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 […]

Durban playwright and author Ronnie Govender got the best first book award in this year’s Commonwealth Writers Prize. He spoke to SUZY BELL RONNIE GOVENDER, director of Durban’s Playhouse Company, recently won first place in the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize in the category for best first book for his collection At the Edge and other Cato […]

Gustav Thiel YOU can get away with smoking dope in Cape Town – if you do it at the Rainbow Temple. The temple, in a house in the upmarket suburb of Oranjezicht, is dedicated to “the holy weed”, otherwise known as cannabis or dagga. Although the illegality of cannabis is common fact, it is also […]

Philippa Garson LOOK! It’s got imparipinnate leaves and obovate leaflets on a short petiole: it must be a Xanthocercis zambesiaca! Such an observation would stir as little excitement in the bellies of aspirant nature lovers as would a sighting of Psuedogyps africanus – unless, of course, the party was told it was looking at a […]

Madikizela-Mandela has been seeking R3,5- million from British television for her life story, report Rehana Rossouw and Tangeni Amuphadi report CASH-STRAPPED Winnie Madikizela-Mandela has made an extraordinary approach to British television: she is offering to ”tell all” for R3,5 million (500 000). A draft contract by Randburg-based business consultant, Udo Froese, was prepared last year […]

Third World debt resulting from bad lending policies of developed nations should be written off, says Desmond Tutu DEBT repayment has become an important mechanism for transferring wealth from developing countries to the financial giants of the northern hemisphere. According to the United Nations, developing countries paid US$1,662-trillion in debt that was due between the […]