Bongo Maffin’s new album brings together the old and the new in South African music – and could well be the next big thing. They speak to Maria McCloy speaks to the group The legendary Miriam Makeba’s 1950s hit Pata Pata was the last thing I thought I’d hear getting heavy rotation on radio or […]

FRIDAY, 5.30PM LESOTHO’S King Letsie III, who has occupied the throne since the death of his father Moshoeshoe II last year, was finally crowned on Friday, with a headband, feathers and animal skins over his blue military uniform. Fifteen thousand people — including such dignitaries as Britain’s Prince Charles, Nelson Mandela and Zulu king Goodwill […]

LAWYERS STUDY FOUR YEARS LAWYERS will only need to stuy for four years for their LLB degrees, rather than the current five. The Qualification of Legal Practioners Amendment Bill, which provides for an LLB-degree to be obtained in four years, also received unanimous support in parliament on Friday. NO FIREWORKS JOHANNESBURG’S eastern council, which controls […]

New radio stations in Mozambique speak of more than mere party ideology, writes Peta Thornycroft Mozambique is enjoying a boom of new radio stations where the freeing of the airwaves has been an audible peacetime dividend. There are now five new radio stations in Mozambique which, prior to elections three years ago, had only one […]

FRIDAY, 8.45AM: The long-awaited Rothmans semi-finals kick off on Saturday with Orlando Pirates hosting Mamelodi Sundowns at FNB Stadium at 3pm. On Sunday, Manning Rangers entertain Kaizer Chiefs at Chatsworth Stadium in Durban. Most of the coaches envolved in the semi-finals are less concerned with their opponents than with what they regard as the deteriorating […]

Tom Quoin : Design How would you like a well-chilled beer, early on a summer’s evening, while you’re perched more than 40m above the Midrand highveld? The stunning view will carry you from the restless Jo’burg skyline to the south through to the rows of craggy kopjes that cradle Pretoria. But you’ll need to strain […]

Gustav Thiel : In your ear Punt Geselsradio’s claim that it is the first Afrikaans talk radio station in the world is much the same as saying that Pretoria University is the biggest Afrikaans university in the world. ”Firstness” is after all a relative concept. But when this new station hits the air in Gauteng […]

THURSDAY, 9.15AM: FORMER Springbok prop Guy Kebble and former Northern Transvaal coach Chris Buitendach, who heped coach Nick Mallet with scrum work at Wednesday’s training session, said they were not very impressed with the Boks’ work rate. They, however, believe that given more time, Springbok would be a formidable side. After the intense training Buitendach […]

Lizeka Mda finds a surprising amount of ignorance about anatomy and reproduction among urban teenagers Lindiwe Mthelezulu is writing matric this year. She cuts a very confident figure as she glides through the Carlton Centre, the playground for youth in Johannesburg. When a man sniggers about the length of her shorts to his friend, she […]

THURSDAY, 9.40AM: SOUTH AFRICAN paceman Alan Donald will not be coming home to rest during the duration of the on-day tournament as reported last week. The South African camp have had a change of heart following Brian McMillan’s return to South Africa yesterday. South African convenor of the national selection panel Peter Pollock said last […]