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 […]
One thing is clear amid all the uncertainty: South Africa’s economy is in big, big trouble, writes Ferial Haffajee Like emergency tow-truck drivers who rub their hands together eagerly when an accident report crackles over their citizen- band radios, the repo men are waiting. A month or so after an interest-rate hike, business picks up […]
Robert Kirby: Loose Cannon As the Cold War faltered and ended, the civilised world breathed a sigh of cautious relief. At incredible expense in lives and hope, rampant socialism had been put back in its box. Before that it had been Hitler, just as expensive to crate and pack away. And so the list goes […]
Benny Malatji: RIGHT TO REPLY I find it annoying to read every week about your paper’s distortions of the situation on the campus of the University of the North, Turfloop. I refer here to a string of Andy Duffy’s articles (“Student council turns Turfloop turmoil into profit”, May 29 to June 4; “SRC blows R1,3m […]
Ian Jack BEYOND BELIEF by VS Naipaul (Little, Brown R89,95) In 1979 and 1980, VS Naipaul made a tour of Iran, Pakistan, Malaysia and Indonesia and reached the conclusion, in Among the Believers, that Islam was a poor receptacle for political needs; it couldnt teach people how to run a modern state. Fifteen years later, […]
Dan Glaister Three yars ago it seemed that British pop music was back to its best. Oasis and Blur were fighting it out for the number one spot, Pulp and Suede were in the wings, and the Britpop sound was set to conquer America. But today it is a different picture. Record sales are in […]
Lauren Shantall On show in Cape Town Absolut Vodka is conquering new territory, pith helmet firmly in place. The boozy struggle for Africa has begun, as the companys marketing machine seeks the next slick promo in its infinite series of witty takes on that bountiful bottle. Weve had Absolut Stockholm, Absolut Vienna, Absolut London, Absolut […]
Adam Levin tunes into aRt, SABC3s long- awaited arts and culture programme, for a touch of spine-chilling cultural diversity You wanted democratic processes. Well you got em. Mid-last year, when budget cuts snatched The Works and Arts Unlimited off the air, Auckland Park embarked on the unprecedented saga of selecting an external production house to […]
The government’s reluctance to hold Cabinet ministers accountable for their performance in office has reached ridiculous levels in the saga of Penuell Maduna, the minister of minerals and energy. This newspaper long ago pointed to Maduna’s recklessness and lack of judgment, suggesting he had neither the ability nor the temperament to head up such a […]
Alex Dodd When celebrated American playwright August Wilson first saw Athol Fugards Sizwe Bansi is Dead way back in 1976 at the Pittsburgh Public Theatre he was blown away. I thought This is great. I wonder if I could do something like this, he says. Two Pulitzer prizes later he still cites Fugard as a […]