Gregory Mthembu-Salter Rwanda played host this week to one of the largest and most ambitious cultural events ever seen in the country – a festival of “memory against forgetting”. The Fest’Africa – in Rwanda’s capi-tal Kigali, and the university town of Butare – brought together authors, artists and film- makers from all over the continent […]
David Le Page The notebook computer market could be in for a shock following Microsoft’s launch of its new Pocket PC system, which was demonstrated at the Computer Faire in Midrand last week. The shock is that for half the price, mobile computer users are going to be able to get most of the functionality […]
Cameron Duodu LETTER FROM THE NORTH Last week I faced a dilemma. I was invited to go on the radio to discuss an article in the London Daily Telegraph entitled “Sooner or later, Africa must face some form of recolonisation”. I told the BBC that the idea of recolonising Africa was so preposterous that I […]
lottery cash Barry Streek More than 8E000 NGOs have been registered in terms of the Non-profit Organisations Act, Minister of Welfare and Population Development Zola Skweyiya has disclosed. This is far short of his own department’s estimate of between 45E000 and 80E000 non- profit organisations (NPOs) in South Africa, but it is a significant achievement […]
debutants Liam Botham (22, just signed to play on the wing for Newcastle): After a lengthy debate with his cricketing legend dad Ian over whether to play for England or Wales (where, until last month, he was turning out for champions Cardiff), he turned out for England A during the Six Nations and scored tries […]
The third annual Pietersburg-Polokwane Book and Film Fair was a sell-out Stephen Gray The recent Pietersburg-Polokwane Book and Film Fair was enjoyable beyond the sheer pleasure of its buzz of success. Crocodiles of children scuttling for seats … crowds bursting through glass doors … elbows at the lavish catering … book sales being made. Peaceful […]
David Le Paige Reserve Bank governor Tito Mboweni and Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel seemed to be at odds with each other last weekend, making apparently contradictory pronouncements about inflation targeting. “I’m very serious and determined to make my mark in bringing inflation rates down. It’s absolutely critical,” said Mboweni. He said the inflation target […]
Matthew Krouse Say what you like about the programme of the National Arts Festival this year: lament that it’s not brimming with overseas acts, like last year – the 25th birthday bash – or moan about the state of the indigenous performing arts. Whatever one may feel about the festival, it’s providing a bunch of […]
Belinda Beresford Punching way above its weight, the agricultural sector in South Africa manages to have a disproportionate effect on the country’s growth figures. If it hadn’t been for the near 18% fall in agriculture’s contribution, the gross domestic figures for the first quarter of this year would have been a reasonable 1,9%, instead of […]
Luvuyo Kakaza CD OFTHEWEEK Miriam Makeba’s latest release, Homeland (Putumayo), lives up to its epic name. It pays tribute to Makeba – affectionately known as Mama Afrika – a living legend of African music. It also showcases a collaboration of African sounds, cultures and beats. It cannot be compared to any of Makeba’s past albums. […]