Marianne Merten Three New National Party provincial leaders Mpumalanga’s Chris MacPherson, North West’s Amie Venter and the Northern Province’s Schalk van Schalkwyk are certain to win places in their provincial cabinets in terms of the cooperative governance pact between the NNP and the African National Congress announced this week. In terms of the pact, NNP […]

Shyaka Kanuma hits the nail exactly on the head but a few more strokes would have completed the picture (“Look no further than taxis”, November 23). By using taxi passengers’ submission to the whims of the driver as a reflection of Africa’s submission to the whims of tyrants, Kanuma could not have used a better […]

drink Shannon Sherry The myth and mystique that imbues the marketing of Scotch whisky is almost as heady as the “water of life” itself. The makers of Scotch sell more than just a drink: with the “liquid gold” consumers get drunk on an entire body of Scottish legend. At a highly enjoyable whisky banquet put […]

Accidents of birth rob the World Cup of many of the world’s very best players Ian Ridley World governing body Fifa must have been cold-sweating in Switzerland but in the end it turned out nice again: all seven of the previous World Cup winners through to the finals after convincing last-gasp wins. Once the relief […]

I had of late started to lose enthusiasm for buying and reading the Mail & Guardian, what with that obnoxious man Sipho Seepe blathering all over my weekly read. I am told he also goes under the pretext of being a professor but I think he can safely be referred to as a palooka. But […]

The HRC’s capitulation on this week’s court challenge to the government HIV/Aids policy gives rise to questions over the commission’s independence Thuli Nhlapo and Nawaal Deane The Human Rights Commission (HRC) pulled out of helping the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) in its landmark challenge to the government on HIV/Aids after the commission’s then chair, Barney […]

Ntuthuko Maphumulo Black Leopards will be looking to improve on their fourth position in the log when they meet reigning Premier Soccer League champions Orlando Pirates on Sunday. Some promoted teams found the going tough in the top flight and soon returned to the lower divisions, but the Leopards seem to be up to the […]

An Anglican clergyman is preparing to tell his congregation that he is HIV-positive, writes Belinda Beresford Would you share the blood of Christ with someone who has HIV? Would you support fellow church members with the virus, or would you condemn them as sinful? And would it make any difference if one of those fellow […]

Visiting the world champions is a make or break tour for SA Peter Robinson Consider this for a statistic: in six previous tours to Australia, South Africa has never won a Test series. In 1952/53 (under Jack Cheetham), in 19963/64 (under Trevor Goddard) and in 1993/94 (under Kepler Wessels) South African teams returned with a […]

Curious that the clearly discernible obscenities directed at Indian batsmen during the second Test by such as Jacques Kallis and Mornantau Hayward failed to reach the ears of English match referee Mike Denness. Noteworthy that England take on India in a Test series in India just days after the third South Africa versus India Test. […]