The final phase towards establishing telecommunications legislation in South Africa is finally underway, reports Leon Perlman THE much touted initiative to provide “Universal”telephony services to South Africa’s un-wired rural millions looks set for a boost following a national colloquium on telecommunications policy. “All Shall Call”is the message emanating from an intensive four day meeting between […]

Philippa Garson LEADING academics are pitted against each other in the latest university furore which involves the resignation of the University of Transkei’s (Unitra) vice-chancellor, Alfred Moleah. Moleah’s resignation comes in the wake of months of conflict with the university Council, which comprises prominent academics, educationists and political figures, including its chair Fatima Meer, Blade […]

For the first time in years, Rockey Street, the pulse of trendy Yeoville, is free of drug pushers loitering on corners, writes Janine Lazarus IT has taken the murder of restaurateur Ridley Wright to clear the streets of pushers who had turned this colourful suburb into the newest drugs mecca of South Africa. Wright was […]

Brenda Fassie, South Africa’s bad-girl singer, in THE MARK GEVISSER PROFILE ‘HOW can I make you smile?” I asked an enraged Brenda Fassie, dressed in baby-pink denim cutoffs and throwing the contents of her handbag around my car with the jerky impetuousness of a seriously cold turkey as we drove away from her latest humiliation […]

Evelyn Groenink DUTCH do-gooders have run into flak at home for handing out R20-million to South African political parties without any built-in checks and balances on how the money is spent. The organisation giving the money is the Foundation for the New South Africa (FSA), which is made up of representatives of political parties in […]

THE day Susan Sithole died, abuse activists, counsellors and government officials met in Cape Town at a national conference organised by the Department of Welfare under the banner “Women in Africa won’t be beaten — unite to end violence”. Catholic Welfare Development counsellor Charles Maisel challenged participants to extend their services to the perpetrators of […]

POP/ROCK: Christopher Roper IT’S official. The gods love Jon Bon Jovi more than Michael Atherton. The rain held off on an overcast Cape night this week, and American supergroup Bon Jovi delighted the crowd with over two hours of the melodic stadium rock they’re famous for. Durban lite-metal band Arapaho took the stage first and […]

The structure — not just the colour — of South Africa’s newspaper industry is where the real problem lies, writes Bruce Cohen CARL NIEHAUS should know better. As one of the African National Congress’ key media liaison figures during the run-up to the April 1994 elections, he got to know the press as well as […]

Hazel Friedman ‘GOD has blessed us,” says single mother Mavis A year ago she was about to be dumped on the pavements. Today she and 434 tenants from seven buildings in the highrise slum of Hillbrow are home-owners through a unique scheme that could solve the inner city housing problem. Called the Seven Buildings Project […]

Mapo-MiG has spread its wings to South Africa and offers huge opportunities to local contractors, reports Karen Harverson RUSSIA’S oldest aircraft manufacturer, the Moscow Aircraft Production Organisation — Mikoyan and Gurevich (Mapo-MiG), has opened an office in South Africa. Director Peter Malan says the office’s main function will be to provide technical support, training and […]