Evidence of murders motivated by greed rather than revelations of political crimes dominated the first days of Eugene de Kock’s trial, writes Jan Taljaard BOGGED down in intricate legal argument for the first two days of proceedings, the Eugene de Kock trial did not look to be the curtain raiser to the “truth hearings” or […]

THEATRE: Guy Willoughby IN a programme note to Macbeth, at the Alexander Theatre, director Craig Freimond observes that Shakespeare’s great plays “are so well known that it becomes difficult to find fresh readings of them, and even if you do, there will be many who disagree with your interpretation”. Quite true, but the inevitability of […]

THEATRE: Humphrey Tyler WHAT a talented cast in Khaya in the Sky, now on in the Drama Theatre in the Natal Playhouse, in Durban — but, sadly, in the end, what a waste. It starts okay. The leader of a group of Durban squatters turns out to be called Rudolph Valentino, who speaks with an […]

The Truth Commission Bill has slowed down in committee over the issue of secrecy in amnesty hearings. The parliamentary justice committee is unlikely to accept the cabinet agreement that those applying for amnesty should be free to do so in camera, and so the Bill will probably go back to the executive. While this issue […]

Life assurers are honing their strategies in order to capture the multi-billion rand funeral business, reports Jacques Magliolo How big is the funeral business? Big enough for the life assurers to fight tooth and nail for it. Financial Services Board long term insurance manager Oppie Opperman says: “In 1993 total premium received by the life […]

Critical Consumer Pat Sidley THE Gauteng administration this week made history for its citizens and consumers. It called together a gathering of consumer organisations, groups with a consumer interest such as civics and trade unions, and those journalists who have had to do the job of consumer groups in the absence of adequate ones. Some […]

CINEMA: William Pretorius IN Disclosure, the happily married Tom Sanders (Michael Douglas) is sexually harrassed by his new boss, Meredith Johnson (Demi Moore), an old flame who is now vice- president of a hi-tech firm which manufactures virtual reality systems. There’s an immediate credibility gap here. Who on earth would want to harass Douglas, one […]

Marius Schoon plans to lay charges against Craig Williamson for the murder of his wife and child, writes Mark Gevisser The conscience of white South Africa is a self-assured Standard Six pupil whose voice has just broken, who is soccer-mad, and who witnessed his mother and sister blown to smithereens when he was two years […]

Making quick runs on the slow wickets in New Zealand is an art Gary Kirsten seems to have mastered CRICKET: Krish Mi’rams in New Zealand The pitches in New Zealand are notoriously slow but on Thursday the ground was completely soggy as the vital match between South Africa and the home team was rained off. […]

Shadley Nash EZEKIEL MSIZI cast his steely gaze over the paddock where a dozen or more cows were being milked with hi-tech electronic equipment. “We want to come home. The white farmers’ time is up,” he said. Msizi’s impatience signals growing discontent in the ranks of the Mfengu community over the fact that they are […]