TV personality Saira Essa’s R1-million wedding has been slammed as a publicity stunt, reports SUZY BELL in this week’s Cultural Sushi column A WICKED quote doing the rounds in Durban: “Following Saira Essa around India is like being trapped in a cupboard with a postcard of the Taj Mahal.” The words come from a television […]

Despite the regular births of Siamese twins in South Africa, medical experts still can’t explain the syndrome, writes Rowan Callaghan THE birth of Siamese twins Monde and Nomonde last week seems yet another in a long list since Mpho and Mphonyane Mathibela first stole South African hearts some eight years ago. Reports of Siamese twins […]

Andrew Meldrum in Harare ZIMBABWEAN Cabinet members are accused of looting a huge fund meant to compensate independence war veterans, a scandal that has come to a head just as the country marks its 17th anniversary of independence. Many Cabinet ministers, MPs and others closely connected to President Robert Mugabe’s ruling Zanu-PF party, have claimed […]

have entered their second year – with the same vigorous criticism from the new school as last year. Our journalists look at several of the categories and profile some of their favourites Who does he think he is? Maria McCloy on Joe Nina, Best Township Pop nominee `I DON’T want to give people Ding Dong […]

Gwen Ansell on Sipho Gumede, Best Producer nominee `IT’S funny,” says bassman Sipho Gumede on the phone line from Durban, “the industry is only checking me as a producer now, when I’ve been a professional musician for 26 years.” Gumede is commenting on his nomination at this year’s Sama awards for Best Producer for his […]

The South African government cannot be seen to take sides, but it must still protect domestic business interests, reports Stefaans Brmmer SOUTH AFRICA faces a dilemma in its role as peace mediator in Zaire: as “honest broker” the government cannot be seen to take sides, yet South African companies – chiefly mining interests -stand to […]

It was Cool Eddie for a change during the Argentine Grand Prix, but the hot passions his nationality arouses made him ask for a neutral flag MOTOR RACING: Maurice Hamilton WHEN Jacques Villeneuve goes to Imola for the San Marino Grand Prix this weekend, he may feel like taking time out to thank the Italian […]

Stuart Hess MMABATHO THIBEDI (29) is astonished to learn that the government pays child maintenance to some single mothers. “They [the government] didn’t introduce that policy [child maintenance] in this community,” she says. “If the government offers us the grant, it will make us much happier, the children can get a better education and I’ll […]

In an historic moment last weekend the wheelchairs and cameras rolled in unison as the first fully sponsored and televised sports event for the disabled got under way, writes Julian Drew THERE was an extra edge to the tension among the players as they warmed up for the first round of the SuperSport Wheelchair Basketball […]