Peter Vale sees the war on terrorism as a continuation of Washington’s campaign to “fashion the world in its own interests” that began with the war against communism (“Crusade to settle scores”, January 11). He implies South Africa is being duped into doing the United States’s bidding. His fears are misplaced. President Thabo Mbeki and […]

Paul Kirk Emergency powers have been invoked by Obed Mlaba, Durban’s African National Congress mayor, to extend a lucrative contract awarded to ruling party stalwart and disgraced former attorney Linda Zama. Critics say Mlaba did not have that right. And making matters worse for Zama, the Mail & Guardian this week confirmed she is to […]

Barriers must be erected against the transmission of cholera analysis Lindy Morrison and Richard Holden Facing the threat of cholera in South Africa requires a multifaceted, multi-stakeholder, coordinated effort. Life shows us that when faced with any problem it is best to treat both the symptoms and the cause. The problem, unfortunately, with many cholera […]

The president’s failure to act decisively is paralysing his office, writes Anthony Holiday Join the poolside circle at the home of one of Gauteng’s black elite. Get over any astonishment you might feel at the opulence of the cars in the driveway. Ignore the importunate ringing of cellular telephones. Attend instead to the typical chatter […]

Jaspreet Kindra In a further sign of the rising tensions between the Inkatha Freedom Party and its African National Congress coalition partner, IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi launched an attack on the government policies on Aids, the rand and Zimbabwe at his party’s national council meeting at the weekend. According to IFPsources Buthelezi told the council […]

A Pietersburg NGO is battling to create a home care centre for Aids orphans Suzan Chala Joe Funky Ngobeni, the 13-year-old orphaned “man of the house” featured in the Mail & Guardian’s Christmas edition, began ninth grade this week in Ga-Maja, near Pietersburg, unaware that the article has made him a celebrity. The article has […]

BODY LANGUAGE Johann Hari It was a Friday night a few months ago. Rob* was standing on my doorstep, ashen and trembling. We could not guess what had happened; we could only assume that something terrible must have happened to his fiance, Karen*. Gradually, the story emerged. Rob and Karen had recently moved out of […]

Jaspreet Kindra The Inkatha Freedom Party has demanded the withdrawal of an exhibit at a Durban museum run by the African National Congress-led council which, it says, “maliciously and libellously” links the IFP to political violence in KwaZulu-Natal. The IFP’s national council, which met at the weekend, attacked as a “distortion of historical facts” and […]

A second look Khadija Magardie Space constraints may be the explanation behind the bizarre selection of examples used to illustrate the horror colonialism in Shyaka Kanuma’s “colonialist atrocity smorgasbord” (“It’s time to stop whining”, December 14). Throw out the word “colonialism” and the last thing that would spring to mind would be a traffic light. […]

Bongani Majola Since 1999, relations between the ruling African National Congress and its alliance partner, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), have become steadily more strained on a range of issues including privatisation, the government’s approach to Aids and Zimbabwe, and the growth, employment and redistribution (Gear) policy. The following are major recent […]