answered It is insufficient merely to make allegations in order for these to constitute prima facie findings or prima facie violations. Before a person can fairly and reasonably be said to be implicated in anything there must at least be some evidence which has formed the subject matter of an investigation leading to the making […]

Howard Barrell Human Rights Commission chair Barney Pityana co-authored a newspaper article three years ago in which he effectively prejudged the central issue into which he has now called a commission of inquiry – whether there is racism in the South African media. The terms of reference of the Human Rights Commission’s controversial inquiry ask […]

Howard Barrell President Thabo Mbeki and Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel have thrust aside last-minute resistance from Cabinet colleagues and decided to launch on time what is likely to prove a silent revolution in the control of the state’s finances and its delivery of services. Manuel told Parliament in his budget speech on Wednesday that […]

Steven Friedman WORM’S EYE VIEW Sometimes, the way we try to start a conversation can be guaranteed to end it. An example is the planned government attempt to start a discussion on race. There is no issue on which we need more urgently to talk. Race continues to dominate our society and will do so […]

Jubie Matlou The thumping and rhythmic beats from a batar drum to the tune of a melodic choral rendition bring a small displaced community together. The place for this spiritual union is Mayfair, and the day and time is Sunday afternoon. The sound created by the batar drum is very special to the Somali refugee […]

Andy Capostagno RUGBY There are still some dinosaurs who will tell you that the game of rugby union should have nothing to do with show business, most of whom probably thoroughly enjoyed England’s try-less 15- 9 win over France in last week’s Six Nations. Such relics of a former amateur regime will be appalled by […]

Jean Spear SOUTH AFRICA LESOTHO & SWAZILAND: THE ROUGH GUIDE by Barbra McCrea, Greg Mthembu-Salter, Tony Pinchuck & Donald Reid (Rough Guides) Newly published, South Africa Lesotho & Swaziland: The Rough Guide provides a street-savvy, balanced guide to the southern tip of Africa. The guide offers in-depth, to-the-point coverage of everything from boerewors to skelms […]

State More than half-a-million rand has failed to find its way to the country’s controlling body of professional golf Michael Vlismas GOLF The Southern Africa Tour instituted court action against the Free State’s provincial government this week in an attempt to recover more than half-a- million rand it believes it is owed. Somewhere between Cape […]

Hazel Southam In a British survey last year, almost one million children claimed to have been “upset” by something they had found on the Internet. Forty per cent said that they had found something “rude”. Another poll showed that 56% of British Internet users are concerned about pornography and 75% will not let their children […]

Donna Block The co-founder of New Africa Investments Limited (Nail), Jonty Sandler, tried to claw his way back from the business wilderness this week, appealing to shareholders in full-page advertisements to block Nail’s long-awaited restructuring. The disgraced former executive resigned his post last year after it emerged that Sandler and three other directors had hatched […]