This week South Africa received a timely reminder of how fastidious international investors are. The country was also reminded of how the good we achieve as a country remains overshadowed by history, socio-economics and the burden of HIV/Aids.

Mere wealth transfer does not produce economic growth nor address poverty. We must accept that the meritorious goal of black empowerment may have a negative impact on economic growth and shrink our economic bases. Strategies must be developed to offset this, says Mangosuthu Buthelezi. The Democratic Alliance and the Inkatha Freedom Party spell out their policies on BEE.

When it comes to squaring up to the developed world on issues of trade policies, South Africa likes to hang tough with its new anti-protectionist pals Brazil and India.
But when one or both of these partners in the South strategic alliance talks about becoming a permanent member of a reformed United Nations Security Council, South Africa plays as coy as a schoolgirl.

The apartheid system bred many vile people. It bred killers, torturers and depraved ideologues. The system also gave succour to corrupt individuals for whom ethics were a distant concept. many disreputable former servants of apartheid survived into the democratic era, some continuing to hold high office. One of these was Steve Mabona, who cut his political teeth in the old KwaNdebele homeland.