Showing 1 - 9 of 9
Second chance beckons for South Africa?
News, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 18/06/2024
» Cyril Ramaphosa is the president of South Africa again, but everything else is different. He got his job back in a vote late on Friday, but only because at the last moment he managed to cobble together a coalition that has a majority in parliament. It's so new that the coalition partners still haven't agreed on who does what in the new government.
Defeat symbolises normalisation
News, Justice Malala, Published on 03/06/2024
» Last Thursday, a television news crew made its way to former South African president Jacob Zuma's homestead, an ugly monstrosity controversially built at a cost of 250 million rand (500 million baht) of taxpayers' money, in his rural village of Nkandla. The crew got to interview Zuma after midnight. At about 2am, the crew watched in amazement as a genial Zuma, aged 82, welcomed a delegation of French diplomats into his living room for a meeting.
South Africa's cash-stuffed sofa saga lingers
News, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 26/12/2022
» 'Don't have a couch stuffed with cash? Don't worry, you can keep reading for free," read the ad on the website of the Daily Maverick, a tough and sometimes very funny South African news site. President Cyril Ramaphosa's cash-stuffed sofa has become a powerful, universally recognised meme, but it still hasn't brought him down.
World mourns UK monarch
News, AFP, Published on 10/09/2022
» PARIS: Leaders from across the globe yesterday united in homage to Queen Elizabeth II, after the world's longest-serving monarch died at her Scottish home at age 96.
South Africa poll won't be 'pivotal'
News, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 07/05/2019
» All the major contenders in tomorrow's elections in South Africa held their closing rallies last weekend, and some striking things were said. As usual, Julius "Juju" Malema, the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters party (EFF), won the prize for the most inflammatory statement.
See you in court, citizens tell governments on climate change
News, Megan Rowling, Published on 19/01/2019
» Environmentalists in France and Ireland are pushing forward with legal cases aimed at forcing their governments to step up action on climate change, motivated by a 2018 flagship ruling that the Netherlands must cut emissions faster to keep its people safe.
Any fool can criticise and several do
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 24/06/2018
» It is probably fair to say that whether it be in the realm of the theatre, cinema or literature, critics are not the most beloved people. British playwright John Osborne once observed: "Ask a working writer what he feels about critics is like asking a lamppost what it feels about dogs."
Purge needed so South Africa's ANC can revive economy
News, Gwynne Dyer, Published on 16/02/2018
» As a passer-by in the upscale Johannesburg suburb of Saxonwold observed, the South African police would never have raided the enormous, high-walled compound of the Gupta family if President Jacob Zuma were not on the brink of being removed. But early on Wednesday morning, the police did exactly that.
Drought-hit South Africa deals with politics of water
News, William Saunderson-Meyer, Published on 08/02/2018
» Unless something miraculous happens, the city of Cape Town, an iconic international tourism destination and South Africa's second economic hub, will run out of drinking water in a matter of weeks.