Provincial dispute over allocation of positions spreads into distribution of anti-retrovirals Jaspreet Kindra Party tensions in the KwaZulu-Natal government resurfaced this week, when the IFP premier and ANC health MEC clashed over the distribution of anti-retrovirals to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV in the province. In addition, Inkatha Freedom Party Premier Lionel Mtshali insisted in […]

Charlene Smith Traditional leaders and healers are moving rapidly to amend custom and tradition, and to use herbal remedies in some of the most effective battles against the ravages of Aids. The Medical Research Council (MRC)recently opened a research centre at Delft in Cape Town where traditional healers purvey their craft, and where they can […]

Southern African states show a blatant lack of democratic awareness, Henning Melber argues With the gaining of political power by liberation movements in Zimbabwe in 1980 and Namibia in 1990, the final decolonisation of the African continent took its course. In 1994 a democratic political system under a lawfully elected African National Congress government was […]

As the Apartheid Museum opens it doors, John Matshikiza wonders what will make the turnstiles spin Erecting a building that is to house the whole history of apartheid might seem a little premature. Are we really ready to announce the end of apartheid? Are we confident enough to encapsulate it as a piece of dead […]

>From a virus point of view, HIV is a great survivor. Even the scientists trying to combat the Aids epidemic admire their mutant enemy. HIV is not particularly infectious, it’s not very hardy outside its host and it is susceptible to sterilising treatment like bleach. But it has a lengthy, hidden incubation period, and its […]

Unions say the government is pushing ahead with job cuts despite the fact that a framework agreement is not yet in place Glenda Daniels The government has told 7 274 public servants that their jobs are redundant and they face retrenchment, according to a survey of members carried out by public service trade unions. This […]

Alex Sudheim Imagine pulling into the sweetest barrel you’ve ever dreamed of, then hitting pause and staying there forever. The surreal quality of this image is enhanced by the fact that, when looking out the far side of the tube you see not the ocean, but a giant video screen with yourself projected on it, […]

Simon Kuper Apparently baffling events, such as England beating Germany 5-1 away, often turn out to be part of a logical pattern. What made the result seem particularly curious was that Germany had lost only one World Cup qualifying match before. However, so had Brazil before 2000. This time they lost six, and the Dutch […]

I am appalled at the sloppy reporting and sensational headline that you permit in the article by Paul Kirk (“Newspaper sales figures ‘inflated’”, November 23). Routine checking would have established ignorance and a personal agenda. Independent Newspapers is a reputable company. We were founder members of the Audit Bureau of Circulations and comply with its […]

Judith February The report by the joint investigative team into the arms deal somewhat overshadowed the rising of Parliament last Friday. Seven of the parliamentary committees will scrutinise the report during recess. The parliamentary year has, however, been anything but dull and some key pieces of legislation have been passed to the president. In addition, […]