There is a growing gulf between what is important to those at the top of the police force and those at the bottom, reports Tangeni Amupadhi after two weeks at a police station CONSTABLE Mbekeni Mthetwa died for a car. Minutes before his shift was to end on the evening of May 26, the 34-year-old […]
Tom Hibbert on Abel Ferrara IT was four years ago that I first set out to interview Abel Ferrara, the “maverick” film director whose talent to shock seems unparalleled. His Bad Lieutenant – in which Harvey Keitel plays a corrupt copper who is coked to the gills, given to masturbating in public and having writhing […]
Anne Eveleth DYNAMO Investments Chairman Oscar Dhlomo says he promised full editorial independence to staff at City Press – South Africa’s largest black weekly – before a consortium led by his company bought a controlling share of the newspaper from Naspers. The R110-million sale of 51% of the paper – to Dynamo, Ukhozi Investments and […]
Top films, like Abel Ferrara’s The Addiction, are being released straight to video. ANDREW WORSDALE finds out why TO see some really great movies these days it seems you have to go to a one-off film festival or visit the video shop. “Marginal” films often go straight to video. This is the case with clunky […]
FRIDAY, 8.30AM FORMER justice minister Adriaan Vlok has admitted to ordering the placing of “small explosive devices” outside two cinemas showing anti-apartheid movies, and to making false bomb threats to cinemas planning to show the Biko film Cry Freedom. Vlok is believed to be referring to a series of anti-censorship film festivals run by the […]
meet Moshoeshoe Stephen Gray TWO hundred years ago a pair of lowly lads was born in Scotland, that great producer of emigrants. One was the son of a humble joiner in the northernmost Highlands, the other of a mere shepherd in the Border area. Both were self-educated, ambitious enough to make something of themselves in […]
FRIDAY, 12.00NOON: BRITISH LIONS manager Fran Cotton on Thursday announced the team to play the Springboks in the first Test between South Africa and England, at Newlands in Cape Town on Saturday. LIONS: Neil Jenkins, Ieuan Evans, Scott Gibbs, Jeremy Guscott, Alan Tait, Gregor Townsend, Matt Dawson, Tim Rodber, Richard Hill, Lawrence Dallaglio, Jeremy Davidson, […]
Stephen Gray attended the clannish celebration of writer, doctor and cook Louis Leipoldt in the Cedarberg area. On a warm winter West Coast long weekend … over an old Republic Day … ‘ Twas nostalgia all the way … the village churchbells chimed and rimed. Season to commemorate the folk poet with the jug ears […]
SOCCER:Andrew Muchineripi AS Manning Rangers bask in the glory of winning the inaugural Castle Premiership soccer championship, several key figures within the squad have continually created headlines. Coach Gordon Igesund has received due praise for moulding a team of virtual nonentities into one good enough to finish eight points clear of Kaizer Chiefs and 10 […]
THE full-page advertisements inserted in South African newspapers (including the Mail & Guardian) by the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association over the last week should be recognised for what they are: a crude attempt to protect vested interests of an industry, the commitment of which to the public welfare is questionable to say the least. Headlined “Health […]
FRIDAY, 11.00AM: THE Buick Classic golf tournament began on Thursday, and defending champion Ernie Els streaked into the lead with a seven under par first round score of 64. Els, who won the US Open on Monday, said after the round: “It’s right there, it’s still in my mind. I still get the nice feel […]
A new attitude to traditional muti could help save endangered species, writes Eddie Koch THE Convention on Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) gathering in Harare was dominated this week by fierce debate over the international ban on trade in ivory. But in a largely unheralded move, hundreds of Western conservationists adopted a new approach to […]
Danielle James WINNING an endurance event is an achievement in anyone’s book, but getting to the top and staying there, year after year against all odds and changing circumstances, takes one from the realm of the possible to the impossible. Equestrian star Graham Winn is a man who operates in the realm of the impossible. […]
THURSDAY, 3.30PM THE Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species summit in Harare on Thursday approved a compromise proposal on the lifting of the worldwide ban on the ivory trade to allow Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe to sell their ivory stockpiles to Japan under tightly controlled conditions. After an earlier vote on the proposal was […]
Not a single country has benefited financially from the new deal on debt relief, writes Andrew Simms `HE that dies pays all debts,” wrote Shakespeare. For too many people in the world’s poorest countries, death will indeed be the only way out: one person is born every second into bad, unpayable debt. Yet it need […]
DJ Shado Twala in the 15-minute interview. By CHARL BLIGNAUT Charl Blignaut: Hey, what on earth are you doing in Cape Town? Shado Twala: I’m trying to fix a plug. I’ll probably electrocute myself halfway through this phone call. CB: There goes your future in radio. ST: And my baby’s, most likely. CB: How old’s […]
Mungo Soggot THE suspended chief executive officer of the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) miscalculated the organisation’s budget by nearly R6-million, forcing the IBA to close the door on its spendthrift ways. Harris Gxaweni, who was suspended last month amid mismanagement allegations, told the IBA’s council earlier this year that there was still R2-million left in […]
FRIDAY, 1.00PM: THE South African under-20 soccer side, United Warriors, lost their fixture against Brazil 2-0 in the World Youth Cup in Kuching, Malaysia on Thursday. The South Africans put up a classy defence and held off the Brazilians for all of the first half, but then two quick goals early in the second half […]
Strong partnerships between business and government are needed to create a sustainable arts industry There is money to be made in the arts, but South Africa still lags behind the world in exploiting our intellectual resources, reports Anthea Garman ARTS and culture are booming businesses worldwide. They create jobs, contribute substantially to gross domestic product […]
FRIDAY, 10.30AM The all gold index on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange was hammered down to a four-year low on Thursday as the gold price tumbled in New York on Wednesday to below the key $240/oz level, and closed in London at $339,75. On Thursday it recovered slightly in New York to close at $340,65. The […]
THURSDAY, 12.30PM: KAIZER Chiefs signed on a new coach this week — Frenchman Paul Dolezar will replace Wellington Manyathi for a two-year contract from next month. Chiefs PRO Louis Tshakoane said Dolezar has been the national coach of Gabon, and has also coached in the Middle East and Ghana. “Dolezar arrives next week and we […]
THURSDAY, 12.30PM THE Cabinet on Wednesday finally approved the policy proposals in the Defence review, paving the way for the SA Navy acquire its long-awaited new submarines and corvette warships. The cabinet’s approval of policy proposals on defence posture, functions, force design, human resources and part-time forces gives the navy the green light to acquire […]
THURSDAY, 11.00AM: STAND-IN coaches Wim Hollander and Koos Ehlers took over the training of the Gauteng Lions team on Wednesday, in the wake of resignations from the senior coaching team, Ray Mordt, Tito Lupini and Hugo van As. The new coaches are there as a stopgap measure, as Gauteng president Louis Luyt turned down the […]
THURSDAY, 11.00AM: SPRINGBOK rugby stars James Small and captain Gary Teichmann have been declared fit to play in the first Test against the British Lions at Newlands on Saturday. The two have recovered fully from the injuries they picked up during the Test against Tonga last Tuesday. They rejoined the squad for a tentative training […]
THURSDAY, 11.00AM RESERVE Bank governor Dr Chris Stals on Wednesday once again dashed hopes of an early interest rate cut, when he said there will be no rate as long as money supply and credit growth remain high. Acknowledging that since SA’s return to global markets, interpretation of credit and money supply figures had changed, […]
WEDNESDAY, 4.30PM A DRAFT Bill to make the SA Revenue Service autonmous from the public service was presented to parliament on Wednesday. Sars staff will become an institution outside the public service, but staff will remain members of the government pension fund. An advisory board consisting of a commissioner, two senior Sars employees and up […]
THURSDAY, 5.00PM FOLLOWING a month of violence between rival taxi groups servicing Soshanguve north of Pretoria, residents, who have been caught in the crossfire, have called for a 10-week taxi boycott in the area in a bid to end the violence. The recent violence has claimed the lives of 22 people, many of them taxi […]
THURSDAY, 11.00AM MINERAL and Energy Affairs Minister Penuell Maduna told Parliament yesterday that the Strategic Fuel Fund, the state-owned body that negotiated apartheid oil purchases, could not account for R173-million spent in oil deals by the National Party government. Maduna said wrongdoers will be uncovered in an investigation by private auditors Ntsaluba Nkoni Sizwe and […]
IFP-ANC TALKS The second round of peace talks between the ANC and IFP began in Ulundi, KwaZulu-Natal on Thursday. The talks are a continuation of the June 8 talks, when the ANC presented its proposals to the IFP, offering a senior national government post to IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi and a special amnesty package for […]
THURSDAY, 1.00PM: THE SA Professional Golf Association has called for clarity over broadcast sponsorship rights to the 1998 SA Open golf championship, after rival cellphone networks Vodacom and MTN both claimed exclusive rights. The PGA board has called for copies of the contracts between the SA Open and the two rival sponsors. The PGA’s executive […]
THURSDAY, 8.30AM THE Johannesburg Stock Exchange celebrated the biggest trading day in its history yesterday, when just under R2,8 billion in shares were traded. Market speculation pointed to London-based SBC Warburg as the source, acting as principal in buying shares from an unknown South African institution for sale to an overseas company. Warburg refused to […]
WEDNESDAY, 11.00AM: THE Castle Premier Soccer League awards ceremony was held in Johannesburg on Tuesday night. League leaders Manning Rangers, who were awarded R500 000 for their performance, were given a further R50 000 for being the most impoved team of the season. Umtata Bush Bucks star Wilfred Mugeyi walked away with the most honours […]