Drew Forrest The government has responded to the Bredell land invasion earlier this year in a crucial policy shift on shelter provision that will favour urban provinces and accelerate the release of land to urban shack-dwellers. The new approach is essentially a revival of former housing minister Joe Slovo’s incremental housing policy, as an alternative […]

John Young “The days of going into games maybe 10 years ago without a game-plan are gone,” Shaun Pollock told SA Sports Illustrated in September. The curriculum of the national academy obviously does not include South Africa’s 1952/53 tour of Australia. If it did, Pollock would know that one of the biggest cricketing upsets of […]

But if next year’s World Cup in Korea/Japan is a flop, the Fifa president has scapegoats David Lacey Beaming benignly, Sepp Blatter approached the task with the air of a Swiss waiter in charge of the sweet trolley. The customers might get indigestion, but he was not going to drop the profiteroles. Nothing fazed our […]

analysis Khadija Magardie The “a-hoppin’ on my camel versus just cruisin’ in my Daimler” problem has always been a dilemma of sorts in the Muslim world. Understandably so, considering the difficulties of marrying centuries of tradition with being a citizen of the 21st century. But few instances of what Ali Mazrui called “having the wristwatch […]

Khadija Magardie The South African Law Commission’s (SALC) project committee has approved its discussion document and proposed draft Bill on Islamic marriages. The paper, which will be released for public comment, makes provision for the recognition of marriages contracted in terms of Muslim religious law. In addition, it regulates the proprietary consequences of such marriages, […]

Miles Keylock 0932, Main Road, Green Point. On Sunday December 9 groove on down at a night of swinging funk with Breakfast Included, who are joined by Melanie Scholtz on vocals. Shows start at 7pm and finish about 10pm. There is no cover charge and great food specials are available. Details and bookings:Tel: 434 6306. […]

David Macfarlane Thousands of schoolchildren look set to start their school year in January without textbooks but provincial education departments are refusing to admit this. And although budgeted expenditure on textbooks and stationery for the coming year is R1,1-billion an increase of about 15% questions are being raised about how much of this will actually […]

Barry Streek The South African Police Service confirmed this week that it is investigating alleged irregularities in the Thabo Mbeki Crossroads Education Fund as well as the theft of R30 000 from the African National Congress’s Western Cape provincial caucus. Police gave no further details about the probe into the education fund. The fund’s chairperson, […]

Paul Kirk A favoured daughter of the African National Congress looks set to face criminal prosecution for the alleged theft of trust funds while she practised as an attorney. Police this week told the Mail & Guardian that Durban socialite and former attorney Linda Zama could also face charges involving alleged irregularities involving both tax […]

Ngwako Modjadji The South African Certification Council (Safcert) has asked to meet Minister of Education Kader Asmal in the wake of a spate of leaks during this year’s matric exams. The leaks have prompted Safcert an independent oversight body established by an Act of Parliament to take a number of unprecedented measures to ensure the […]