Staff Reporter

FINE ART: Ruth Sack `METALS seem to have been in fair supply for weapons and tools, but perhaps not in sufficient quantity to allow for much ornamental use, as only one bangle was found, and no other ornaments, of iron or copper …” So wrote archaeologist TM Maggs of findings from the Iron Age in […]

The political parties will gain R1,5m a month from a new proposal to pass on state subsidies. Chris Louw reports A SCHEME to give political parties large state subsidies is being slipped quietly into place in the guise of a “constituent’s allowance”. The plan, approved by the Speaker of Parliament and put to the Cabinet […]

After severe disappointment at the Commonwealth Games, Okkert Brits has soared back to his best and is aiming even higher next year ATHLETICS: Paul Martin FROM shattering humiliation to glorious victory in the space of a fornight: it’s a Boys Own success story for the pole-vaulting African record-holder and now World Cup gold medallist Okkert […]

ROCK: Elizabeth Williams WITH the hippie era now the focus of one-generation-on nostalgia, it was to be expected that someone would tackle Janis Joplin. Like contempories Jim Morrison and Cas Elliot, she epitomised the late Sixties — the Summer of Love, flower power and drugs — and their deaths marked the end of the era. […]

Media & Marketing Clive Simpkins A DEBATE is on about whether Occidental, Eurocentric, dominantly Caucasian lifestyle and attitudinal trends have marketing relevance in Africa. The emerging answer would appear to be “sometimes” or “partially” but largely “not much”, other than at the top end of the socio-economic scale. In this country this is a miniscule […]

Native tongue Bafana Khumalo IF ever there was a darkie with a serious identity problem, it’s got to be yours truly. For all my life I thought that I was black and I acted black. I always insisted on being called black, something which some of my liberal acquaintances were not comfortable with. You see, […]

Pat Sidley THE new unity within the black churches of the Dutch Reformed family is being beset with bitter claims by black congregants for the land their churches have stood on for decades. The issue of land in the church rose after the Dutch Reformed Mission church (coloured) and Dutch Reformed Church in Africa (black) […]

Sibusiso Nxumalo THE much-anticipated performance of London-based dub poet Linton Kwesi Johnson with The African Axemen in Johannesburg has been called off. While a poetry reading session and workshop are scheduled to go ahead as part of the Arts Alive festival, the Jamaican-born Johnson has cancelled the one-off concert on the grounds that he only […]

Myra Alperson reports on the formation of a new grant- making group A NEW acronym has recently entered the local business vocabulary: Saga, the Southern Africa Grantmakers Association. If you think this doesn’t quite sound like a business activity, it’s in part because Saga represents what many in corporate South Africa still won’t admit is […]

A drama is unfolding at Argus Newspapers, where a top business consultant has been brought in to streamline the corporation. Drew Forrest reports A TOP Australian business consultant is at the centre of a convulsion in Argus Newspapers that has already brought job cuts at the Pretoria News, the axing of the group marketing team […]

GOLF: Jon Swift IT IS often difficult to get Brent Chalmers, tour director of the FNB professional golf tour, to be as moderate in his approach as to call a spade a shovel. He has never hesitated to say exactly what he thinks. It is, in an era of sports administration doublespeak, an often admirable […]

An exhibition running in Johannesburg rediscovers six `lost’ South African photographers, writes Hazel Friedman `WITHIN the black zone, every square inch is occupied … It’s like being buried in people. Their shoulders, hips, bellies and buttocks press against yours. You cannot shift your weight or raise an arm or turn around without displacing the various […]

Critical Consumer Pat Sidley “AN equal opportunity killer needs equal opportunity management,” says consultant cardiologist Graham Jackson in an editorial in the British Medical Journal (BMJ). He was not talking about South Africa’s employment problems but about the fact that women get less — and inferior — treatment for heart disease. In a particularly damning […]

Shadley Nash THE Labour Party of South Africa will hold a special congress on Saturday where it is likely the party will dissolve, ending 30 turbulent years. For one of the party leaders, Peter Hendrickse, son of LP leader Reverend Alan Hendrickse, the dissolution of the party will be met with mixed feelings. “It will […]

The listing of publishing group Naspers forespells the growth of a major publishing group, writes Jacques Magliolo KEEN interest shown by banks and major insurance companies in the shares of newspaper and magazine publisher Nasionale Pers Limited during its listing this week came as a complete surprise to numerous industrial analysts. It signalled to the […]

STREETBALL: Mapula Sibanda IT was more than passing ball at Bruma Lake when the first of the four Nandos countrywide Streetball Challenge tournaments kicked off last Sunday. It was also a day of fun and festivities for the whole family. Parents acting as coaches for the day shouted and cheered for their young ones, as […]

The bond and capital markets still doubt the government’s ability to control its spending. Jacques Magliolo reports TRADERS in the bond or capital market remain pessimistic about the ability of the government to control inflation. This is the meaning of the continuing high interest rate of long-term bonds, the IOUs whose interest rate reflects expectations […]

Eric Naki Karl Zimbiri, an Azanian People’s Liberation Army fighter often cited as responsible for terror attacks in news reports, claims he is being defamed. Or, at least, someone claiming to be him claims this is the case. Apparently there’s an imposter out there making the real Zimbiri out to be a bad guy. The […]

Justin Pearce A FORTNIGHT ago, Cape Town’s independent theatre types were striking poses of grim resignation and talking about the imminent closure of the Long Street Theatre. Now the expressions have changed — and the shows are going on. The independent venue, which was started earlier this year, recently faced closure owing to a lack […]

Secret documents reveal a conflict between the various intelligence agencies — and that it will take an extra R152-million to bring the government’s secret service up to scratch. Chris Louw reports SECRET cabinet documents obtained by the Mail & Guardian reveal that the National Intelligence Service (NIS) has been hit by a huge exodus of […]

Weekly Mail Reporter POLICE in Cape Town are investigating charges of assault against MP Tony Yengeni, after a man suspected to be implicated in the murder of Yengeni’s bodyguard was allegedly beaten before being handed over to the police. Chumi Siyeka was one of five people picked up on June 1 in connection with the […]

Arts Alive visiting pianist Jon Jang unites West and East in his music. He spoke to Gwen Ansell DUKE ELLINGTON, as usual, got there first with his Far East Suite in the mid-1960s. Since then, enough jazz musicians have looked East to staff a big band, from John Coltrane to John Zorn. United States West […]

Wine snobs can be pretty boring, debating years and cultivars. Scotch snobs are a different breed entirely, writes Justin Pearce IT was one of those perfect spring evenings, the sunlight casting a golden sheen on the waters of Table Bay. Suddenly the peace was ripped by a sound normally associated with mists and soggy heather: […]

Gaye Davis investigates the roots and the immediate causes of the latest education crisis RAP artist Snoop Doggy Dog booming from an upper-storey classroom appeared to be the only source of enlightenment for pupils at Fons Luminis High School in Soweto’s Diepkloof Extension on Wednesday this week. “We’re relaxing,” a pupil shouted through a broken […]

Mangosuthu Buthelezi may soon be ousted as `traditional prime minister’, reports Farouk Chothia KING Goodwill Zwelethini has told the ANC-aligned senior prince Mcwayizeni Israel Zulu that he sees him as his rightful “senior adviser” — a major step towards stripping Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi of this post. At a “successful” meeting this week, Zwelethini indicated to […]

Richard Calland PRESSURE is growing within the Department of Foreign Affairs for the government to abandon its pro-Cuba policy. Specialist policy advisers at the department have advised that South Africa’s policy against the United States blockade of Cuba is likely to damage relations with the US and that a shift is “necessary” to avoid antagonising […]

A major symposium at this year’s South African International Film Festival will bring leading African filmmakers into contact with their local counterparts. William Pretorius reports HISTORY will be made at the “Across the Continent” symposium when, for the first time ever, filmmakers from all over Africa get together in South Africa. Hosted by the South […]

Art critic Ivor Powell is about to launch a glossy magazine of his own. He spoke to Ruth Sack A STRONG gust of air is about to blow through our art world. It’s called Art Ventilator, and it’s the inspiration of Jeff Chandler, president of the South African Association of Arts, and Ivor Powell, who […]

It’s simple: increases in productivity must come before higher increases in wages, argues Reg Rumney JAPANESE productivity expert Professor Anatole Goshi tells a wry story to emphasise the importance of productivity growth. An American and a Japanese tourist were on a walking safari in one of our game parks when they spotted a lion in […]

Right now, improvisations what defines jazz, says Jeroen van Vliet, who kicks off Arts Alives Jazz Piano Series tonight. He spoke to Gwen Ansell SO here I am, drinking herbal tea and listening to two jazz pianists at once. The one talking is Dutch visitor Jeroen van Vliet. The one playing — on the tape […]

# A PERSPECTIVE THAT WORKS DAENS Directed by Stijn Coninx DAENS, set at the turn of the century in the small Belgian town of Aalst, is full of intrigue — not the melodramatic clash of ambitious egos as in your average soapie, but political manipulation in high places, with the Vatican and rich factory owners […]

Despite his wanting to speak off the record there wasnt much to record from Tito Mbowenis speech in parliament this week, writes Chris Louw LABOUR Minister Tito Mboweni surprised journalists this week when he insisted that his address to the parliamentary labour select committee was off the record. All parliamentary committees were opened to the […]