The Wizard of the North, who we are flying to see in our flimsy flying flivver, has said that God moves like a crab. Put that in your pipe and smoke it. It is an old Tswana proverb, perhaps. But the wizard is a master of several languages, and anything he says can be said to have several meanings. That is what wizards are for. Even if they don’t know it themselves. That, after all, is why they are wizards.
"As somebody who believes in the importance of social movements and the radical intellectuals who support them, I must admit to be tiring quite quickly of their habit of magnifying their import, impact and size — on the basis of predictable arguments and sketchy research". In trying to make South Africa a node on the map of anti-globalisation resistance, the social movements may be trying to fit a square peg into a round hole, writes Ferial Haffajee.
The recent announcement by the New National Party that it has adopted the Freedom Charter and intends to work closely with the African National Congress is significant to South African politics, and not a historic event, like many people erroneously assert. A historic event is something much more profound.
Kenyan civil society activist Edward Oyugi says Africa’s relations with the developed world amount to the continent holding out a begging bowl. But, African leaders insist they have a partnership with wealthy nations — one based on investment in return for good governance. The claim came under discussion again last week during a meeting of the Group of Eight (G8).
The aviation industry will have to cut costs and reform business structures to defray billions of dollars in losses from soaring fuel prices, the world’s air transport bosses warned last week at their annual summit in Singapore. The International Air Transport Association promised to introduce electronic ticketing by 2007 and proposed barcode technology on boarding passes.
An undisclosed number of referees were expected to be arrested over the next few days as police conclude their initial investigation into professional soccer match fixing, police spokesperson Director Sally de Beer confirmed on Sunday. ”We have made no arrests yet but are now in a position do so,” she said, explaining that this came after the South Africa Football Association (Safa) asked them to conduct an investigation two months ago.
Zimbabwe’s annual rate of inflation, the highest in the world, continued in May to slow for the fourth month in a row as it dropped to less than 450%, but economists said on Sunday it was inevitable that the rate would accelerate again soon. The official Central Statistical Office said year-on-year inflation in the fifth month of the year was 448%, 54% lower than the 505 recorded in April.
Two stoppage-time goals from Zinedine Zidane, a majestic free-kick and a penalty, left England heart-broken as France began the defence of their European Championship crown in exhilarating fashion. England had got within three minutes of a memorable victory thanks to Frank Lampard’s first-half header and a disciplined defensive display that preserved their lead beyond the expiry of the 90 regulation minutes on Sunday.
France get that ZZ feeling
Moroka Swallows ended the premier soccer league season on a high note when they defeated Manning Rangers 3-1 in a tense Absa Cup final played at Vodacom Park on Sunday. The half-time score was 1-1. The drama started late in the match when Swallows scored the two winning goals and Rangers had their captain and key defender Frank Schoeman sent off for arguing with referee Daniel Bennett.
Zinedine Zidane showed David Beckham how to bend it when he conjured up a stunning win in the Stadium of Light on Sunday. The England captain’s former Manchester United teammate Fabien Barthez had obviously seen the film because he knew which way to dive for Beckham’s penalty.