When Minister Blade Nzimande was appointed to the Cabinet by President Jacob Zuma, some voices in the South African Communist Party (SACP) questioned the wisdom of him continuing to serve as the general secretary of the SACP. Given the experience of the SACP with some of its members who served in Thabo Mbeki’s cabinet and who often seemed [...]
Posts under ‘Thabo Mbeki’
More questions for Mbeki on Selebi
When former US President Bill Clinton was confronted with allegations that he had sex in the Oval Office with the White House intern, Monica Lewinski, he went on national television and with his lower lip quivering (he can do that quivering-with-indignation-and-selfrighteousness look better than most politicians), he declared: “I did not have sexual relations with [...]
On corruption in South Africa
As the Marx Brothers might have put it, ‘this man may look like a corrupt idiot and act like a corrupt idiot, but don’t let that deceive you – he is a corrupt idiot.’ – Slavoj Žižek
On 30 May 2003 then President Thabo Mbeki published one of his politically and analytically most brilliant internet letters. The [...]
The story of Selinah: WWMS?°
Listening to SAFM this morning, I was alerted to the advert below, showing in the most stunningly visual and moving manner that those who question(ed) the link between HIV and AIDS and the potential benefits of anti-retroviral treatment have a lot to answer for. Wonder what former President Thabo Mbeki would make of it.
Writing to [...]
Simelane: more unanswered questions
Why did Minister Jeff Radebe fail to address what appears to be one of the most egregious acts of dishonesty on the part of Adv Menzi Simelane? In his half-hearted defense of Adv Simelani, Radebe failed to explain why Simelane did not produce a letter, written by then President Thabo Mbeki to the then Minister of Justice regarding [...]
World Aids Day
Today is World Aids Day. In South Africa, perhaps more than anywhere else in the world, we may want to take a moment to ponder the significance of this day as South Africa now has more H.I.V.-infected people and annual AIDS deaths than any other in the world. As someone personally affected by HIV, this is an important [...]
Pikoli, the NPA and the R7.5 million
It is a pity that Vusi Pikoli decided not to embarrass the government by going ahead with his case in which he was challenging the lawfulness of his suspension and eventual firing as head of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). Instead, after a marathon mediation process, Pikoli accepted a R7.5 million settlement in which the [...]
Mbeki, “objective reality” and the truth
Former President Thabo Mbeki used to be fond of lambasting his critics for their failure to grasp the “objective reality” about any number of important issues. He would perceptively highlight and analyse the ways in which objectionable master narratives influence the way we perceive reality before claiming to be free from the grip of such narratives and thus [...]
Arms deal chickens coming home to roost?
News that Juliette Radebe-Khumalo, the Mayor of Lekwa Municipality in Mpumalanga, and her executive councilors were fired after meetings with an ANC delegation yesterday must come as a welcome surprise to all of us. The residents of Sakhile sure seem happy. As The Times report:
Following the announcement that Radebe-Khumalo and the entire executive committee has been axed, [...]
Why is Jackie Selebi’s putting on such a curious defense?
Jackie Selebi sure knows how to grab the headlines. He was at it again yesterday making all kinds of earth-shattering allegations that, if they were to be true, would rock South Africa and would further discredit the National Prosecuting Authority and two of its erstwhile bosses.
We do not know yet whether former Police Commissioner, Jackie [...]
