Site Archives south africa

support the south african human rights delegation to israel/palestine


I sent this letter to Business Day today. For more on the delegation, see their website.
Dear Sir
As reported in your newspaper, a group of concerned South Africans are travelling to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories next week in order to highlight the intolerable conditions created by the Occupation. The composition of [...]

shades of difference: mac maharaj and the struggle for south africa


This is a short review of Padraig O’Malley’s Shades of Difference that I did for the latest issue of Equal Treatment (the TAC’s magazine):
In his foreword to Shades of Difference, former President Nelson Mandela says “Mac put the struggle for the freedom of South Africa above everything in his life.” Whatever flaws Mac Maharaj may [...]

video of pavn launch in manenberg


I have posted a video of Zackie’s short speech at the PAVN launch in Manenberg on the PAVN website. I also created a Youtube channel. More to come…

citizens have a duty to speak


With Zackie Achmat
Every citizen, especially citizens who are ANC supporters and voters, those who have no interest in rising in the party hierarchy, have a duty to speak in public about policy, ideas and programmes. Such speech must be critical for criticism is the definitive element of loyalty.
It has become customary for senior members of [...]

a response to rian malan’s ‘last ever aids piece’


I should be very happy if Rian Malan’s so-called “last ever Aids piece” (nose88) is truly his last, since he shows no sign of changing his habit of serious errors of logic and deliberate distortions when writing on Aids.
His disingenuous suggestion that the shocking rise in in the number of registered deaths is merely the [...]