This week, as the health of our beloved elder statesman Nelson Mandela deteriorated, the media camped outside the Pretoria hospital where he is being treated. Journalists have come under fire for this, vilified as vultures and stalkers who are only interested in reader, viewer and listener numbers, and in advertising rands. The truth, however, is [...]
Did DA parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko ask for it when she wore a miniskirt and leggings while addressing a National Assembly debate on the presidency’sbudget vote this week?
Although Public Service and Administration Minister Lindiwe Sisulu may have had the best intentions when she announced the launch of an anti-corruption bureau in her department this week, establishing another unit isn’t what South Africa needs right now.
Just like the toilet politics in the run-up to the 2011 local government elections, the dirty protests in the Western Cape this week made for some humorous wordplay.
Five years ago, South Africa exploded. We, and the world, watched in horror as South Africans turned on men, women and children from elsewhere on the African continent.
A seasoned politician with many years experience, Justice Minister Jeff Radebe should have done better this week trying to defend the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
The decline of the rand’s exchange rate, which reflects how the rest of the world views South Africa’s sociopolitical environment and its economy, is generally downplayed, if not pooh-poohed, by many of our leaders as the upshot of “ill-informed perception”.
Each year, thousands of young men participate in a ritual that stretches back centuries and marks the beginning of adult life for men in a number of African communities.
When Aaron Motsoaledi stood up to deliver his budget speech in Parliament this week, it was clear there are steady hands on the tiller of the all-important South African health sector.
President Jacob Zuma has defended his relationship with the Gupta family, telling Parliament every human being has to choose friends.
The so-called war on terror is the one US war I have come closest to supporting. The radical, Islamist antagonists in this war have decided to target my grandchildren on the streets of the US.
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Hot: TV personality Bonang Matheba’s meteoric rise is nothing short of a true South African dream. As we celebrate Youth Day, we salute the achievements of this hardworking young woman. This week, Matheba was named the first ever black South African “spokesmodel” for Revlon, the international cosmetics house. Other faces for the brand are US actresses Halle Berry and Emma Stone.
Not: The Zonder water Prison parole board that was overruled this week by the North Gauteng High Court for their decision to release two of the so-called Waterkloof Four killers on parole in 2011. Justice has finally spoken – the killers will be back behind bars soon and senior correctional services officials were suspended for gross negligence and ignoring procedure.
Hot: We celebrate Benni McCarthy’s early retirement from soccer. This young Capetonian has been one of the country’s greatest exports. He has represented South Africa at all levels, he is currently Bafana’s leading goal scorer of all time, he has played in the most competitive leagues of the world and he even has a Uefa Champions League medal.
Not: The continued disregard of the needs of children in Limpopo schools is unacceptable. Halfway through the current year, some schools are experiencing shortages of books and now midyear exams had to be postponed because officials did not do their jobs. Our children’s future is dependent on this education. Denying them this right shows no one cares.
Hot: Kaizer Chiefs and Bafana goalie Itumeleng Khune has been on the professional scene for six years, but the 26-year-old from Tshing in Ventersdorp, North West, has achieved more than some of those who have been there much longer. This week’s clean sweep of PSL awards confirmed Itu’s status as Mzansi’s No 1 – and his trophy cabinet is running out of space.
Not: Several members of KwaZulu-Natal’s legislature have been miraculously healed after claiming for two years that their “disabilities” meant they needed R15?000 a month for personal drivers. When a change in legislative policy meant they had to produce medical proof of their condition, they suddenly became whole and changed their tune.
Hot: SABC2 Morning Live anchor Vuyo Mbuli’s passing last Saturday will leave a void in many South Africans’ lives. This is the man we woke up with every morning for more than a decade. As a journalist, Mbuli never turned his interviewees into objects, but treated them with respect as human beings. With him gone, we can only wish for more “sharp sharp” in the mornings.
Not: Culture, we all agree, is important. But when young men die in the name of culture, society expects leaders to stand up and deal with the challenges. Mpumalanga health MEC Candith Mashego-Dlamini failed to be a leader when she said she could not respond to the deaths of 30 initiates. She should know better that death, irrespective of culture, is still death.
Hot: City Press readers. This week, your newspaper won a clutch of awards at the Sikuvile ceremony. The awards were won for our work on finding the stories of the lives of the miners who died at Marikana and for our investigation into the splurging of R206 million on the president’s estate at Nkandla. Thank you for supporting City Press and our work.
Not: Instructors at the Army Infantry School in Oudtshoorn, who were suspended this week after assaulting 10 recruits who sneaked out for a drink. The recruits were hit with broomsticks on their kidneys while they were forced to carry poles while naked. The military ombudsman is investigating the disgusting incident.
Cookie Thumper is the name of the new track and video from Die Antwoord and it does what it says on the tin: Cookies are thumped, specifically an apparently underage white cookie by an apparently demonic coloured gangster.
After the much talked-about development of President Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla home, it is not hard to see that in South Africa freedom is enjoyed by an elite minority, mainly those in power.
I’m still confused. It feels like a dream.
