For many reasons, including the fact that I couldn’t pronounce the names, I’ve always looked on wine and its surrounding etiquette as a snobbish pastime for the grey and over-privileged. Many of the brand names still sound like toasts to colonial excess — an impression reinforced by the fact that the local industry remains less than 1% black-owned.
The South African Lebanese community has joined forces with concerned local Jews in condemning Israeli military action in Lebanon by releasing a joint petition for peace. "Everyone is in favour of stopping the war," declared Father Nadim Abu Zaid, of the Johannesburg-based Maronite Catholic Church in Woodmead
Top South African artists playing in the second "Rage for the Revolution" concert in October are being approached by sponsor Levi Strauss to go public about having had a recent HIV test. The names of the artists, from genres such as kwaito, hip-hop and reggae, will be released once negotiations have been concluded.
The president of the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference, Cardinal Wilfred Napier, offered to pay for psychological therapy for a woman allegedly raped by a Catholic priest when she was a child. There was a sting in the tail, however. If she accepted, she would forfeit her right to make any future claims against the church.
Security at South Africa’s airports and on its aircraft is satisfactory following the terror threat uncovered in the United Kingdom, the National Aviation Security Committee said on Thursday. South African Airways said on Thursday that it would not cancel flights to the UK, but it warned of lengthy delays on return flights.
Black ownership is now concentrated in more than 20 significant empowerment groupings, including Mvelaphanda Holdings, Johnnic Holdings, Sekunjalo, Thebe Investments, Matodzi Resources, Worldwide African Investment Holdings, Safika and Shanduka.
<i>Sweet-Thorn</i> is as gentle and tender as Gito Baloi’s death was violent. Riaan Wolmarans listens to Baloi’s last project, co-written and co-produced with Nibs van de Spuy.
Every year, at the end of September, the N12 to Potchefstroom becomes congested. It is the exodus of the Afrikaners to Aardklop to soak up some culture and “see some shows”. This year’s Aardklop kicked up questions about Afrikaner identity and the future of its theatre, writes Yolandi Groenewald.
<strong>AUTHOR’S NOTES:</strong> What began as a diary of his experience on popular reality TV show <em>Big Brother</em> has now ended up as a book. Zlatko "Zee" Fabris swaps some As for our Qs.
<b>MOVIE MONTHLY:</b> Along with summer, things are hotting up at the cinema this month: Matt Damon’s back in the sequel to the <i>Bourne Identity</i> — another thriller that’s bound to keep you on the edge of your seat. Tom Cruise indulges in some risky business as a hit man in <i>Collateral</i>, and Julie-Anne Moore delivers a memorable performance in <i>The Forgotten</i>.