Ivor Powell As the world gears up to ban diamonds from conflict zones, the Canadian government is being accused of manipulating a United Nations humanitarian campaign against Africa’s so-called “blood diamonds” to the benefit of its own fledgling industry. The UN’s report, published earlier this year, was initiated and headed by Canada’s ambassador to the […]

Archaeologists are trying to find what really happened at the battle of Isandlwana Paul Kirk Amid the noise of the battle, the screams of the dying and the roar of a cannon, a desperate soldier of the 24th Regiment of Foot took shelter behind the two large boulders on the Isandlwana battlefield and poured five […]

Andrew Gilder On the face of it the recent demise of the State Theatre ballet and dance companies, while politically expedient, seems to be a “giant leap backwards” for South African dance. From one perspective this is true. More than half of the professional dance contracts available in the country were lost. The other point […]

Natasha Distiller crossfire Khadija Magardie’s article, “Put an end to prostitution by removing the demand” (August 18 to 24) contains a number of interesting legal and moral assumptions that warrant exploration. Decriminalising and regulating the adult commercial sex-work industry are important steps towards dealing with the violence and exploitation that occur in the industry. Decriminalisation […]

He was one of the greatest bowlers of all time – maybe even the greatest. So how come most of us have never heard of Bart King? Martin Kettle It was once said of Bart King that he was the best-known American of his time in England. When he went to Britain, people would recognise […]

Khadija Magardie A landmark decision by the Constitutional Court last week endorsing crucial crime-fighting legislation brings to an end a string of legal attacks on the law. The ruling, which stemmed from a raid on controversial tycoon Billy Rautenbach, sets a precedent for similar cases in which targets of criminal investigations might use the constitutionally […]

Thami Mazwai One understands Cosatu supremo Zwelinzima Vavi’s overriding passion for the welfare and well-being of workers. After all, fighting for workers is his profession as well as his bread and butter. But is he not being a bit myopic? There is no point in protecting rights if these result in investor wariness and the […]

SOUTH Africa’s largest engineering and contracting group Murray & Roberts has reported sharp losses for the 2000 financial year, but expects earnings to improve in the year ahead. ”We are now in a position to get down to business … we have a strong balance sheet which gives us a solid platform for growth,” chief […]

Highly educated blacks working in South Africa struggle against a system that aims to exclude and sideline them, writes Wiseman Magasela There is the open struggle that is fought with bullets and bombs out on the plains. War is declared. Battle lines are drawn. The enemy is known and identifiable. South Africa had its own […]

Sprint queen Marion Jones and swimmer Ian Thorpe are among those hoping to strike multiple gold in Sydney Grant Shimmin On Monday evening, Australian time, the bulk of South Africa’s 130-strong Olympic team will take up residence in the future Sydney suburb of Newington which is the athletes’ village for this month’s games. For them, […]