Alex Dodd Imagine spending 25 846 hours in a prison cell anticipating a noose tightening quickly and irrevocably around your neck – punishment for a crime you did not commit. This is the nightmare that came true for Duma Khumalo, who spent seven years in prison – three of those on death row for the […]
Aaron Nicodemus It was a bright Sunday afternoon when Tsepo Molemohi (11) went to play his favorite game – soccer – on a field between Central Western Jabuvu and White City in his Soweto neighbourhood. Before he left, he kissed his mother goodbye. Tsepo, with his soft voice and wide smile, always told his mother […]
Chris Gordon All the indicators suggest external backing for the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is nearing an end, despite a flurry of hostilities in the last week. A short summit meeting of the presidents of Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia and Congolese Foreign Minister Abeloulage Ndombasi discussed the unilateral ceasefire declaration by Rwanda […]
Howard Barrell Like any politician, Thabo Mbeki has his fair share of detractors and enemies. But Zanele Mbeki, his wife, appears to have only admirers. Across the worlds she inhabits – business, development work and politics – she attracts superlatives. “An excellent person”, “of deep conviction”, “very smart”, “dignified”, “lovely” – these encomiums come from […]
With South Africa’s second democratic elections concluded, it is clear that the country has reached the end of an era.
Catherine Knox Taking the gap left for literary arts, the National Arts Council-sponsored Wordfest springs fully armed (as it were) on to the Standard Bank National Arts Festival’s fringe programme with a range of events from performance poets to debates on the politics of prose (July 1 to 8). Envisaged as a place where readers, […]
challenge If the bullion price stays at its current level for any length of time, South Africa could face even more severe unemployment, report Donna Block and Mungo Soggot One of the first major challenges for the Mbeki presidency will be the potentially massive ramifications for South Africa’s economy stemming from the collapse in the […]
Matthew Krouse Down the tube >From the outset one would think that Baby Fathers, showing on June 16 at 9pm on e.tv would be the most depressing documentary ever made. But actually it’s not. Take the subject matter: three teenage fathers living in the townships, who have had their offspring early. They’re poor, inexperienced and […]
John Matshikiza With the Lid Off Response to the saga of my looted home has been huge. Many people have recounted similar misfortunes; most have been amused and appalled at the same time (it is like being in the middle of a horror movie, where the extremity of the situation makes you burst out into […]
irregularities Ivor Powell Election observers and monitors have reported more than 30 electoral irregularities in KwaZulu-Natal, ranging from likely political murder to multiple voting in some areas. The incidents occurred despite the presence of intimidating contingents of security forces personnel to guarantee stability at nearly every voting station in the province. While the disruptions recorded […]
Jacques Rautenbach It’s the staple of countless science fiction comics and movies: a flying car. Just think of Mila Jovovich’s scantily clad body against a backdrop of flying cars in the Fifth Element. But, to the surprise of many sceptics who thought it a dream fit only for Steven Spielberg and other special effects fundis, […]
war, grandad? A controversial new book claims that, far from hating war, soldiers thrive on the thrill of dispatching the enemy. Peter Kingston reports Since the end of conscription, the British army has tried a variety of tricks to lure young men and women to take the queen’s fivepence. See the world, get yourself a […]
The government may not like it, but land invasion is a reality in South Africa, writes Louis Freedberg Isaac Williams, a land invasion officer for the Tygerberg municipality, has an uncanny ability to spot an unauthorised shack amid the hodge-podge squatter settlements in Khayelitsha and surrounding townships. To help him do the job, the city […]
Andrew Muchineripi Soccer They say there is no rest for the wicked, and it looks like we can add Bafana Bafana to the list, despite the fact that I have no knowledge of any misbehaviour by the national soccer squad. A tough African Nations Cup battle with Mauritius has just passed and there will be […]
Libby Young The last year has seen South African cyberspace grow up. The number of users has passed that crucial one million benchmark, Web addresses are starting to appear on bumper stickers and no business card is complete without an e-mail address. So what’s been happening to South Africa’s search engines? Newcomer Max, , from […]
JEAN-CLAUDE Ganga, one of six International Olympic Committee members expelled from the organisation in March for taking bribes, is to resign as president of the African Olympic body, a South African Olympic official said on Monday. Ganga is expected to leave the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (Anoca) at an extraordinary meeting in […]
THE Malawi Electoral Commission has fired two District Commissioners from acting as Returning Officers during the country’s 15 June general elections for “not cooperating” with the Commission. Chief Elections Officer Roosevelt Gondwe says the two men — Geoffrey Mwanja and Martin Mainja — created problems in the run up to the elections. Opposition and civil […]
THE son of a prominent Pagad member has died after being shot while playing soccer in Mitchell’s Plain, Cape Town, on Sunday. Moegamat Heuwel (17), son of People Against Gangsterism and Drugs member Abdul Heuwel, died in Groote Schuur Hospital early on Wednesday morning. He was shot four times, in the head and body, by […]
THE draws for the quarter-finals and semi-finals of the African Football Confederation (CAF) Cup were made in Cairo on Sunday: Quarter-finals Club Sportif Sfaxien, Tunisia (holders) vs Etoile du Sahel, Tunisia; Kwara United, Nigeria vs Zamalek, Egypt; Etoile Filante, Burkina Faso vs Canon Yaounde, Cameroon; Wydad Casablanca, Morocco vs USMA, Algeria; First leg: Sept 3-5, […]
LLEWELLYN Herbert won the 400m hurdles in 48.96 seconds at the Stuttgart international meeting on Sunday. An attempt to crack the 17-year-old world mark in the 4x800m relay race failed as a South African quartet missed the record by 7:04.70 by 0.89 seconds
POLAND’S ambassador to South Africa, Zofia Kuratowska, has died of cancer, a foreign ministry spokesman said on Wednesday. Kuratowska, who had been posted in South Africa for 18 months, died in the Pretoria Heart Hospital on Tuesday, ministry spokesman Marco Boni said. Kuratowska had previously been a deputy speaker of the Polish parliament and was […]
PAKISTAN captain Wasim Akram has rapped young pace bowler Shoaib Akhtar over the knuckles for his part in their World Cup defeat by South Africa. He told the Sunday Telegraph that Shoaib, the fastest bowler in the tournament, had not bowled “according to the plan”. “At the death the best policy is to bowl full […]
OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Wednesday 4.20pm BAFANA Bafana coach Trott Moloto on Wednesday kept the essence of the team who played against Mauritius last weekend in Durban, but recalled five players to a 21-man squad for next week’s double-header against Zimbabwe and Angola. South Africa meet Zimbabwe in a challenge match at the FNB Stadium […]
THE Mpumalanga education department is expected to announce the results of its probe into last year’s matric results scandal later on Thursday. There has been no word yet on whether any officials will be dismissed. The claimed pass rate was 72%, but the SA Certification Council dropped it to 52%, and Judge Eberhard Bertelsmann found […]
JOCKEY Jacob Mutemararo died on Tuesday after falling from his horse during the seventh race at Borrowdale Park on Sunday. Mutemararo fell at the 1400m mark while leading the field on Ancient Glory. He was ahead of 18 runners when his left stirrup iron broke, causing him to fall. Several of the horses following were […]
WEDNESDAY, 6.30PM: SOUTH AFRICAN all-rounder Shaun Pollock made the most of the chance to hone his batting when he clubbed a depleted Nottinghamshire attack all over Trent Bridge on Wednesday. Pollock hit 87 off just 59 deliveries to take the tourists to a commanding 50-over total of 284/6. The 25-year-old Natalian spent his hour at […]
WEDNESDAY, 12.30PM: SOUTH AFRICAN goalkeeper Andre Arendse’s World Cup may be over as he bacame the latest victim of the injury jinx surrounding Bafana Bafana as he injured his knee during practice on Monday night. Arendse was on crutches before he was taken to hospital in Vichy to undergo tests and observation on the injured […]
SOUTH Africa’s last Olympic festival of the millenium will take place on July 4 in Johannesburg when Nocsa hosts the Coca Cola Olympic Day north of Johannesburg. The festival, which will take in 5km and 10km fun runs, with no entrance fee, takes place at Olympic House in Melrose. Sporting celebrities Olympic marathon champion Josia […]
MOROCCO beat Guinea 1-0 in an African Nations’ Cup group two qualifier on Saturday night in Rabat. Morocco’s only goal, scored in the first half, wnet to Abdeljalil Hadda in the 6th minute — in front of a crowd of 70000.
ALL four opposition parties in Mpumalanga’s legislature appear set to form a coalition against the ruling African National Congress. The Democratic Party, which won 4,5% of the provincial vote, met with New National Party representatives in Witbank on Tuesday to discuss the proposed alliance. Further meetings between the NNP, United Democratic Party and Freedom Front […]
ZAMBIA’S Opposition United Party for National Development is seeking the arrest and prosecution of President Frederick Chiluba’s sons, Castro and Miko. The UPND wrote to Inspector General of Police Francis Ndhlovu, expressing “utter disappointment and disgust” with his office for failing to prosecute Castro and Miko Chiluba, who allegedly assault and maim innocent citizens with […]
TUESDAY, 12.30PM: THE SOUTH AFRICAN under-23 team opened their Four Nation International Youth soccer tournament campaign with a 1-1 draw against Zimbabwe at the Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg on Tuesday. The South Africans played amateurish football in the first half, but surprisingly scored in the first 45 minutes. The Zimbabweans, on the other hand, played […]