Art of noise Britain’s Turner Prize, one of the world’s most controversial contemporary art awards, was announced this week. But for once the annual controversy emanated not from the work on show (this year’s winner was a comparatively explicable 15-foot video projection of 26 policemen by Gillian Wearing) but from the behaviour of one of […]

FRIDAY, 12.00NOON: SOUTH African soccer coach Clive Barker’s plans were dealt a severe blow when three of his players laid low with stomach bug on Thursday. Midfielders Doctor Khumalo and Dumisani Ngobe and striker Pollen Ndlanya had an easy workout at Thursday’s training session. “We’ll be keeping our fingers crossed for them,” said Barker. Bafana […]

Andrew Muchineripi : Boxing Welcome Ncita and Sugarboy Malinga could be nicknamed the comeback twins for both are making returns to the ring after long layoffs. Ncita (32) is scheduled to fight Hector Lizaragga, the number one contender for the IBF featherweight title vacated by the British wonderboy Naseem “Prince” Hamed. The bout is set […]

Andrew Muchineripi : Soccer Initial local reaction to a World Cup draw that had South Africa in Group C with hosts France, Denmark and Saudi Arabia was extremely favourable and national coach Clive Barker smiled and clapped as he discovered who his opponents were. The overwhelming view among Bafana Bafana players, assembled at Midrand for […]

Andy Duffy One of South Africa’s top policemen has given controversial businessman Vito Palazzolo a written undertaking that a long-running police probe found nothing on him. The extraordinary statement, written in consultation with Palazzolo, badly damages and may even derail attempts by the Italian and South African authorities to investigate Palazzolo for alleged criminal activities. […]

festive season Stuck in Jo’burg over Christmas and new year? Bridget Hilton-Barber provides some good ideas for things to do 1 Top Star Drive-In. Just because the council can’t afford to switch on the Christmas lights in downtown Jo’burg this year, doesn’t mean festive Gauties should go without a spectacle. The Top Star drive- in […]

Mungo Soggot The man at the centre of the state oil scandal, Don Mkhwanazi, has asked the government to more than triple his salary to R1,2-million a year. Mkhwanazi, who works part-time at the Central Energy Fund as its non-executive chairman, recently sent a written proposal for an increase to the department of minerals and […]

Christmas shoppers may be keen to avoid the shops this year, but are there any gifts available on the Internet? Ann Eveleth reports South African Christmas surfers on the Net are likely to be disappointed again this year, with few options for local shopping as retailers take a cautious approach to virtual marketing. Apart from […]

empowerment Madeleine Wackernagel : Taking Stock If it weren’t so tragic, it would be farcical. The great black empowerment dream has turned to dust – and not just because of the slump in the gold price, which, granted, didn’t help. What transpired at the JCI board meeting this week is a tale of mismanagement and […]

Lesley Cowling : Material World Defence scientists in the United States are working on the ultimate smokescreen. They have developed an artificial fog that will keep the enemy in the dark but not the soldiers advancing under its cover. The new stealth camouflage, called Magic Vision, will not just confuse the gunners on the other […]