Merryman Kunene soccer In South Africa, where football players are among the biggest role models for youngsters, it is gratifying to meet players or former stars like Mike Mangena, Marks Maponyane and Gary Bailey who, long after their playing days are over, are still able to sustain a superstar lifestyle. However, the more frequent reality […]

An exhibition of portraits of Nelson Mandela questions the role that art plays in the construction of power Yvette Gresl Janet Wilson’s debut exhibition, Icon and Index, is an engrossing exploration of portraiture in post-apartheid South Africa. The subject of Wilson’s portraits is Nelson Mandela, unquestionably South Africa’s most ubiquitous political and cultural icon. I […]

A new book on the truth commission has exposed a bitter feud between some of the body’s top officials Jaspreet Kindra Two truth commissioners this week lashed out at Dr Alex Boraine, deputy chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, for pillorying their contribution to the truth process. Hlengiwe Mkhize called Boraine a “psychopath”, while […]

Despite an international ban, many governments still torture their political opponents Heather van Niekerk In the past three years people reportedly died as a result of torture in more than 80 countries. Torture or ill-treatment by state agents was reported in more than 150 countries and was widespread in more than 70. Palden Gyatso is […]

A who’s who of mayoral candidates in the forthcoming local government elections. Howard Barrel and Jaspreet Kindra report Johannesburg The political heavyweight in the African National Congress’s list of mayoral candidates, Amos Masondo, stands to become the first citizen of the country’s chief industrial and financial centre , with a gross domestic product that stands […]

Health activists are concerned about a vigorous advertising campaign to recruit more women smokers, particularly in developing countries Khadija Magardie Latest statistics from the World Health Organisation (WHO) indicate there are about a billion smokers worldwide – less than 12% of which are women. But, women’s health activists say, this figure is expected to mushroom […]

It’s not just the oil price that makes off- shore investing a slippery business Neil Thomas Trying to take a view on world investment markets right now, particularly equity markets, entails an intricate egg dance. And it’s a curate’s egg you have to dance on. It’s been a long time since international markets have looked […]

innovations Samsung has created a spectacularly fast Graphics Memory Chip: a 128MB DDR-SDRAM. That’s a bigger memory than most PCs have in the form of conventional memory. The new chip runs at 500 megabits a second (mbps), and will allow gamers especially to experience far higher resolution and clarity of image. Samsung claim the chips […]

Marina Cantacuzino Body Language Some people can identify a defining moment in their childhood – an incident that brings an idea to mind which is then indelibly fixed in the psyche. For Gelding – an adopted alias for the American Internet guru to all wannabe eunuchs – that moment came when he was 12 years […]

Class will out in the Currie Cup and the top sides have made it through to this weekend’s semifinals Andy Capostagno The rugby season that began on Friday February 25 is almost over. Those players who do not make Harry Viljoen’s Springbok touring squad of 40 can look forward to at least two months that […]