Jane Rosenthal Trekking to Teema by Pieter-Dirk Uys (comPress/Book) In this very readable novel, now in actual book form after an Internet debut, Pieter-Dirk Uys manages to be both richly entertaining and rather serious. Written from the heart, it is often tongue-in-cheek, an unpretentious but well-told tale. It concerns one Dawid de Lange who, having […]
A former military officer under the apartheid regime, disabled and shunned by the very system he chose to serve, has not let the curve ball thrown to him by fate stop him from fulfilling his dreams Khadija Magardie It is rare that childhood dreams of becoming a ballerina or a fighter jet pilot are sustained […]
Evidence wa ka Ngobeni A top-level scientific investigation has been launched to detect the possibility of a volcanic eruption at a tiny village near Thohoyandou, Northern Province. The probe, being conducted by a team of six scientists, was started two weeks ago after communities from Siloam in the Nzhelele district reported land deformations and mudslides. […]
Fiona Macleod While the world signed a landmark treaty this week outlawing 12 of the most dangerous chemical concoctions, a major South African company continues to trade openly in one of these toxins. Chlordane, a pesticide used mainly on building sites to get rid of termites underground, is one of the persistent organic pollutants (POPs) […]
Jean Redpath crossfire The trial of those accused of Rashaad Staggie’s murder began on Monday. The state was criticised for subpoenaing journalists. The press said the subpoenas were an infringement of press freedom and would have a “chilling effect” on media ability to gather news. But is the issue that clear cut? And who is […]
By Mboniso Sigonyela The latest Edgars consolidated store results could be the first indication that the cellular phone market, which has been a major revenue driver for retailers, has reached its peak. Edcon, the first retailer to stock cellphones, reports a 14% year-on-year decline in cellphone sales from its United retail chain. United retail is […]
Can Ginwala, the politician, be accountable to both the ANC and Parliament? Barry Streek The problem facing the increasingly beleaguered Speaker of the National Assembly, Frene Ginwala, is that she is wearing too many political hats. She is a committed and long-standing member of the majority party in Parliament, an elected member of its national […]
Letters to the best man Chez Uhuru 228 Musgrave Road iThekwini To:Dr Essop Pahad The Presidency Union Buildings Tshwane Dear Dr Pahad, In recent months I have been plagued by guilt, without being able to identify the source. Every time I have seen our leader on television, heard his inimitable voice on radio, or read […]
Barbara Ludman crime Round-up Newton Thornburg’s Cutter and Bone, circa 1976, is a post-apocalyptic novel posing as a thriller: bleak and brilliantly written, with characters you can’t shrug off, some of the best, truest and funniest dialogue you’ll ever read and a tragic and inescapable point. Cutter is Alex Cutter, a Vietnam War veteran whose […]
Malegapuru Makgoba a Second Look The challenges facing science and its development today are no longer predominantly technical, but largely social. The future of science lies in three areas: ethics, communication and attending to societal concerns. The need for science to be understood by the public and for scientists to communicate better, as well as […]