Barry Streek The government sees the free movement of people and workers among the 14 member states of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) as a medium-term goal, top government representative Joel Netshitenzhe confirmed this week. This is in marked contrast with current policy, and follows a xenophobic riot in Zandspruit, near Johannes-burg, two weeks […]

The Cape summer season gathers momentum with the R125 000 grade 2 Odessa Stud Fillies Championship for three-year-olds over 1 400m at Kenilworth on Saturday, and the scene could be set for settling a couple of old scores. Mike Azzie has engaged Jeff Lloyd to ride his promising filly Bridal Paths and the Highveld-based trainer […]

Paul Kirk The long-awaited report on South Africa’s R60-billion arms package, due out next week, is expected to blast officials for conflicts of interest, recommend a shake-up of tender procedures and criticise several of the weapons deals. Compiled by the Scorpions, the public protector and the auditor general, the report will update Parliament on the […]

Mail & Guardian reporter Public Service Announcements (PSAs) are the things television people make when they have a bit of spare time on their hands and a good feeling in their hearts. The annual Vuka Awards are promoted by MultiChoice Africa and this year they celebrated the achievements of newcomers in the field of video […]

Paul Kirk Companies that lost out in the R60-billion arms deal are limbering up to sue the government after the long-awaited report into the arms deal, which could provide crucial information to mount lawsuits. The Mail & Guardian reported last week that Italian airplane manufacturer Aermacchi was considering litigation after tender procedures were changed to […]

aNALYSIS Sean Jacobs and Jessica Blatt How is the American left reacting to the attacks of September 11, and the current bombing and ground assaults by United States military in Afghanistan? First off: there is not much of a left to speak of in the US these days. Yes, there’s an environmental movement, and a […]

Russell Thomas As if football’s rulers did not have enough on their plate, between organising a 2002 World Cup co-hosted by historic enemies and confronting security worries after September 11! This week Fifa, the world governing body, expressed concern about animal welfare or rather animal abuse with canine consumption top of the worry list, especially […]

Matthew Engel in New York New York was stunned into silence this week a silence that in a normal year would be called shocked, even grief-stricken. The cause was a sporting defeat, but this was no ordinary defeat: the New York Yankees, the most successful team in the history of American sport, were beaten at […]

Marianne Merten and Jaspreet Kindra Western Cape Premier Gerald Morkel may soon face a joint New National Party-African National Congress vote of no confidence in the Western Cape legislature, following his setback in the Cape High Court this week. It is known that the possibility of a no-confidence vote was discussed at a strategy meeting […]

Barry Streek Chaos in the payment of social grants by South Africa’s nine provincial governments resulted in overspending of R570-million in the 1999/2000 financial year and payments of R28,7-million to corpses, salaried people, non-citizens and other illegal beneficiaries. This was disclosed in a report to Parliament by Auditor General Shauket Fakie, based on an audit […]