Marion Edmunds FREE State Premier Patrick Lekota is concerned that the African National Congress-aligned Congress of Traditional Leaders (Contralesa) is spreading its tentacles into the Free State. He has raised the matter with Eastern Cape Premier Raymond Mhlaba. Lekota’s concern adds to growing anxiety among ANC leaders about the role of traditional leaders in the […]

Lynda Loxton SOME analysts were somewhat sceptical this week about the much-publicised decision by the Rupert family empire to merge their tobacco interests in Rembrandt Group Limited (Remgro) and Swiss-based Richemont Securities AG. The merger will create a new, unlisted global tobacco giant, to be known as R&R Tobacco Holdings, which will incorporate Remgro’s tobacco […]

In the final extract from his autobiography, Joe Slovo recalls the beginnings of the ‘people’s war’

Atlantis, an apartheid dumping ground for coloured people, has risen from a state of despondency with the creation of its own community radio station, writes Ruben ONE comes across Atlantis suddenly when driving through scrub and sand dunes on the west coast road about 45km north of Cape Town. The absence of distinguishing landscape features […]

Eddie Koch SOUTH AFRICAN forestry giant Sappi says it will cut back the size of a controversial eucalyptus plantation planned for southern Mozambique in line with suggestions from an independent environmental study. Natal University’s Institute of Natural Resources, commissioned to conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on the proposed forestry, presented its findings to the […]

David Beresford FREDERICK VAN ZYL SLABBERT has been offered the editorship of the Sunday Times as successor to Ken Owen, but has rejected it. The former Progressive Federal Party leader this week confirmed rumours about the proposal. ”Yes, I was offered and I declined after serious consideration,” he said. He declined to comment further. It […]

THE Mail & Guardian is the best English- language international newspaper in the world. This is the assessment of the International Press Directory, which honoured the M&G in its International Press Awards, presented in London on Tuesday night. The M&G came first in the English language section of the Johnsons International Press Awards, beating the […]

Adam Sweeting RECORDING a James Bond theme demands more dignified attributes than mere pop stardom, as Duran Duran demonstrated with A View to a Kill — stupid title, pathetic song, crap movie. Even wily pop veteran Paul McCartney found it difficult to shake and stir the perfect Bond cocktail, and his Live and Let Die […]

Wits University groups have rejected the tribunal set up to investigate the allegations against Makgoba, reports Philippa THE stage is set for further conflict at Wits University around the inquiry into deputy vice- chancellor Malegapuru Makgoba. The Wits Transformation Front (WTF) and Academic Staff Association have rejected the manner in which the tribunal — which […]