JKRowling’s latest Harry Potter book, which arrives in South Africa this week, has caused hysteria in Britain. Its timing is just right Mark Lawson In a career of only three years, JK Rowling has changed book publishing. She has created a world in which novels – like new cars, grouse, Beaujolais nouveau and Star Wars […]
Evidence wa ka Ngobeni The Human Rights Commission (HRC) has given Minister of Public Enterprises Jeff Radebe three weeks to explain his attack on the Mail & Guardian at the media racism hearings, saying his accusations constitute a prima facie violation of the Bill of Rights. At the hearings in April, Radebe – on behalf […]
Muff Andersson I had to fight for the picture above of former president Nelson Mandela, Johannesburg mayor Isaac Mogase and Professor Lindsay Bremner of the University of the Witwatersrand. Madiba’s protocol person told me to get lost. He will not do it, she said, exiting the council venue that had been hosting her boss. But […]
Harry Pearson Last week I attended one of the jewels in the sporting calendar, the village first- school sports day. It was a sunny afternoon, the attendance was good and all the children got a chance to take part. As the afternoon progressed I watched kindly mums wink at six-year-olds who had just finished last […]
A new Magaliesberg conservation project is being threatened by arsonists Nechama Brodie What should have been a week of celebration for Magaliesberg-based nature conservancy Jackal’s Kloof was marred by a deliberately set fire on its mountain top last week. The fire, which started late on Tuesday afternoon, took several hours to get under control – […]
Caroline Sullivan CD OFTHEWEEK ‘Strong, independent, pagan woman” – that is how Sin,ad O’Connor describes herself on Daddy, I’m Fine, one of the most inspirational lyrics she has written for her first album in six years, Faith and Courage (Atlantic). And we can rightfully celebrate the return of the independent, exasperating, unique Ms O’Connor. Faith […]
Peter Dickson Seven days of celebration is one hell of a birthday party – but veteran African National Congress activist and intellectual Govan Mbeki is no ordinary 90-year -old. Affectionately known to his comrades as Oom Gov, it’s been a hard road from rural Transkei to the Summerstand home along the Port Elizabeth beachfront where […]
Cell C The high court case by unsuccessful bidders for the third cellular licence could be aided by a series of apparent blunders by the president’s office Ivor Powell Senior government figures this week scrambled to avoid further embarrassment over the Cell C debacle as they prepared for a court application by a rival bidder […]
Tangeni Amupadhi The dismissal of the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation’s (NBC) news boss for a report calling a Zimbabwean opposition leader “charismatic” has fuelled fears that the Namibian government is seeking to clamp down on press freedom. Nora Appolus was fired as controller of news and current affairs last week and demoted to manager for training. […]
The Olympic Games are just two months away and Sydney is gearing up for the big event Grant Shimmin in Sydney I was finding it a little difficult to believe. I mean, here I was in the city where it would soon all be happening and there seemed to be nothing to tell me about […]