Staff Reporter

Loose cannon: Robert Kirby It is with grim amusement that we have watched the lumbering egg-dance – or should we rather say egg-toyi-toyi – which has attended the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) final report. As a display of professional political hypocrisy, this one has been a winner all the way. First […]

Review of the week: Matthew Krouse Classical music always garnered a heap of bad press in the old South Africa. Great works of Western music were, we were informed, part of a Eurocentric dominance – an unnecessary aberration in the lives of poor Africans. Apparently, so we’re told, times have changed. Today, a generation of […]

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 […]

John Crace It goes without saying that your choice of holiday destination is a statement of your aesthetics. After all, there’s precious little point in going to Ibiza if it’s peace and quiet and a few old masters you’re after. And an eco-tour to the Amazonian rain forest immediately identifies you as the caring, thoughtful […]

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, 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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Andy Capostagno Rugby Even Nick Mallett has admitted it. “We cannot claim to be the underdogs on this tour”, he said on Tuesday night, and the Springbok coach is absolutely right. Mallett has built a rod for his own back in this season of unprecedented success for the national side, and a Grand Slam of […]

Mike Cadman The long, hot and sandy track that runs from Maun to Kasane across some of Botswana’s best wildlife country is rapidly becoming one of Africa’s most popular overland trips. Youngsters from New Jersey, retired couples from Bavaria, backpackers from Holland and a seemingly endless flow of other tourists lured by the twin attractions […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, 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 […]

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 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 […]

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 […]

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 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 | 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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, Maseru | Monday 9.30pm. LESOTHO’S Prime Minister has been accused by opposition parties of victimising civil servants after claims that over 30 alleged mutineers would be court-martialled instead of receiving a general amnesty as demanded. The 11 opposition parties, in a letter to South African Safety and Security Minister Sydney Mufamadi, said that […]

OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Monday 1.00am. VAAL Professionals earned three valuable log points when they beat Moroka Swallows 1-0 in a Castle Premier League soccer match at Iscor Stadium in Sebokeng on Sunday. The was not exciting by any stretch of the imamgination, but it was tough and physical enough to see the first half […]

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 […]

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, Windhoek | Monday 6.50pm. THE Truth and Reconciliation Commission has blamed former South African army chief Lieutenant General Constand Viljoen, former air force chief RH Rodgers, and their political masters — the late prime minister John Vorster and defence minister PW Botha — for the Cassinga massacre of 1978, in which over 600 […]

LEONARD NDZHUKULA, Nelspruit | Monday 10.00am. SIX Mpumalanga medical students have returned from studying in Cuba where, thay claim, they were held in a “concentration camp from hell” where they were discriminated against in a manner similar to aprtheid. According to the students, Health Minister Nkosazana Zuma lied to them about their contracts and publicly […]

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 […]