Chris McGreal The Marquis Bernard-Alexis P de Menars, Prince de Bourbon-Vendome, head of the Universal Foundation, pursuer of “The Light”, looked genuine enough to the Democratic Republic of Congo’s inexperienced former finance minister, Mawampanga Mwana Nanga. The “marquis” arrived at Mawampanga’s office offering to help raise and administer $500- million for the cash-strapped former Zaire. […]

Dogged by hyenas The dog-eat-dog world of the wild, not just human interference, may be contributing significantly to the demise of the African wild dog. The critically endangered species, with only about 5 000 animals remaining in the wild, may be succumbing not just to loss of habitat but also to thievery by spotted hyenas, […]

THURSDAY, 6.00PM: THE Johannesburg Stock Exchange struggled for direction on Friday, tussling with profit taking. Finance Minister Trevor Manuel’s adjustments appropriations speech in Parliament was generally well received by the market. The all gold index lost 11,6 points to close at 823,8 while the industrial index fell 23,2 points to a 7 823,9 close. The […]

East dust Winnie Mandela The year is still in nappies but already we at the Mail & Guardian arts desk have spotted the most likely candidate to lift our coveted annual Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Award for Multiple Comebacks from poppet Wendy Oldfield. Yup, Jani Allan is back. Again. While Eugene Terre’blanche sank like a very large […]

Wally Mbhele A combined police and intelligence operation is closing in on the heist gangs and may see some of the masterminds behind the spate of cash-in-transit robberies nabbed soon. Sources within both the intelligence and the safety and security departments this week dismissed claims by one of the alleged brains behind the heists, Collin […]

Ferial Haffajee : In your ear Nothemba Madumo is no shock-jock. Her Kaya Lifestyle on Gauteng’s Kaya FM is the epitome of easy listening. Aired each day between 9am and noon, Madumo’s blend of cool music and inspirational talk now has a loyal audience, according to the latest All Media Product Survey (Amps) figures. That […]

At a time when the United States and its allies appear headed for another futile war against the seemingly indestructible Saddam Hussein of Iraq, we welcome the statement by President Nelson Mandela opposing a strike on Iraq. The US’s justification of its stance is well-rehearsed: Saddam is an untrustworthy dictator with a track record in […]

Tom Quoin : Architecture As we recover from the season of ritual ceremony, let’s glance at one of the ways we celebrate what stands all about us – buildings. It’s heartening to realise that even in Egoli – the tense, unbending Jo’burg – some architects have thought to include relief carvings or sculpted castings in […]

Andy Duffy Five of the Free State’s top education officials have been suspended, badly hampering the province’s management of state schooling. The province, which last week fired education MEC Mxolisi Dukwana, has already seen a stream of old-guard senior officials quit over the past year, including four directors and deputy directors who went in December. […]

Werner Menges An ambitious attempt to clean up an apartheid eyesore has landed Namibia’s former housing minister – the winner of a United Nations housing award – and top officials in the Ministry of Housing in the largest corruption trial since independence. The Windhoek High Court heard evidence about confused responsibilities, denials and disregard for […]