Denise Ford State hospitals are dysfunctional places over the festive season. Staff are run at skeleton levels, on the theory that “non-urgent” cases will be kept at a minimum. Unfortunately, the state’s continued cutting of resources and beds in secondary and tertiary care facilities means that most beds are filled with very ill patients. It […]

KwaZulu-Natal gets the honours as South Africa’s dodgiest province in the year 2000 Paul Kirk They fled with trust funds, they fleeced investors and they stole from the state this year’s crop of rogues proved that crime does pay and that 2000 was a bumper year for South Africa’s underworld. The survivor of the year […]

Cedric Mayson spirit level Oupa: What are you drawing? Child: It’s a picture of Jesus. Oupa: But no one knows what Jesus looked like. Child: They will do when I’ve finished. The marvellous Christmas pictures drawn by Luke and Matthew are full of meaning and to dismiss them as myths is to miss the point. […]

Making the grade What the scores mean A: Take a bow. You’re doing an excellent job B: Good, but room for improvement C: You’re OK, but that’s all we can say for you D: Get your act together. You’re verging on useless E: Do yourself and the country a favour: resign F: You’re fired Last […]

Andy Capostagno golf This was the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese calendar, but if it is possible for one man to influence the heavens then it was quite definitely the Year of the Tiger. A young American wrote his name in the history books so consistently there can be little doubt that this […]

Undoubtedly the country’s holiday capital, Cape Town is brimming with funky festive fare Guy Willoughby ‘Save water save the Cape”, breathes the man on the radio as you wing down the N2, through the Huguenot tunnel and into the Peninsula. So the first tip for this post- or pre-millennial summer is: don’t drink the H2O. […]

Nawaal Deane Choosing a toy that is politically correct, educationally based, functionally and physically stimulating, that is non- satanist and does not perpetuate aggressive, violent behaviour are criteria most parents consider. But their children just want to have fun … and keep up with their classmates. The Mail & Guardian asked the experts how some […]

With plenty of entertainment on television, there’s no reason to feel alone this festive season Christmas Eve (Sunday December 24) SABC1, 13:00 Christmas in London The Serendipity Singers and various guests perform Christmas music e.tv, 15:00 ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS Average comedy about two children whose Christmas wish is to get their divorced parents […]

Belinda Beresford At first hearing usually being sung by squeaky pre-pubescent voices The 12 Days of Christmas is a collection of nonsense phrases designed to test the memory. But like many nursery rhymes the song has a grimmer history. It was forged in the fires of the British Reformation, when the Church of England, created […]