Fred Pearce takes a visit to a Kenyan valley where environmental theory has been turned on its head Jane Ngei, a 30-year-old Kenyan mother and farmer, built her own dam with an ox-plough, spade and wheelbarrow. It’s not a big dam; less than 15m across. “It collects the water running down the road after it […]
In the early 1990s, analysts had few problems in assessing the South African leisure industry. The SABC ruled the airwaves from television to radio. In 1990, M-Net took a large slice of the top sector of entertainment viewership from the SABC. The film industry was ruled by NuMetro (part of the Gallo group, which was […]
Bill Buford: GRAFFITI I am privileged to be among the first to address a concern that has been neglected for too long: toenail fungus. Later tonight, when you get home or as you get ready for bed, take a look at what you’ve got down there, discoloured, at the end of your toes. A little […]
Mungo Soggot A German citizen charged with sodomy and a string of banking scams involving sums of up to $100-billion has joined the club of heavyweight alleged fraudsters who fled South Africa and are now fighting extradition. Manfred Zachel was imprisoned in South Africa in 1996 after allegedly pulling off several frauds using a fake […]
Charlene Smith As if the truth about Father Christmas and the Tooth Fairy wasn’t devastating enough, now comes the news that not all chocolate Easter bunnies are chocolate – certainly not the cheap imported ones. Pity the Easter bunny that used to enjoy a tranquil life on supermarket shelves before being hidden under bushes for […]
I am pleased that the Mail & Guardian regarded the recent disbanding of the Medicines Control Council (MCC) as sufficiently important to run as a cover story (“Zuma shuts down health watchdog”, March 27 to April 2). As a medical practitioner, I’d appreciate the opportunity to convey my anger and disillusionment at the outcome of […]
A Roman death is always a noble death and the hearts of military traditionalists will have been gladdened by the dignity with which the commander of the South African National Defence Force, General Georg Meiring, this week fell upon his own sword. Modern constitutionalists may also take comfort from the effectiveness with which the executive […]
Bog bodies are an archaeologist’s dream come true. They can bring history alive more than any old document. But now, exploitation of the preservative peat in which they are found stands to rob us of this crucial link, writes Michael Pitts Given that he was an archaeologist, you wouldn’t think he’d have needed a drink. […]
David Coldwell Have you ever wondered if the labourer mowing your lawn or the cleaner of your office might have been an engineer, a scientist or a successful business person had they had access to a good education? The question may be a little cliched and the same could certainly be asked in New York […]
Peter Vale: A SECOND LOOK We made the military, now the military makes us: to recognise this bromide is to understand the inevitability of what historians one day will surely call Georg Meiring’s Folly. Far too quickly for democratic comfort have searching questions over the military been driven to the corners of our national life. […]