POLITICS: Two very different responses to the recent attack on liberals Margaret Legum IN her autobiography, Mamphela Ramphele quotes Steve Biko’s opinion that white liberals “lacked a coherent critique of racism and its socio-economic manifestations”. Since then white liberals have been accused of unconscious racism, patronising behaviour and refusing to countenance criticism of themselves, while […]

Eddie Koch THE African National Congress has instructed its leadership and members to go to the truth commission if they committed human rights abuses during the anti-apartheid struggle — and, in a gesture of support for the truth process, has withdrawn temporary immunity given to its members by the old government. “The ANC renounces the […]

1996 Budget Borrowing within a framework of good fiscal discipline The deficit target has fallen again. So South Africa is in a strong bargaining position when it comes to foreign aid, says the deputy director general of finance. Aspasia Karras reports South Africa has been promised R7,5-billion over the next three years in “foreign aid”, […]

Gaye Davis CHANGES to the National Archives Bill that bring under political control decisions on what records should be kept and what should be destroyed have caused an outcry among archivists and historians who helped draft the new law. But a clash with Arts, Culture, Science and Technology Minister Dr Ben Ngubane may yet be […]

A row over Namibia’s reconciliation process has led to calls for a South African-style truth commission, reports Denford Magora THE reconciliation process in Namibia — carefully nurtured by President Sam Nujoma since independence — is teetering after a row over Swapo’s treatment of detainees during the liberation struggle and allegations of crimes committed by policemen […]

South Africa got it wrong in the quarter-final against the West Indies, but on the public relations front they got it right every time CRICKET: Mark Lamport-Stokes SOUTH AFRICA may have suffered the extreme disappointment of exiting stage left from cricket’s World Cup after their quarter-final defeat against a resurgent West Indies in Karachi on […]

An open letter from ANC parliamentarian Phumsile Mlambo-Ngcuka to Human Rights Commission chair Barney Pityana, supporting his attack on ‘racists’ Your response to the remarks made by Professor Dennis Davis (Mail & Guardian February 23 to 29) will hopefully encourage more of us in the government to defend the decisions we take from the assaults […]

1996 BUDGET Few surprises and lacking in boldness Lynda Loxton There was a predictably mixed reaction from political parties to Finance Minister Chris Liebenberg’s 1996/97 budget on Wednesday. The African National Congress welcomed the fact that Liebenberg had not succumbed to the “short-sighted and insensitive free advice” of the likes of the South African Foundation […]

A high-ranking policeman faces charges in what is thought to touch on a much larger probe into police corruption, writes Stefaans Brummer TOP policeman Charlie Landman, head of Johannesburg’s Brixton Murder and Robbery squad, is facing charges in what well-placed sources say is “chapter one” of a probe into massive high-level police corruption. Transvaal Attorney […]

Gavin Du Venage THE Cape Town Olympic Bid committee is about to clinch the two crucial sponsorship deals that will bring it close to the R80-million it needs to fund its bid to host the 2004 Olympic Games. The two sponsors, almost certainly Sun International and South African Airways, are expected to announce their backing […]