Staff Reporter

After a tiring week creating the universe, the earth and us, God rested. And being God, he foresaw that one day there would be war and high-rise buildings and traffic and technology that would speed up human life beyond endurance. And he said: “Let there be the Seychelles.” These 92 islands and islets, spread over […]

Maureen Barnes Down the tube One of the advantages of being a TV critic is being able to watch television at odd times and since Oprah left SABC3, I’ve been tuning in at 5pm. I rather liked the Canadian series, Side Effects, set in an urban clinic, but that ended after a couple of weeks […]

Friday night :Xoli Norman There is something unrelentingly inviting about the Newtown art and entertainment scene, especially on Fridays. The sparsely peopled district brings on a dense nostalgia evocative of the good old days of a vibrant Market Theatre precinct. Today the place retains an edgy vibe, but for different reasons. What people fight for […]

Kwaito superstar Oupa Makhendlas Mafokate died in a confusing drama of gunshots. Zwelithini ka Mvelase looks at Makhendlas as a township thesis of his generation – the wasted, young, black and talented A Nile of tears threatens to storm out of my tear sacks – eyes weighed down by grief and too red to hold […]

Kate Herbert Imagine a room with two views: one a dusty, arid moonscape; the other lush, green and wet. This is the luxury “home from home” set- up at the Savuti Elephant Camp and Xaxaba in the Chobe Game Reserve in Botswana. The room at Savuti is too opulent for its “tent camp” status. It […]

Andrew Worsdale Movie of the week Ever since the release of Ozzie director Peter Weir’s Picnic At Hanging Rock (1975) and, perhaps more significantly, Bruce Beresford’s `Breaker’ Morant (1979), South African film-makers have been notoriously envious of the Australian film industry, and with good reason. `Breaker’ Morant, which tells the story of three Australian soldiers […]

Giulio Biccari started out in the movie business tearing tickets. These days he captures some of the most startling images in South African film. Andrew Worsdale reports You saw Zola Maseko’s The Life and Times of Sara Baartman on TV a couple of weeks ago, but do you know who gave you its luscious images? […]

Peter Makurube It has taken a long time but at last the real heroes of South African jazz are being honoured. The Untold Story, a show held in memory of jazz greats of an era gone by, is part of the ongoing African Renaissance series. Soloists will interpret the works of icons like Dudu Pukwana, […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Friday 9.00am. SACKED West Indian cricket skipper Brian Lara said in London on Thursday that he is confident the crisis-hit tour of South Africa will go ahead, but added that he is not sure whether he will play. Lara, who flew to London with eight other players because of a pay […]

On a Warner Brothers press junket to Los Angeles Alex Dodd found a flip side to the dream factory For someone as hopelessly addicted to the glittery escape of celluloid as I am, the prospect of a trip to Los Angeles had me surfing waves of fantasy. Images of wild, wild Nicholas Cage cruising down […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Cape Town | Friday 1.30pm. THOUSANDS of people from across Africa are streaming to South Africa seeking refugee status, most of them under false pretences, Home Affairs Deputy Minister Lindiwe Sisulu said in Parliament on Thursday. Speaking during debate on a new Refugees Bill that will bring the country’s laws dealing with refugees […]

Not CDs of the week: Shaun de Waal It was reported a while ago that David Bowie had declined to be involved in Todd Haynes’s new glam rock movie, Velvet Goldmine. The reason given was Bowie’s desire to hang on to his seminal Seventies creation, Ziggy Stardust, for future exploitation by himself. I suspect, however, […]

SARAH BULLEN, Johannesburg | Wednesday 5.00pm. THE Johannesburg Stock Exchange gave a good rally on Wednesday in a strong session sparked by an announcement by major commercial banks of a rate cut. Nedcor, ABSA, Saambou and Standard Bank announced one percentage point reductions in their prime lending rates. The expectation of a rates cut has […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Thursday 12.00noon. A BATTLE royal awaits Sundowns on Sunday when they take on Bush Bucks at home in Umtata, on an Independence Stadium pitch which at the best of times is almost unplayable. The Brazilians will be weakened up front as their star striker Raphael Chukwu will not be playing in […]

MUNGO SOGGOT, Johannesburg | Thursday 4.50pm. KOBUS van Zyl, the former general manager of the strategic fuel fund, says he will challenge in court the fund’s decision to fire him this week – 20 months after he was suspended. Van Zyl was axed by an internal disciplinary panel on Monday after being found guilty on […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Harare | Thursday 9.30am. THE Zimbabwean army has been deployed in Harare townships following violence on Wednesday that developed from protests over petrol price rises. Zimbabwean state television news has shown heavily armed soldiers conducting foot patrols. It is believed the troops were requested by police struggling to contain the violence. Meanwhile, protest […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Thursday 3.45pm. WHITE right-wing farmers are joining a growing black vigilante group in a bid to deal with the crime plaguing South Africa, a Johannesburg daily reported on Thursday. The group, called Mapogo a Mathamaga, was Thursday due to launch a new branch in Ventersdorp, west of Johannesburg, a bastion of […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Thursday 1.30pm. JOMO Cosmos and Moroka Swallows deadlocked to a 2-2 draw in their Castle Premier League match at the George Goch Stadium on Wednesday. The match was replayed on Wednesday after Swallows players were struck by lightning during the first clash between the the sides a fortnight ago and the […]

ROB DAVIES, Johannesburg | Wednesday 10.10am. STATISTICS on the incidence of serious crime for the period between January and June 1998 released by the South African Police Service’s Crime Information Management Centre in Parliament on Tuesday shows that violent crime has increased in South Africa, with farm attacks in particular shooting through the roof. Attacks […]

MIKE METELITS, Johannesburg | Wednesday 11.20am. LOCAL markets opened stronger on Wednesday, as Asian exchanges registered strong gains and Nedbank cut prime lending rates. Other commercial banks are likely to follow suit, leading to higher liquidity in the marketplace. The all share joined in the general global cheer, picking up 48 points to 6007 at […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Wednesday 4.30pm. THE mini-league phase of the African Champions League reaches a climax this weekend with four clubs chasing places in the two-leg final. Hearts of Oak from Ghana must win by at least two goals away to Dynamos of Zimbabwe in Group A to prevent the Harare club becoming the […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Wednesday 11.00am. THE Independent Broadcasting Authority on Tuesday hit out at newly-launched free-to-air television station, e.tv, accusing it of contravening up to seven of its licence conditions in its first seven days of broadcasting. According to the long-delayed IBA report, e.tv flouted its African language requirements, and failed to broadcast any […]

SIZWE samaYENDE, Messina | Wednesday 1.30pm. Northern Province farmers and police are set to defend themselves on charges of systematic abuse of labourers in the province during a two-day Human Rights Commission hearing beginning in Messina’s Agricultural Hall on Wednesday. The hearings are a continuation of damning testimony from labourers heard before the commission in […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT and AFP, Harare | Wednesday 10.45pm. THE violence that erupted on the streets of the Zimbabwean capital Harare on Wednesday morning had subsided by the afternoon, although buses and minibus taxis satyed off the roads for fear of coming under attack by protesters boycotting public transport after fare increases. Wednesday’s rioting and boycott […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Tuesday 1.00pm. OIL group Engen on Monday posted a 36,2% rise in headline earnings a share and a 4,4% rise in turnover to R13,1-billion for the year to August, Engen CE Rob Angel said on Monday. The rise in headline earnings brings Engen’s earnings per share to 312c, added to which […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Monday 6.00pm. AFTER a disastrous Currie Cup season, Louis Luyt’s Golden Lions Rugby Union have bought nearly half of the Free State side, it was reported on Monday. Flyhalf MJ Smith confirmed on Saturday night that he will be relocating to the Lion’s Johannesburg home, Ellis Park, Business Day reported. He […]

DUDUZILE NKOMO, Harare | Monday 11.00am. THE Zimbabwean fuel price has been increased by 67% with effect from Friday night, President Robert Mugabe’s government announced at the weekend. Leaded petrol now costs about US$0,28, from 17c per litre, while the price of diesel now costs 23c, an increase of nearly 68%. Additional increases are expected […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT and AFP, Johannesburg | Monday 7.00pm. WINNIE Madikizela-Mandela, former wife of President Nelson Mandela, was on Monday nominated as a parliamentary candidate for the African National Congress. This emerged on Monday when the ANC released a list of Gauteng nominees for the 1999 general election. Madikizela-Mandela — who last week hit the headlines […]

JOE KAUNDA, Luanda | Monday 7.15pm. ANGOLAN police announced last week that all Unita-aligned members of the national police service will be demobilised. This comes after the Angolan parliament two weeks ago passed a resolution to strip rebel leader Jonas Savimbi of his special status. In announcing the demobilisation, National Police commander Fernado dos Santos […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT and AFP, Cape Town | Monday 7.45pm. FINANCE Minister Trevor Manuel on Monday announced a revision of South Africa’s estimated budget deficit for the 1998/1999 financial year to 3,9% of gross domestic product, up from the 3,5% deficit projected in March. Manuel said, however, that the government remains committed to reducing the budget […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Sunday 5.45pm. THE Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration on Saturday presented Edgars and its two labour unions with a settlement proposal in a bid to end a protracted strike. CCMA spokesman Sithembele Tshwete said that negotiations concluded on Saturday morning with parties preparing to take the proposal to their respective […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Monday 1.00am. SOUTH African IBF junior featherweight champion Vuyani “The Beast” Bungu retained his title after beating American challenger Danny Romero on points in Atlantic City, New Jersey on Saturday. Bungu’s win sees him matching Brian Mitchell’s record of 12 successful world title defences. There judges, however, did not see the […]