Zakes Hlatswayo grew up in Bergville, KwaZulu-Natal. His working background includes fieldwork for the South African Council of Churches’ youth training programmes and coordinator for the Association for Community and Rural Advancement. He is currently director for the National Land Committee an NGO that advocates land reform and restitution. Other newly elected officials are: First […]

Jaspreet Kindra State-owned aircraft were used for 2314 unscheduled flights in KwaZulu-Natal in the past financial year, the province’s Director General, Richard Sizani, has revealed. At the same time, the province’s Auditor General, Barry Wheeler, has reprimanded Premier Lionel Mtshali, King Goodwill Zwelithini and members of the provincial cabinet for unscheduled and unplanned flights over […]

analysis Mike Muller and Junior Potloane Last week’s Mail & Guardian article about the privatisation of Nelspruit’s water (“Water privatisation test case ‘a total debacle’”) appeared while we were travelling the back roads of Bushbuckridge or Botlhabela municipality as the neighbouring municipality is now known visiting water schemes. We did not go to Nelspruit because, […]

Niki Moore The paper war continues between political parties in Mandeni on the Zululand south coast, piling another controversy on to the collapsing Inkatha Freedom Party-led local government. The latest crisis has been sparked by the council’s apparent determination to ram through the appointment of disgraced academic Musa Xulu as the town’s new municipal manager. […]

analysis Raymond Suttner Many commentators have said one should not be surprised that the African National Congress wishes to form some form of cooperation agreement or alliance with the New National Party. Some see this as confirmation of a “truism” that even freedom fighters, once they get involved in “normal” politics, are prepared to bed […]

I was not surprised when I was watching e-tv and I heard a quote from President Thabo Mbeki saying those who are sceptical or don’t believe the arms deal investigation results are those who believe that blacks are corrupt. I want to say unequivocally that I fiercely oppose what Mbeki has said. Fortunately, I happen […]

The new chairperson of the South African Human Rights Commission (HRC), Shirley Mabusela, kept her head down on the government’s HIV/Aids stance this week and stood by the HRC’s decision to stay out of next week’s court challenge to official policy on anti-retroviral drugs, writes Bongani Majola. This is likely to disappoint Aids activists, who […]

Chiefs take on Cosmos in the Coke Cup final this weekend Ntuthuko Maphumulo With R1-million the difference between winning and losing the Coca-Cola Cup final, coming second will never be the same again. The winners get R2-million while the runners-up pocket a still-hefty R1-million. Jomo Cosmos and Chiefs will be meeting in their third cup […]

Chairman: Theatre Managements of SA Dear Mr Lindberg, … Since you are now a man of the arts, I was hoping you would be interested in producing my latest one-act play. The curtain goes up to reveal a young man sitting on a chair. He is naked apart from a long, black coat and military […]

Your proposal for a one act play is presumably satirical, as I am reluctant to believe that you are sufficiently depressed about the human condition to want to charge the public good money for the drama you describe! Anyway, there are not many literate audiences around any more! Not up here anyway … Meanwhile we […]