reshuffle Gaye Davis GOVERNMENT plans to radically revise the Reconstruction and Development Programme could face a backlash — not so much against what has been decided, but because of the lack of consultation which preceded it. Deputy President Thabo Mbeki is to appoint a task force to oversee the re-allocation of the RDP’s projects, programmes […]

A survey of corporate headhunters reveals that salaries of highly paid officials in parastatals are commensurate with those in the private sector, reports Philippa Garson SALARY packages for highly paid officials in parastatals like the South African Broadcasting Corporation and Independent Broadcasting Authority are justified, say remuneration experts. Recent allegations of squandering of government resources […]

Chris McGreal looks at the man behind Nigeria’s greatest martyr — and finds someone who is not a saint Ken Saro-Wiwa barely raised his head from the wooden dock to acknowledge the man who probably did as much as any witness to despatch him to the gallows. Across the dilapidated courtroom, Mohammed Kobani gave a […]

Economic issues frequently override the fear of crime for prospective investors in South Africa, writes Madeleine Wackernagel Contrary to popular wisdom, South Africa’s high crime rate is not a significant deterrent to foreign investment, according to a new survey. Professor Robin Lee, who collated the research for the Nedcor Project, was somewhat surprised at the […]

Jacquie Golding-Duffy Although the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has increased its overall viewership on two of its three channels by a half-a-million viewers, the average daily time spent in front of the television has dropped since the relaunch. SABC 2 (the former TV1) is the only channel that dropped in overall viewership. It went […]

The conference on the Constitution has been a ‘win-win’ situation for all involved, says Cyril Ramaphosa. Marion Edmunds reports Enough progress has been made at the constitutional bosberaad in Arniston for technical advisers to start drawing up the final draft of the constitution, in anticipation of meeting the May 8 deadline. Both African National Congress […]

Rehana Rossouw Government has gone cold on sculptor Danie de Jager’s “beacon of freedom” monument to liberation, freezing his hopes that his “special” relationship with President Nelson Mandela would see his 23m-high fist reach for the sky. Last week’s exclusive report in the Mail & Guardian on plans to build a gigantic monument modelled on […]

Remember the day last week that Pallo Jordan was fired from the Cabinet. We will look back at it as a moment which marked a major shift in the political style and approach of the African National Congress. The dismissal of the most independent-minded left-wing intellectual in the Cabinet had nothing to do with his […]

Jacquie Golding-Duffy Parliament recently had the nominations for the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) councillors’ posts, bar one, thrown out. The nomination which was accepted and approved by the chief whip of the African National Congress was that of Lyndall Shope-Mafole. Shope-Mafole will have her contract renewed as she is already an IBA councillor. The other […]

Confusion over South African visas put paid to a meeting of Nigerian opposition groups in Johannesburg, writes Justin Pearce A CONFERENCE in Johannesburg intended to bring together the fragmented Nigerian opposition groups had to be put on hold after the majority of the delegates failed to obtain visas to come to South Africa. The prospective […]