Evidence of murders motivated by greed rather than revelations of political crimes dominated the first days of Eugene de Kock’s trial, writes Jan Taljaard BOGGED down in intricate legal argument for the first two days of proceedings, the Eugene de Kock trial did not look to be the curtain raiser to the “truth hearings” or […]

Inge Ruigrok THE Greater Johannesburg TMC this week granted welfare organisations a reprieve until June from the death blow of having to pay full municipal rates on their properties. The move was in response to pressure from the “Lobby Against Rates” — a delegation of Gauteng-based welfare organisations — and took the form of an […]

Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi resorted to the politics of tantrums this week when he led a walkout from parliament. But more important than criticising this return to his pre-election ways is to understand why he is doing it and President Nelson Mandela’s somewhat limited options in dealing with it. The immediate concerns that lay behind the […]

Weekly Mail Reporter READY or not, Africus: The Johannesburg Biennale — South Africa’s debut on the global fine arts circuit — will be throwing open its doors to the public on Tuesday, February 28. With luck, buildings and roads will have been completed, a dignitary secured to make the opening speeches, and art works will […]

Is Chris Stals about to scrap the financial rand? Jacques Magliolo Looks into the rumours A statement by Reserve Bank governor Chris Stals this week fuelled rumours that the financial rand would be scrapped within weeks. However, according to a number of economists and analysts, the speculation seems optimistic. The finrand was introduced by the […]

Marketing Clive Simpkins IF South Africa is serious about hosting the World Cup and, more distantly, the 2004 Olympics, we’re going to have to rectify accommodation and infrastructure deficiencies. If not, our marketability as a big-event venue is at stake. I was in Cape Town for the opening of parliament. Weeks ahead, there was virtually […]

THEATRE: Justin Pearce ART imitates life, life imitates art, and theatre imitates cinema ’cause movies are a whole lot more successful than plays … No, no, foul, unfair! It’s tempting to speculate that Ian Fraser’s venture into the world of vampirism, Story of an African Vampire, at the Pieter Roos Theatre at the Civic, is […]

Two pioneers are using art therapy to help Soweto children heal the wounds of poverty and violence. Hazel Friedman reports THEY beckon like neons in the smog and debris: two zozo huts decorated with bright murals of frolicking children and flowers. These are the Dube and Othandweni headquarters of Matep (Mokhele Art Therapy and Education […]

Craig Williamson has revealed that South African security police carried out a London bombing raid. But he hasn’t told the whole story, say former colleagues. Stefaans Brummer reports ONE-TIME spy Craig Williamson’s revelations about the March 1982 bombing of the ANC offices in London do not go farenough, former police Security Branch colleagues say. They […]

It’s time for South Africans to move beyond the furore over Allan Boesak’s Geneva posting, writes Peter Vale. This week’s report by the Commission for Global Governance highlights the real international challenges facing the country OUR Global Neighbourhood, the report released in Cape Town this week by Swedish Prime Minister Ingvar Carlsson and Sonny Ramphal, […]