Bongani Majola Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry Ronnie Kasrils South Africa’s former deputy defence minister this week instituted defamation action against four newspapers for their coverage of the arms deal. The papers are Business Day, Pretoria News Weekend, Saturday Argus and Sunday Tribune. Kasrils claims the newspapers defamed him by publishing articles stating that […]

The slowdown in the global economy could have positive effects for South Africa in the long term Mungo Soggot and Stefaans Brmmer The global recession that is likely to follow last week’s terror attacks on the United States will hit the South African economy in the short term. But economists say changed global conditions could […]

Mail & Guardian reporter “Every day, in every community throughout South Africa, an elderly person is being emotionally belittled, isolated, punished, threatened with harm, and physically and sexually abused. In the vast majority of cases, the abuser is the victim’s spouse, partner, child, grandchild, primary care giver, or a person in the position of trust, […]

It had been months in the planning, and within moments of the attack on September 11 old certainties had crumbled as surely as those mighty towers. We trace the arc of terror, from its secret beginnings and deadly actions, to the fallout that will affect us all Ed Vulliamy and Anthony Browne in New York, […]

China Major religions: Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Taoism China has said it will join the fight against terrorism. But it is unlikely to let United States forces use the narrow strip of its territory that borders Afghanistan. Tajikistan Major religion: Islam Tajikistan is the only country in the region which accepts a Russian military presence. It […]

David Macfarlane Wilma Wessels took the education high road and successfully completed five Damelin Management School courses in four years. The top student in her class last year, Wessels says: “After studying the first, second and third modules in credit, I completed both business management and advanced business management as well.” Wessels’s choice of courses […]

Carolyn Frost The fruit and flower industries are a major earner of foreign exchange for South Africa, and an obvious potential export growth area. Creating the pre- and post-harvest technology to keep South African products competitive in the demanding overseas market is the focus of a University of Stellenbosch programme, headed by Professor Karen Theron. […]

Belinda Beresford The release this week of the most up-to-date projection analysing the impact of HIV/Aids on South Africa shows that cumulative deaths from Aids-related illnesses are expected to exceed one million in just three years time if there are no interventions. And it confirms that the epidemic may be too firmly entrenched for its […]

Neal Collins A million years ago, when foot and mouth rather than Bin Laden threatened civilisation, England’s rugby players were heading for a Six Nations grand slam. Only Warren Gatland’s rejuvenated Ireland and the dreaded foot and mouth disease could stop Clive Woodward’s men claiming the reward they had been denied by Wales and Scotland […]

Mail & Guardian Reporters This year’s Lesbian and Gay Pride event in Johannesburg will boast a greatly expanded cultural line-up, including poetry readings, theatrical performances and cabaret, in the lead-up to the parade itself on September 29. There are two aspects to this: lesbian and gay culture itself and lesbian and gay contributions to the […]