Most of today’s of formula one drivers started out in karts and progressed to other highly competitive forms of racing — before getting their lucky break into the world’s best motorsport showcase. Kart racing enjoyed excellent support in South Africa in the early Nineties and boasted just less than 1 000 competitors in those days. Sadly numbers have dwindled over the years and presently there are about 430 competitors.
"When hell freezes over" took on a new meaning when BMW launched its new X3 recently. We were headed toward Die Hell: desolate, almost abandoned farmland high up in the Cape’s Swartberg mountains. But, the X3 was having little trouble dealing with mother nature. The tight, twisting curves of the stunningly beautiful Meiringspoort pass rarely slowed our pace.
"People don’t want a war unless you absolutely have to have one, but the media would not present the possibility that there were alternatives — so therefore we went to war very much in the manner of a totalitarian society." That’s Noam Chomsky, responding to questions about the media’s role in the first Gulf War. CNN boss Chris Cramer assures Kevin Bloom that the network has no pro-American agenda.
Two weeks ago, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan named the Danish civil servant Soren Jessen-Petersen as his new representative in Kosovo, almost five years to the day after Nato proclaimed its victory in its war against the Yugoslav army. A time, then, for celebration and moving forward? Not a bit. Violence will escalate in Kosovo if the UN’s new representative fails to get the international community to deliver support.
Because the stuff the financial sector works with — money — can roam the world, it can make itself scarce, hence artificially valuable. So governments must woo capital-owners by competing with other governments to enhance the share of the national cake that goes to people with money — especially by ensuring low wages and taxes. The financial sector has huge influence, yet contributes little to growth and jobs.
Fourth seed Amelie Mauresmo of France worked her way back from a slow start to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals in London on Tuesday, defeating Italian veteran Silvia Farina Elia 7-5, 6-3. Mauresmo is rated the main threat to top seed and defending champion Serena Williams.
South Africa’s First Lady Zanele Mbeki was the guest of honour at a quayside ceremony in the Cape Town harbour on Tuesday to name a new R250-million purpose-built coastal tanker, the Southern Unity. Just under 176m long, the tanker’s freshly painted red hull, blue deck and white superstructure loomed over the guests and dignatories.
After all the nice things we’ve said about Durban, they go and mess up the Banana City anyway. It cannot be more than a year since this column responded to outrage from some of the city’s more illustrious and intellectually grounded citizens and said some nice things about South Africa’s would-be Big Easy.
Andy Roddick and Sjeng Schalken share a bond that goes beyond tennis. Two months ago, Roddick helped Schalken escape from a hotel fire in Rome that killed three people. Now their paths are crossing again — in the Wimbledon quarterfinals. Roddick advanced to the final eight with a win on Monday.
Jonny Shuping, a small South African schoolboy from Klerksdorp who will only turn 20 in September, recorded the biggest win so far of his career when he won the 800m at the 56th Venezelia International Athletics meeting in Chania, Greece, on Monday with a time of one minute and 47,31 seconds.