Alex Duval Smith in Casamance A quarter of a million West Africans fleeing on foot from fighting in Guinea-Bissau without food or water are heading north into another civil war where they face landmines, hostile Senegalese troops and swamps. As this human emergency advances on Casamance – the region of Senegal where a 16-year independence […]
take back land Mercedes Sayagues They trickled in, women with bundles on their heads, men on bicycles. In small groups they camped on four commercial farms in Marondera, 70km east of Harare. They arrived on June 17, and today there are perhaps up to 1 000 men and women from 20 villages in the dirt-poor […]
Marthali Brand Moveable feast Everyone knows the restorative qualities of a hearty soup. Even a cup of instant soup can revive me after a hard day in front of the computer, or a tough workout at the gym. And a hot vegetable concoction served with a slice of buttered wholewheat bread can warm up any […]
Ann Eveleth Mothinya Molakeng (53) quit his job as an agricultural extension worker in 1994 to farm the land from which the former government brutally evicted his and 124 other families in 1978. He is still waiting. The commission on land allocation, set up in the dying days of the National Party’s reign, agreed in […]
Andrew Muchineripi Analysis The appointment of a new national coach and a four-year plan leading to the 2002 World Cup must be the immediate priorities of the South African Football Association (Safa). Never again must the pride of the nation have three coaches in four months and never again must preparations be so chaotic as […]
Mungo Soggot Penuell Maduna’s efforts to distance himself from Liberian consultant Emanuel Shaw II have been undermined by testimony from his own confidant at the state oil company. The minister of minerals and energy’s main contact at the company, Brian Casey, has given Public Protector Selby Baqwa’s inquiry into the Strategic Fuel Fund (SFF) detailed […]
Donna Block After years of fat margins and record profits, South African banks are now crying poverty. In the wake of the recent volatility in the worlds financial markets, commercial banks have seen their profits squeezed by a plunging rand and the Reserve Banks desperate attempts to stave off international speculators by hiking the repo […]
Much speculation at the Dorsbult Bar over how much luggage Winnie Madikizela-Mandela was carrying on that British Airways (BA) flight from London to Johannesburg to have been charged R9 000 for excess baggage on a first-class ticket. If BA stuck by the book she would been carrying nearly 100kg of luggage. But, as every seasoned […]
John Grobler Angolan civilians began fleeing into Namibia this week as both the Luanda government and its Unita foes started forcibly recruiting soldiers. But both could find it hard to recruit willing soldiers to a new war, Angolan watchers said. Last Saturday June 20, about 100 Angolan civilians crossed into Namibia from southern Angola. The […]
Richard Tomlinson outlines a truly African scenario for Johannesburg in the 21st century Mayivuke, an inner-city vision and development strategy for Johannesburg, was launched with fanfare and great expectations a year ago. But its vision was vague and unrealistic, probably because it was not underpinned by an examination of economic and social trends. Business leaders […]