ATHLETICS: Jon Swift THERE are times in South African sport when you wonder whether the word “development” does not have the Orwellian connotation of separate but equal. The All African Invitational athletic meeting to open the magnificently appointed new Johannesburg Stad-ium last weekend was just such an occasion. A surprisingly sparse crowd had come on […]

CINEMA: Stanley Peskin LADYBIRDS are conventionally associated with children, fire and loss and it is these associations which are brought to bear upon the female protagonist in Ken Loach’s Ladybird Ladybird. The rhyming title does not in any way soothe the audience’s feelings. Rather it is submitted to a harrowing account, based on a true […]

>From the birth of the idea at a council bosberaad to the frantic finishing touches, the Johannesburg Stadium has been clouded in controversy ATHLETICS: Julian Drew THE meeting which launched Johannesburg’s new R97- million athletics stadium last weekend can be pronounced a success judging by the response of the world’s media. Linford Christie’s 9.97 seconds […]

Citytv’s Nick Taylor wants to see communities involved in regional stations, writes Neil Beerbaum Nick Taylor has a show in his mind which illustrates what regional television can be about: “There is a man in Guguletu who makes washing powder in his garage over the weekends. He believes it washes faster and whiter than other […]

Molefe Matlou WORKERS at the remote Vametco mine, which produces vanadium on the outskirts of Brits in the North West Province, say they and their kin in surrounding rural settlements are being poisoned by the mine, and that 10 former workers have already died. “We heard of workers dying, children and old people becoming ill […]

Gaye Davis WHEN Idasa launched its national survey of parliamentarians, the reaction was immediate — and largely allergic. But, while some MPs and senators fumed and balked, others quietly set about filling in replies to the 161 questions. Those coming up trumps in the transparency stakes so far include such notables as Minister of Posts […]

Marion Edmunds RDP roleplayers in government met this week — without Jay Naidoo — to grapple with the realisation that the RDP is too much “pie-in-the-sky” and needs to be grounded in practical projects that promote economic Senior RDP officials, government leaders and technocrats met for three days in Cape Town to discuss ways to […]

Chief Rabbi Cyril Harris in The Mark Gevisser Profile This week, during Rosh Hashanah, two strange things happened to Rabbi Cyril Harris. They are not unconnected. On Tuesday morning at 6am he received a personal call from Nelson Mandela, wishing the Jewish People a Happy New Year (his awestruck maid had to explain to the […]

Evita Bezuidenhout Appearance: Marike de Klerk on speed. Dress sense: Barbara Cartland on safari. All faux leopard-skin tights, diamonds and furs. Obviously a woman’s woman. Who are her role models? Sophia Loren, Joan Collins, Mimi Coertse and Dame Edna Anything that makes her special? She has the best legs. What’s she up to now? Burying […]

Meshack Mabogoane The National African Federated Chambers of Commerce (Nafcoc), the main black business organisation, which formed the African Bank and has been its main supporter, has spoken out on the bank’s difficulties. Nafcoc president Joe Hlongwane this week announced his organisation, whose members hold 35,3 percent of Afbank’s equity, is determined to get involved […]