CINEMA: Justin Pearce THE unique charms of Zero Patience can be gleaned from a quick run through of this film’s musical numbers: a bluesy solo sung by a blonde, beehived HIV virus; a Victorian scientist, who has discovered the secret of eternal youth, delivering an ode to enlightenment values, called Let’s All Be Empiricists; a […]

The power sector has come under the spotlight lately and is an issue of major concern for sub-Saharan countries, reports Meshack Mabogoane ATTEMPTS to restructure parastatals in the sub-continent have been the focus of fundamental discussions recently. Two conferences, addressing this issue and setting scenarios for market-related developments and economic changes, have been held in […]

Western Cape Local Government MEC Peter Marais, whose boundary demarcation plan was rejected in court this week, is at the centre of a new election controversy, reports Rehana A NEW local government row is looming in the Western Cape over Local Government MEC Peter Marais’ refusal to prepare new legislation for rural local elections or […]

Research into teacher training has revealed that the system is not making the grade, writes Philippa Garson THE first national teacher education audit to be conducted in South Africa has uncovered an alarmingly inadequate teacher education system in need of fundamental restructuring. Results of the audit, released this week, show that the quality of teacher […]

Gencor, has become a jewel in the mining industry, but can it smooth out its internal policy problems, asks Karen Harverson GENCOR’S transformation from an unwieldy conglomerate with a myriad of unrelated interests into an international mining group, focused on mining and metals, has been accomplished with aplomb. Through the foresight of Derek Keys, appointed […]

Mail & Guardian Reporter ALTHOUGH the Comoros Islands have reopened for South African holiday-makers in the wake of Bob Denard’s abortive coup in October, the “Perfume Isles” are still being battered by other political storms. Political leaders on Moheli Island, one of the largest in the Comoros complex, last weekend announced they no longer recognise […]

Justin Pearce ALEXANDRA’S Far East Bank squatters will soon be back in court, when Johannesburg’s Eastern Metropolitan Substructure tries, where the provincial government failed, to have the squatters evicted. Last week, after a blaze of publicity condemning the squatters as “land invaders”, Premier Tokyo Sexwale’s government failed in a supreme court application to have the […]

Mehlo Mvelase MELCHIZEDEC ZAKHELE “MZ” KHUMALO — the alleged link man between Inkatha and the paramilitary unit at the centre of the Malan murder trial — has a long history of doing propaganda work for Pretoria. The Mail & Guardian has established that Khumalo — the Malan trial’s “accused number 7” and the alleged middleman […]

RARELY in South African public life can a document have been produced which is as politically explosive as the 64-page indictment (including addenda) presented last Friday in the Magnus Malan case. What makes it paradoxical is that there are, as of yet, no political repercussions. The explanation, of course, is that it is an indictment […]

It appears that South Africa has chosen relations with Taiwan over mainland China to repay an ANC debt, reports Gaye Davis PRESIDENT Nelson Mandela has cited a $10- million donation from the Republic of China on Taiwan for the African National Congress’ general election campaign as one reason South Africa would not break ties with […]