Alex Haley may have fabricated much of Roots, writes Pascoe Sawyers, but the novel told a larger truth Like many first generation black Britons, I didnt even know I had African heritage until the mid-1970s. Before then, apart from the superficialities of skin colour and hair texture, it had never occurred to me that I […]

An international research group, including South African astronomer Dr John Menzies, has discovered what may be two Jupiter-like planets circling suns thousands of light years away. The Planet team, which involves observatories all over the world, measures the variations in brightness of selected stars near the centre of our galaxy. Certain kinds of variations, called […]

Andrew Muchineripi Soccer Kaizer Chiefs and success were once synonymous. No South African season passed without the Amakhosi winning the national championship or at least one of the major knockout competitions. They were a great club, filling grounds throughout the country with a heady brew of attacking football. Ace Ntsoelengoe, Teenage Dladla, Fani Madida, Shane […]

Herbert W Vilakazi There is a most serious economic crisis facing this country, even though, like an earthquake or a tornado, it affects different communities differently, depending on how close they are to the epicentre of the destructive force. In recent years, our economy has barely been growing faster than the population; the level of […]

Robert Kirby : Loose cannon The last time I risked entering a South African airport lavatory without wearing protective clothing was at Port Elizabeth and it was the business class one. Not too bad. Before that was about seven months ago and was at Johannesburg International Airport. Remember that famous foul bogger in Trainspotting? Well, […]

Maria McCloy : In your ear There are signs that Gautengs second Muslim radio station, The Voice, is very different from South Africas other Muslim stations. Two stations in Cape Town have proved extremely popular, while Durban has a couple in the pipeline and Gauteng boasts Radio Islam. Shamima Shaikh, chair of The Muslim Community […]

Hadass Segal : Unspoilt places The road from Chipata to Zambias South Luangwa National Park is both a blessing and a curse. Just as you dislodge your stomach from your mouth, another pothole puts it right back for you. But it certainly is worth getting there. The fact that only 4x4s and overland trucks can […]

Mukoni T Ratshitanga and Bongani Siqoko Apartheid?s architect, Dr Hendrik Verwoerd, would be turning in his grave. The hospital named after him is now headed by a black woman. Dr Zola Njongwe is chief medical superintendent of Pretoria Academic Hospital ? renamed in April after being HF Verwoed Hospital since the death of the former […]

Ed Vulliamy in Washington The question that has haunted a billion parents for 20 years is poised to go before a judge and jury in an American court: is Barbie a wholesome toy for young children or a sex object? As the worlds billionth Barbie doll was sold last week, a song called Barbie Girl […]

The truth commission hearings into the SABC shed little light on the means and methods of its apartheid years, writes Ferial Haffajee There were no tears. There should have been. This weeks Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearing into the SABC was a tragic affair. Tragic in the revelation of systematic and sanctioned brainwashing; sad in […]