Jonathan Romney New music Four months ago, Robert Wyatt became a grandfather at the age of 52, and it’s fair to say that the role suits him down to the ground. He has the right beard for the part, and he makes the kind of music you’d rather hope a grandfather would make – melancholic, […]

Look out, it’s 1929 all over again, write Will Hutton, William Keegan and Ed Vulliamy The parallels are uncanny and unnerving. A United States where the president’s free- trading authority has been questioned, wave upon wave of devaluations being forced upon Asia and Latin America, and national banking systems in these continents imploding from bad […]

MBULI DUCKS AND DIVES ‘People’s Poet’ Mzwakhe Mbuli evaded questions about his finances at a bail application in Pretoria on Thursday, saying that he handled his finances himself and was not sure how much money he had. The court was heavily guarded to prevent a repeat of the fracas at last week’s court appearance where […]

THURSDAY, 4:00PM: Medicines Control Council officials on Wednesday raided the Pretoria office and home of ‘Virodene’ researcher Olga Visser for evidence that patients are still being treated with the controversial anti-Aids drug that Visser helped develop. The medicines council placed a ban on the drug several months ago, after Visser and her colleagues asked the […]

THURSDAY, 3:30PM: A subpoena was served by the truth commission on former state president PW Botha on Thursday, although at some remove. The five-page subpoena and 700 pages of supporting documentation were handed to a member of Botha’s staff, although the former president was apparently at home at the time. Mike Barnardo of the truth […]

THURSDAY, 3:30PM: Police in Cape Town said today that alleged drug dealers who claimed at the weekend that there was poison in their takeaway pizzas were right. Preliminary tests on the odd slice of two pizzas delivered to two men and a woman in Woodstock revealed traces of pesticide – a granular powder called aldicarb. […]

THURSDAY, 9.20AM: The two giants of South African football meet this weekend when Orlando Pirates hosts Kaizer Chiefs in a game that has all the the ingredients for a thriller. Pirates, who were booted out of the Rothmans Cup by Mamelodi Sundowns have vowed to redeem their dignity by beating Chiefs. Meanwhile, Chiefs, who have […]

THURSDAY, 8.40AM: BORDER’S Makhaya Ntini became the first black cricket player to graduate from the United Cricket Board of South Africa development programme to the South African national team. He was on Wednesday named in the squad to tour Australia. “It’s a dream come true. It’s unbelievable,” said a suprised Ntini. He replaces Boland’s Roger […]

THURSDAY, 9.05AM: SPRINGBOK coach Nick Mallett has trimmed his squad to 26 and sent eight members of the squad home. “A lot of the midweek guys must go home disappointed with their efforts,” said Mallet. Justin Swart or Thinus Delport, Joe Gillingham, Breyton Paulse, Boeta Wessels. Ollie le Roux, Wium Basson, Dale Santon and Warren […]

TUESDAY, 9.15AM: TELKOM’S feud with the SA Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (Satra) continues, with the parastatal’s latest submission for proposed price hikes in January returned with suggestions for modification. Telkom was on Monday informed that Satra will not approve the increases until Telkom changes the terms and conditions to protect customers. A Satra representative said some […]