There is a temptation to dismiss Robert Mugabe as a figure of fun. But the time has come — following his government’s attempt to ban the participation of gays in the Zimbabwe book fair — to get serious with the man and let him know that we regard his continued displays of homophobia as a […]
Gaye Davis PETER MOKABA’S elevation to deputy minister has brought a sigh of relief by members of the National Assembly’s Portfolio Committee on Environment Affairs and Tourism. They hope that as deputy minister he will make the portfolio more of a priority than he did when he was chair of the committee. Intended to function […]
The Tembisa tragedy has highlighted South Africa’s disastrous public transport system. Stuart Hess, Joshua Amupadhi and Justin Pearce report Wednesday’s disaster at Tembisa station on the East Rand, which left 15 dead and at least 50 in hospital, was a bloody reminder of a deep crisis in South Africa’s public transport system. “Some stations are […]
A court-ordered swoop uncovered evidence that torture is still taking place at a notorious Johannesburg police station, reports Mungo Soggot A surprise raid on Johannesburg’s Brixton Police Station has thrown up a towel and a plastic bag that match the descriptions given by a 17-year-old girl, who claims a policeman tortured her with the articles […]
Justin Pearce Telkom has taken to barring certain phone lines to international calls, in an attempt to “protect” its clients from fraudsters. A Johannesburg Telkom official admitted this to the Mail & Guardian after the newspaper was approached by a telephone user who found certain international numbers were blocked to her after hours — even […]
French producer Anatole Dauman, in SA for a festival of his films, is one of a kind: an entrepreneur with artistic vision. He spoke to ANDREW WORSDALE ANATOLE DAUMAN, one of the leading figures in European auteur cinema, wastes no time on pleasantries. No sooner were we introduced than this legendary French producer burst into […]
Tentacles of the fraud octopus will `be chopped off with a sharp machete’, reports Justin Arenstein THE former head of one of Mpumalanga’s regional councils, Gerhard Smith, went down in history as the main tentacle of a “muddy and smelly octopus” this week after he was fingered for milking at least R3,24-million from the province. […]
Apart from six palaces — one for each wife — Swazi King Mswati III earlier this year bought a hotel, it has been discovered SWAZI King Mswati III has bought an R8-million hotel in Mbabane at a time when the homes of many of his subjects are being repossessed by Swaziland’s banks. Both the price […]
Why does photographer Ian van Coller cut off the heads of his subjects? SUZY BELL finds out IN the beginning, the gods gave all the seeds and plants to the animals of the world to grow. Mabuyu was given to the hyena, who unfortunately was very last in line, and he was so upset he […]
Team physiotherapist Craig Smith is one of the busiest members of the South African A team on tour in England CRICKET: Barney Spender THE scene has become fairly typical over the last two weeks. A small clutch of hacks, with markedly different gaits, making their way to the South African A team’s dressing room. Boolam […]