Howard Barrell The multiparty South African parliamentary delegation that observed the Zimbabwean elections in June is approaching consensus that the poll was credible and reflected the will of the people. But, because of the violence that marked the run-up to Zimbabwe’s elections, the delegation is unlikely to characterise them as having been “free and fair”, […]
Thuli Nhlapo and Evidence wa ka Ngobeni As the nation was celebrating the 44th anniversary of National Women’s Day this week, some women across the country were being sexually assaulted and others gang-raped. Women’s rights organisations have expressed outrage at incidents of rape on the public holiday reported at police stations around the country. The […]
Five lucky Friday readers can each win a set of nine Patricia Cornwell titles -her full backlist, which has just been reissued in paperback with new covers. They are: Post- Mortem, Body of Evidence, All That Remains, Cruel and Unusual, The Body Farm, From Potter’s Field, Cause of Death, Unnatural Exposure and Point of Origin. […]
Neal Collins previews the English Premiership soccer season, which kicks off this weekend with the Charity Shield Arsenal Manager: Arsene Wenger. Odds on being sacked this season: 6-1. Last season: Uefa Cup final, second in Premiership. This season: Make no mistake, the loss of Emmanuel Petit and Marc Overmars will cut deeply into Wenger’s carefully […]
Steven Friedman worm’s eye view We can let the police do what they want – or we can try to make them do what we want. Sometimes, an experience helps us understand issues better than abstract debate. The recent arrest of my colleague Xolela Mangcu is an example: it helped crystallise what is wrong with […]
Ebrahim Harvey left field When Minister of Defence Mosiuoa Lekota played down press reports about a defence intelligence agent, Carien Pieterse, attempting to recruit an editor and other journalists to spy for them, and went on to say that he had no problem if this was done in the “national interest”, I recalled the controversy […]
Bob Woolmer from the pavilion South African cricket is in the process of re-establishing itself in the eyes of the world. The Hansiegate scandal and the ensuing mudslinging during the King commission ensured an enormous amount of rebuilding had to take place. Part of the rebuilding is in the hands of Shaun Pollock and Graham […]
Howard Barrell The UDF. A History of the United Democratic Front in South Africa, 1983-1991 by Jeremy Seekings (David Philip/James Currey/Ohio University Press) For many thousands of people who participated in the United Democratic Front and its affiliates, reading this book will be like stepping once more through the seven tumultous years that brought this […]
Andrew Muchineripi soccer The fifth edition of the Castle premiership league football marathon kicked off this week with the leading actors half a continent away, passing the time waiting for a flight home from the Cameroonian city of Douala. Sundowns arrived in Johannesburg only on Thursday after a gutsy 2-1 African Champions League victory over […]
Open declarations by the ANC and IFP of high stakes in the local government election have rekindled fears of renewed intimidation and violence Jaspreet Kindra The African National Congress sounded a warning to its coalition partner – the Inkatha Freedom Party – this week that their partnership in KwaZulu-Natal may not last beyond the local […]