Against all odds, the ANC emerged from Mafikeng alive and kicking, report Wally Mbhele, Sechaba ka’Nkosi and Marion Edmunds The African National Congress emerged from its 50th national congress in Mafikeng last week invigorated and more united than it has been since taking the reins of government in 1994. This was all the more extraordinary […]

culture for 1997 Compiled by Charl Blignaut The Pop Art Award for punch-ups in the art world A steady stream of local celebrities has stepped into the limelight in 1997. Some, we have found, knock and wait for doors to be opened, while others simply moer them down. It is in honour of the latter […]

The autobiographical stories in Deliver Us from Evil by Johnny Masilela focus on a rural upbringing. In this tale, young Johannes meets someone exciting on a train, but embarrassment follows My heart is filled with joy, for you have finally seen the light. You say in your letter he’d rather come and stay with me […]

TUESDAY, 10.30AM: NATIONAL 10km champion John Morapedi overcame jetlag, high temparatures and high altitude to produce one of his most impressive performances in winning the Cali 10,4km road race in Colombia on Sunday. The Pretoria runner clocked a speedy 29 minutes 34 seconds, less than a day after making the 45-hour flight from Johannesburg. In […]

Eugene Nyati Mr Dial-a-Quote bolted to the United Staes two years ago — after relieving Mpumalanga of R1,2-million for two months’ work — amid revelations that the Masters degree from the University of Pittsburgh in his CV was just one of several fabrications. His real name is Albert Nana and he was born in Zimbabwe, […]

Janet Smith There was remarkably little snow and far fewer fat white men in red suits sleighing across the hundreds of Christmas cards that passed through the Mail & Guardian offices this year. It has taken some time for South African Christmas card manufacturers to realise that we’re not in the northern hemisphere, and now […]

Was Madeleine Albright correct in hailing Africa’s ‘strong new leaders’ as ‘beacons of hope’ during her recent tour of the continent? Chris McGreal reports aThey have been hailed as the “new breed” of African leaders, the kind of men who front this continent’s renaissance heralded by Thabo =0BMbeki. Others have disparaged them as little different […]

Western Cape Premier Hernus Kriel gets a D for bedevilling race relations by playing the “swart gevaar” tune to keep his white and brown voters happy. The big question is whether the Western Cape’s above-average economic performance is because of him or in spite of him, and whether he can defend the last National Party […]

Summer poems for the beloveds 1 husband man with rampant tongue hold me and hear my heart howl with lust flaying my skirt to the thigh as I ride out on your voice man who holds me as if embracing womb I am with young by you my abdomen lows its fertility in this festive […]

TUESDAY 1.30PM: FORMER Zambian president Kenneth Kaunda returned home on Sunday for the first time since a failed coup in October against his successor President Frederick Chiluba. Kaunda office said on Monday that he returned by road from neighboring Zimbabwe after a two-month lecture tour that also took him to Britain, the United States, India […]