With Colin Montgomerie in top form, the experienced European team can wrest the Ryder Cup back from the United States GOLF: Jon Swift THE shift of power — or rather the power to win consistently in top company — from being a wholly owned subsidiary of Golf USA is perhaps nowhere better evidenced than in […]

Our continuing series of extracts from Parliamentary Whip, the publication of Idasa’s Parliamentary Information and Monitoring Service (Pims), the most comprehensive Parliament-watching team Christelle Terreblanche and Richard Calland THE African National Congress last week rejected reports that Parliament was in crisis while, off the record, MPs and chairpersons of committees continued to relate frustrations over […]

At least debate about this country’s media can take place now without fear of government clampdown. No longer do editors have to respond to every government criticism by warning of the dangers of action which might inhibit press freedom. Even if Deputy President Thabo Mbeki had such activity in mind when he criticised the media […]

Local-content rules will help the industry, writes IBA chair Peter de Klerk in a response to the M&G THE new local-content rules for television are designed to build a South African TV-programme-making industry —so that South Africans can see and hear themselves on our TV screens, and to create jobs in a key industry of […]

Neil Bierbaum A NUMBER of radio stations — some of them leaders in the field — have had a decrease in audience figures, according to research just released by the All Media and Product Survey (Amps). The Amps survey is conducted twice a year by the South African Advertising Research Foundation (Saarf) and provides in-depth […]

Paul Wilkes JOHN PAUL II, who survived an assassination attempt 13 years ago, the removal of a tumour the size of an orange two years ago and who suffered two bad falls within a year, still has his faith intact. But no longer can his iron will command a weakening body to do its bidding. […]

Fruit and vegetables, masks and cloth are just some of the props called into play at the African Puppet Theatre Festival. DAVID LE PAGE reports LUNCH-HOUR traffic crowds the streets in Rosebank, Johannesburg. An unusually hot sun beats down. At the junction of Oxford and Glenhove roads, two photographers and several traffic officers wait. The […]

The huge fine imposed on Kobus Wiese has highlighted the problems associated with rugby becoming a pay for play sport RUGBY: Jon Swift THERE are any number of issues which remain unresolved following the massive R50 000 fine slapped on Kobus Wiese as rugby sets sail into the new and largely uncharted waters of professionalism. […]

The first official papal visit to South Africa spells the end of the era of ‘Roomse gevaar’, reports Pat Sidley SOMEWHERE in the Free State is a garage owner who will be wondering if the Vatican will spend a penny in his toilets this weekend. It happened in 1988, when the pope landed unexpectedly at […]

THE Attorney General of KwaZulu-Natal, Tim McNally, is suing the Mail & Guardian for R250 000 over reports published last month detailing criticism of his handling of investigations into hit squad activities. McNally, charging that the reports “cut at the very heart of his reputation and dignity”, has demanded publication of a “complete, unconditional and […]