Marikana – Turning-point or just another local incident?

Aug 24, 12 Marikana – Turning-point or just another local incident?

Posted by in Featured, News & Media

Richard Stupart argues eloquently that the tragedy at Marikana is something more than just another violent incident. I use tragedy rather than the much-hyped term “massacre” intentionally. While the situation at Marikana tragically left 45 people dead, I’m not sure it’s responsible to characterise it as a massacre. I’m...

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How to celebrate Osama’s death

May 06, 12 How to celebrate Osama’s death

Posted by in Featured, News & Media

The night Osama bin Laden’s death was announced (2 May 2011), I was nearing the end of my exchange programme in Washington DC. Because I lived a short 20 minute walk away from the White House, a group of us decided to become a part of history and see what was happening down the road. It seemed that everyone in the area had the...

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KONY2012 Roundup – an overview and evaluation

Oxfam must be salivating at the marketing success that the Invisible Children (IC) organisation has created with its KONY2012 video. Ironically, there has been an unprecedented backlash over the KONY2012 video, the likes of which has not been experienced by equally manipulative charities. One has to wonder why. There is probably too...

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The Citizen Got the Zuma Warship Story Wrong

Jan 20, 12 The Citizen Got the Zuma Warship Story Wrong

Posted by in Featured, News & Media, Politics

Driving around Johannesburg on Wednesday, it was difficult to miss the blaring headline shouting out in big, bold sans serif from The Citizen’s signboards: ZUMA WANTS A WARSHIP Intriguing, no? On reading the article, you would have been greeted by a lede that ups the ante even further: Jacob Zuma wants an aircraft carrier, and...

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Sexism in the Courts

Jan 18, 12 Sexism in the Courts

Posted by in Culture, Featured, News & Media, Politics

On Monday in a magistrate’s Court in Cape Town, Magistrate Chumani Giyos, sexually harassed a group of 12 women facing charges under the Immigration Act, saying to them during a hearing, “You are really beautiful, hey!” and concluding the hearing with “I have never seen so many beautiful women at one time, I hope to see you...

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Is Journalism Being Crippled by the Internet?

Dec 09, 11 Is Journalism Being Crippled by the Internet?

Posted by in Featured, News & Media

On more than one occasion, I have wondered how our species can be so self-absorbed that we seem not to notice anyone else’s needs, yet at the same time be so curious about the worldly happenings that we need to stay up to date with the latest gossip on an hourly basis. Centuries ago, people certainly didn’t go out of their...

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