Reformed boom-boom banger Boris Becker is using his head to mount a menacing challenge to champion Sampras TENNIS: Jon Henderson ONCE UPON A time, Boris Becker played tennis using only his racket, his pugilist’s right arm and, perhaps the main source of his power, his beer-keg thighs. Now he uses his head as well, and […]

Simon Segal THE consensus forecast from 10 of South Africa’s major economic units is that gross domestic product (gdp) growth is still short of what is required to absorb people coming on to the labour market — and that it will slow next year. Sluggish and slowing growth will result in lower interest rates but […]

ANC trade expert Rob Davies sees the EU moving away from aid and trade packages towards reciprocal deals with African-Caribbean-Pacific countries. Lynda Loxton reports Developing countries are becoming increasingly concerned about an apparent bid by the European Union to link negotiations on a free trade agreement with South Africa to the future of the Lome […]

Justin Pearce Right-wing hunger striker Willem Ratte ended his hunger strike on Thursday, being granted R1 000 bail pending a supreme court appeal against his five-year sentence. Earlier Ratte had said he was opposed to bail since he rejected the judicial system that sentenced him, but would abide by the decision of “the volk”. His […]

Ann Eveleth INKATHA Freedom Party (IFP) leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi strongly hinted this week that his party would quit the Government of National Unity in the next few weeks, leaving the African National Congress to rule South Africa alone in the run-up to the 1999 elections. Buthelezi told the Mail & Guardian he would support a […]

A new reef may alter the economics of platinum mining in South Africa, reports Bronwen Jones FOUR Chinese geochemists, visiting their South African partners in a platinum exploration joint venture, have found evidence of a significant new platinum reef close to the surface. In an exclusive interview, project manager Yao Wensheng said: “The co-operation between […]

Philippa Garson MASSIVE security force deployment, recent peace initiatives and a desire to get local elections over with have contributed to a significant decline in violence in KwaZulu-Natal in recent weeks. Although more than 50 people have died in the province so far this month, and intimidation and tension are still widespread, peace monitors report […]

The Constitutional Court must heed the dangers involved in giving corporations the same rights as individuals, argues American consumer advocate Ralph Nader SOUTH Africans should be aware that a key provision of the new Constitution risks entrenching a new form of power abuse in the country: autocratic rule by big corporations. The new Constitution establishes […]

The labour movement is battling with the dilemma of remaining loyal to the ANC or taking action to force economic change. Gaye Davis and Justin Pearce report WHILE Cosatu this week claimed the banks’ climb-down over interest rates as a victory, the finance institutions knocked the wind from the sails of an attempt by the […]