David Macfarlane Sharp disagreements among some of South Africa’s leading education experts this week indicate the Ministry of Education’s planned shake-up of higher education will be marked by bitter conflict and tense political infighting. The Council on Higher Education’s (CHE) recent recommendations for fundamental changes were the subject of a divisive panel discussion hosted by […]

Three patients on life support systems died when the power failed at Baragwanath hospital Evidence wa ka Ngobeni The Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, South Africa’s largest hospital, appears to have covered up a deadly power failure that crippled the overcrowded institution this month depriving it of life-support systems for several hours. At least three patients […]

Proposed anti-terrorism laws could see prescribed detention for anyone suspected of involvement with terror attacks Marianne Merten The government is pinning its hopes of stemming the wave of terror attacks in the Western Cape on new anti-terrorism laws giving security forces draconian powers. Justice officials say the draft Bill could be fast-tracked and tabled in […]

Confusion reigns about the president’s exact stance on the link between HIV and Aids Belinda Beresford, Jaspreet Kindra and Nawaal Deane The African National Congress has launched a damage-limitation exercise to counter a groundswell of criticism in the scientific community, divisions in the ANC-led alliance and public bewilderment about its stance on HIV/Aids. Triggered by […]

The tripartite alliance has not patched up its differences ahead of the municipal elections, and deeper cracks remain Howard Barrell, Glenda Daniels, Jaspreet Kindra and Barry Streek Leaders of the ruling tripartite alliance came away from their meeting at a secret venue outside Johannesburg on Monday without having resolved any of the deep- seated policy […]

The controversy surrounding the John Robbie interview with the minister of health has clouded the real issues about HIV and Aids Timothy Trengove-Jones We are all familiar with the details of the case Minister of Health v John Robbie. We also all know the theory that history repeats itself, first as tragedy, then as farce. […]

Denise Ford President Thabo Mbeki appears to confuse the causes of immune deficiency and the specific syndrome associated with HIV/Aids in his interview with Time magazine. If he is quoted correctly in the article, he betrays a startling level of scientific ignorance. He says: “But the notion that immune deficiency is only acquired from a […]

Duvall Pettway and Kojo Baffoe fashion Local fashion has climbed to an all-time high with designers pulling out all the stops at the 4th annual South African Fashion Week (SAFW). September can be re- dubbed fashion month with the showing of spring/summer collections at various events hosted around Johannesburg. The season kicked off in full […]

Communities in the Hex River Valley and Worcester have united in a way never seen before to save their livelihoods Barry Streek United protests against a proposed toll road between Worcester and the Hex River Valley, European concerns about ethical trading and a major crisis in South Africa’s table grape export industry could bring the […]

Thuli Nhlapo Zanele Mbeki, wife of President Thabo Mbeki, has emerged as a key player in a saga involving the erection of temporary housing that flouted government policy and tender procedures. The lawfulness of the housing settlement, in Leeuwkop, north of Johannesburg, was addressed in the Pretoria High Court this week. The court observed that […]