Andrew Worsdale Over the past month and a half or so every film-maker, writer or acquaintance I’ve run into has asked me: “Did you apply?”, “Have you heard?”, “When are they gonna tell us?” It all culminated in the words “Well I’m going to phone them … don’t you want to phone them?” It was […]
Krisjan Lemmer The Mail & Guardian’s freelance sports writer Julian Drew, on his way to watch Bafana Bafana in Marseille last week, was a little startled to be approached by our very own Felicia Mabuza-Not-So-Subtle with an offer of two tickets for the match at the knock-down price of R1 000 each – a mark-up […]
theory Robert Kirby argues against the theory that South Africans lured Mozambican president Samora Machel to his death It is believed that between 80% and 90% of aviation accidents are due to human error. Refining the statistic a little further, it was found that out of a total of 28 000 aviation “incident reports” made […]
In 1997 more than three people died every day in work-related accidents. Researchers at Cape Town’s Alternative Information and Development Centre ask why the figures are so high Business is delighted to bask in the publicity given to its campaigns against crime. However, it plays another role in law and order that receives (virtually) no […]
Ferial Haffajee Even for a priest, it has been an extraordinary baptism – fiery, bitter and unlike the private ceremonies the Reverend Hawu Mbatha usually presides over. His recruitment as CEOof the SABC has occasioned a nasty public spat. If this quiet man had hoped for a quiet accession, it was quickly scotched. He has […]
Brenda Atkinson The idea of the New South Africa surely kicked the butts of the makers and purveyors of popular culture: Madiba had barely had time to warm the presidential leather when our TV screens and magazines began spawning ads that warmed our hearts with visions of how we could be. Quicker than you can […]
Michael White and Liz McGregor What should have been a triumphant valedictory tour for Nelson Mandela before he steps down as president of South Africa has been marred by European Union failure, under Tony Blair’s presidency, to deliver on open trade promises made when apartheid collapsed. Mandela joined the EU heads of government for lunch […]
Tracy Murinik On show in Cape Town I’ll admit to being a little sceptical when first hearing about the exhibition Childhood. Graffiti art in the Irma Stern Museum sounded gimmicky. Well, it isn’t. In fact, the collaboration between artists Gregg Smith, Mustafa Maluka, Ice and Sky 1 got me swallowing my words instantly. They have […]
Lizeka Mda A career as a mechanical engineer may seem an impossible dream for a parking attendant. Yet Lungile Ndebele keeps the dream of studying engineering alive every day, despite indications that it is becoming distant. Every morning the 20-year-old leaves her home in Orange Farm to go to her “job” in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, where […]
Sechaba ka’Nkosi The South African Communist Party politburo this week failed to reconcile its young radicals and its old guard on split nominations for the party’s highly contested leadership positions. On Tuesday, the politburo failed to come up with a single name for the party’s most contested position, that of the general secretary, between the […]