In an attempt to retain some power the National Party will probably reject the winner-takes-all form of democracy, argues Anton Harber NATIONAL PARTY leader FW de Klerk is likely to make proposals next week for partial, watered-down powersharing after the 1999 general election. Party insiders say that De Klerk will use the NP’s federal congress […]

A Peruvian bus trip demonstrates to Old Mutual economist Terence Moll just how ineffectual government economic controls can be ACROSS the valley, lights loomed in the desert night and a subdued murmur ran through the bus. The large Peruvian woman in front of me hitched her seat forward and I stretched for the first time […]

Marthinus van Schalkwyk THE forthcoming federal congress of the National Party symbolises a party which must accept important challenges to maintain its indispensible role in South African politics. It is a party which — after more than 40 years – – has, for the first time, had to undergo the traumatic experience of losing power. […]

TELEVISION: Stanley Peskin ONE thing that every foreigner knows about the English is that Englishwomen write the best detective stories of all. Now it can unequivocally be stated that an Englishwoman called Jennifer Saunders has written and performed in the funniest comedy series that has appeared on television monitors in years. Absolutely Fabulous is just […]

IT is ironic to see those who for so long vilified Joe Slovo turn him into something of a new South African saint. He wasn’t. If anything he was a down-to-earth, unpretentious, though quite remarkable, man. Many of his exceptional qualities have been cited in the past few days, but there are two which deserve […]

GOLF: Jon Swift THERE was something like an aura of invincibility about the way Ernie Els strode to victory in the Bell’s Cup at Fancourt last weekend. It is the same invisible — yet recognisable — mantle of power which used to surround Gary Player on the South African circuit. Player, like Els, got his […]

Joe Slovo was the man who brokered the agreement which lead to majority rule. Jonathan Steele pays tribute to to a principled persuader JOE SLOVO had the good fortune to see the promised land. After living in exile for many years, and after the South African Communist Party was unbanned, he helped majority rule come […]

CINEMA: Shaun de Waal DOMINIC SENA’S film Kalifornia, which is a few years old now, was not a big hit in Britain or America. We may never have seen it on the big screen here had it not been for Brad Pitt’s recent success, or the ascendance of Juliette Lewis in films like Natural Born […]

Mercenaries battling a humble community tied up by someone else’s law Justin Pearce reports A LOCKED chain and two pistol-packing security guards ensure that you can’t drive a car into the Hoek van de Berg private nature reserve near Hawston. Police Casspirs, however, pass freely, stirring up the dune sand and pushing aside the dense […]

Principals were just as confused as parents and pupils when school started this week. By Pat Sidley and Nombuyiselo Moloyi GAUTENG’S MEC for education, Mary Metcalfe, may find it tougher than her anti-discrimination rules make it look to iron out all the allegations of racism lodged by parents of children starting school this week. Her […]