CRICKET Peter Robinson South Africa need to sort a few things out before they take on Australia. This, I hasten to point out, is Shaun Pollock’s view, although I’m inclined to agree with him. It’s difficult to be critical of a team that has just won a two-Test series by one match to nothing and […]

Comment Charlotte Raven Most people in the world had more than one response to what happened to the United States last week. I think it is safe to say that apart from three or four Palestinians, everyone is sad to see so many of their fellow humans killed in such horrendous circumstances. That goes for […]

Sean O’Connor The ancient art of winemaking is being revolutionised in biotech- nology laboratories around the world and leading the way are a group of scientists and students from Stellenbosch University, the nerve-centre of South Africa’s R3-billion a year wine industry. Although steeped in tradition, wine production is now a hi-tech enterprise. This is largely […]

The national government might take over education in some areas David Macfarlane and Nawaal Deane The national government is seriously contemplating invoking powerful constitutional measures that will allow it for the first time to take over certain provincial government functions. Minister of Education Kader Asmal last week expressed serious dissatisfaction with a number of provincial […]

analysis Ewen MacAskill There could hardly be a worse place for military action. Draw up a list of the world’s most volatile regions and the Pakistan-India-Afghanistan triangle would be at the top or close to it. Add the Middle East and, as Britain’s Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has said, there are the makings of “the […]

Stuart Millar The attacks on New York and Washington will force organisations to rethink their computer security procedures, experts predicted. Society’s growing reliance on computers and communication technology makes it more vulnerable if systems are wiped out. But according to @stake, the world’s biggest independent security consultancy, the majority of organisations do not have adequate […]

Barry Streek The terror attacks in the United States have strengthened the case for controversial provisions in draft e-commerce legislation approved by the South African Cabinet this week. The Electronic Communications and Transactions Bill contains “Big Brother” provisions empowering the authorities to open cybermail messages and place controls over the use of encrypted services. The […]

RUGBY Andy Capostagno It is safe to assume that Butch James will never forget the 2001 rugby season. As the fulcrum of a rejuvenated Sharks team he got to play in the Super 12 final. A month later he played his first Test match and 10 days after that outing against France he received his […]

Barry Streek The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) has confirmed the firing of senior parliamentary official Nomsa Somdaka for using the services of five caretakers to paint her house and paying them overtime with parliamentary funds. Somdaka was the head of institutional support in Parliament. “Taken as a whole Somdaka had been guilty […]

Jaspreet Kindra Only three of the nine provinces are likely to elect provincial African National Congress office-bearers this year, amid a chaotic scenario where branches are being dissolved and reestablished in line with new municipal boundaries. ANC spokesperson Nomfanelo Mayosi-Kota says the Western Cape, Northern Cape and Gauteng are the only provinces likely to stage […]