A post template

No image available
/ 15 November 2004

Iraq vote could be delayed

Iraq’s deputy prime minister has indicated for the first time that the much-heralded elections due in January could be derailed by the country’s violent insurgency. Barham Salih said the authorities were determined to hold the vote, but admitted they would have to assess the security situation nearer the time.

No image available
/ 15 November 2004

South vs North: Lost in translation

There is a continuous sequence of connections between all of us – “six degrees of separation” some have called it – and yet we seldom bother to look in the mirror and try to make sense of them. Like that song: “the foot bone connected to the ankle bone, the ankle bone connected to the leg bone, the leg bone connected to the knee bone”, et cetera, et cetera. How can we go on without recognising each other? And yet, willy-nilly, we do.

No image available
/ 15 November 2004

‘Climate change an investor issue’

South African asset managers should use their collective power to demand disclosure on how to manage risk posed by climate change, says Frater Asset Management, a forward-looking fund manager on the issue of shareholder activism. Last week, the R4-billion fund upped the ante on governance and disclosure when it said that it would publish all its proxy voting decisions at company annual general meetings on its website.

No image available
/ 15 November 2004

Hungry Earth calling planet Pahad

As a Zimbabwean, I can understand if middle-class South Africans have difficulty appreciating the magnitude of the food crisis in my country. For most middle-class South Africans, the luxury of three square meals a day is taken for granted. The mind boggles, however, when government officials fail or, rather, refuse to accept the reality on the ground.

No image available
/ 15 November 2004

Pirates trounce Sundowns

Drama unfolded at the Loftus stadium on Sunday when a nine-man Orlando Pirates side held on to beat Mamelodi Sundowns 2-1 in a Premier Soccer League match. Edward Malinga received his marching orders after tripping Raphael Chuwku, while Gift Leremi was red-carded for arguing with the assistant referee.

No image available
/ 15 November 2004

Condoms: Getting men to ‘shower with an umbrella’

Earlier this year, a chilling statistic cropped up repeatedly at a conference on reproductive rights that was held in London. It is believed that men in sub-Saharan African only have access to about three condoms a year. As condoms have long been acknowledged as a key part of efforts to contain the spread of Aids, this limited supply of prophylactics would appear to have dire implications for Africa.

No image available
/ 15 November 2004

‘We have a very, very good bid’

London sent off its bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games to the International Olympic Committee on Monday, calling it a ”winning formula” towards snaring the world’s biggest sporting event. ”I am feeling very confident, very excited,” said Lord Sebastian Coe, chairperson of the British capital’s 2012 campaign.

No image available
/ 15 November 2004

Cricket legends defend banned captain

India’s Sourav Ganguly, sulking in defeat and disgrace after becoming the first Test captain to be suspended for slow over rates, on Monday received unexpected support from two Pakistan legends, Imran Khan and Wasim Akram. The duo said they sympathise with the Indian captain, who will miss the upcoming home series against South Africa.

No image available
/ 15 November 2004

Please sir, may we have some more

Our inter-governmental system is not yet fully geared to deliver on nationally set policy in a coherent and effective manner. The recently debated Inter-Governmental Relations Bill provides a giant leap forward in resolving some of the key problems. A strong national centre is important because it can define policy direction with the benefit of a macro perspective, especially in a context of intensifying processes of globalisation, writes Ebrahim Rasool.

No image available
/ 15 November 2004

Zanu has become a repressive machine

The deepening all-round crisis in Zimbabwe is having a devastating impact on the lives of millions of Zimbabwean workers, peasants, the youth and middle strata professionals of all kinds. The crisis has also spilled over into our country, with an estimated three million Zimbabwean economic refugees now living in South Africa.” The SACP’s Blade Nzimande says Zanu-PF is caught in an ever narrowing laager mentality.