel Akoto Ampaw was cross-examining Rawlings in a case in which Eben Quarcoo, former editor of the Free Press and Tommy Thompson Books […]

Howard Barrell South Africa is on the verge of postponing its biggest-ever joint military and police exercise with other countries in the region, scheduled for next month, because of problems caused by the incursion into Lesotho. The South African National Defence Force (SANDF)has told other interested government departments it doubts it can afford the exercise, […]

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 […]

David Beresford: A SECOND LOOK In the week of the launch of a new television channel, which no doubt heralds another garbage-load of American schlock being dumped on the local market, a debate on SAfm brought it home that the true “voice of the nation” is radio. The programme was Talk at Will, the subject […]

Angella Johnson VIEW FROM A BROAD It is exceedingly rare that the president of Johannesburg’s Central Divorce Court refuses to dissolve a marriage. Yet that was exactly what Helen Lotriet did after questioning a young husband who claimed his wife regularly cheated on him. “Are you still living as husband and wife?” inquired Lotriet. It […]