South
Africa came under extreme international criticism in 2008, when over 60
people were killed and over 600 wounded during the xenophobia attacks
in 2008. Civil rights groups have warned that the country is
“dangerously close to boiling point”.
This
is a result of the xenophobic attacks on Somali shopkeepers and other
foreigners in Cape Town and the Free State this past week. The director
of Passop- People against Suffering, Oppression and Poverty- Braam
Hanekom has blamed the a... Continue reading ...
Issue of the week: A call to ban the Tender System
Stories of tender irregularities and scandals are nothing new to the South African Corporate context, but a more recent and a more shocking story of tender irregularities in the government is the government’s failure to deliver textbooks in Limpopo. According to the released news report, the Department of Education in Limpopo gave out a tender to a company the news report calls the “big wigs” without following procedural regulations and as far as I’m concerned that i... Continue reading ...
Issue of the Week: SA Education System Failing the Youth.
A recent study conducted by a South African
survey showed that the country invests more money into public education than any other emerging market, yet we still have high levels of illiteracy.
It is no doubt that the South African
education system is a disgrace and a scandal, a scandal in sense that we are a
country that seems to not take education very seriously.
If one can look at countries such as Zimbabwe
and Tanzania, they have excellent learning systems and i... Continue reading ...
Issue of the Week: The Lost Generation
The 16th of June 1976 was a year whereby young black South Africans took to the streets of Soweto in protest against the bantu education system that was orchestrated by the Apartheid government during the tyrant years of severe segregation. The students took to the streets in the morning of the 16th of June 1976 in protest against the then government’s decision to change the official language of learning to Afrikaans.
Such radical action from the youth symbolised the i... Continue reading ...
Youth Reject Zuma and Sewale, Survey shows
Majority of South Africa’s youth want neither Jacob Zuma nor Toyko Sexwale as the president of the country, a survey released yesterday has shown.
Timeslive
“Respondents who correctly identified Sexwale’s profession were asked who they would prefer as the president of South Africa, Zuma or Sexwale. Sixty Four percent of respondents rejected both choices”, insights company Pondering Panda said. The survey also found that only Fifty Seven percent of the respondents knew that Sexwale,... Continue reading ...
What we did for Youth Day
On June 16th South Africans celebrated Youth Day. 36 years to the day that students in Soweto marched to protest against the use of Afrikaans as a teaching medium in their schools. The March turned violent and as police fired live rounds on the students, the world was given a glimpse of how the Apartheid system of governance was affecting its people. To celebrate the sacrifice of those students, Youth around the country attended a number of different events or activities. Here’s what we di... Continue reading ...
The strength of youth
Posted by Chief Editor on Sunday, June 17, 2012,
In :
Editorial
36 years today, the youth of Soweto marched for equality and
freedom of learning. Their path may have been blocked by the gun fire of police
but their ideals marched on. They marched on to a future of educational freedom
for all South Africans regardless of race or religion.
Today we celebrate those ideals and reflect on the path that
each one of us has taken to fulfilling the freedoms these ideals have given us.
Today, the obstruction is not found in the gun fire of
police or the policie... Continue reading ...
From "Spear" to "Smear"
It
has been confirmed that the controversial painting in the Goodman
Gallery depicting President Jacob Zuma with his gentiles hanging has
been defaced by two men. Police
have identified the vandal’s as 58 year old, Barend la Grange, and
Limpopo resident Lowie Mabokela. The two men appeared in the Johannesburg
regional court this morning, where they were given bail of R1000. "I
did it to diffuse and de-racialise the painting. We have better thi... Continue reading ...
The controversial Spear
iol.co.za
The ANC is set to go to court today, to remove the exhibition of controversial painting’s of president Jacob Zuma.The
painting’s, currently being displayed at the Goodman Gallery in Rosebank, depicts president Zuma with his genitals exposed and has sparked up
public debate about freedom of speech and privacy. A portrayal that the
ANC has labelled as disrespectful and racist. It has vowed to arg... Continue reading ...
Time to stop the SOPA
On this day that many of our fellow media companies in America protest the proposed passing of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), we at Global Edge Media (GEM) in South Africa would like to add our voice to those of Wikipedia, Google and Wordpress, to name but a few, who openly oppose the passing of such a bill. As servants of the people, with a duty to provide the information that they, the people, seek we must do all we can to stop the interference of bodies, whether political or not, from ... Continue reading ...
Black Tuesday: the events and the debate
Posted by forward thinkerZee on Tuesday, November 22, 2011,
In :
Current affairs
Whether you called it black Tuesday, Tuesday the 11th
of November or the day after Monday; today was an important day in the future
of how information is shared in South Africa. Below is a list of quotes and
events which helped shape the day:
· - Protestors and activists dress in black protest outside
of Luthuli House in Johannesburg, the Hector Peterson Memorial in Soweto and Parliament
in Cape Town.
· - ‘The only result this unfortunate comparison (comparing
black Tue... Continue reading ...
Standing against the Secrecy bill
“Everything secret
degenerates, even the administration of justice, nothing is safe that does not
show it can bear discussion and publicity” Lord Acton
Today marks another milestone in the ongoing fight against
the proposed Protection of Information Bill. The bill, first tabled a couple of
months ago as a means of protecting information the state sees as confidential
and classified in the interest of state security, has been highly controversial with critics
calling is undemocratic and ... Continue reading ...
Maharaj and the millions
Posted by forward thinkerZee on Sunday, November 20, 2011,
In :
Current affairs
Source: Timeslive
Presidential spokesperson Mac Maharaj’s former dealings
while Minister of Transport have come under fresh scrutiny with the alleged
disclosure of legal and non legal documentation implicating him in the
notorious Arms deal. It started with the censorship of the Mail and Guardians
lead story this past Friday and was further strengthened by allegations made by
the Sunday times only two days later.
Below is a selection of responses by all those involved
Sunday Times �... Continue reading ...
Memorial service of Louise de Waal
Posted by forward thinker on Wednesday, October 19, 2011,
The memorial service of Louise de Waal was held in a marquee at Hoerskool die Burger in Roodepoort. The afternoon began with a Christian service from Rev. John. He described an experiment whereby children are given a seed covered with cotton wool and watered continuously. The seed would reap through the cotton wool and grow a stem, like a Butterfly that flourishes from a Caterpillar. Louise has not died but lives in a different form.
Officials from the department of education in dis... Continue reading ...
Canvassing the canvasser
It's student elections time at the University of Johannesburg and we here at GEM decided to exercise our democratic right to vote. So with a black mark on our thumb and a spring in our step we arrived at the Kingsway campus to monitor the different parties campaign objectives and information booths. Taking the position of a first year with no prior knowledge of student politics or SRC structures we asked all the questions and summarised the good, the bad and the ugly about each party and ... Continue reading ...
Anti-Apartheid Activist: Apartheid made ANC Government corrupt
Posted by forward thinkerZee on Tuesday, October 11, 2011,
In :
Politics
Source: Wikipedia.com
Anti-Apartheid Activist and business woman Mamphela Ramphela yesterday blamed widespread corruption in government departments on mismanagement and a sense of entitlement linked to past deprivation. The activist, speaking at a business meeting said that corruption was a worldwide problem,albeit only in trickles, but that south africa's widespread culture of corrupt "grabbing" came from serious mismanagement and a sense of entitlement, wanting to make up for a past of depr... Continue reading ...
Diary of an English Voortrekker
This is the diary of an englishman's travels to the Voortrekker monument in Pretoria 9:33 Arrived at the monument to the sight of many chinese tourists, it's funny how they are everywhere even in Pretoria. 9:36 Saw the 5 trees and rock pile memorial. The 5 trees were brought to the area from the 4 provinces and south west africa during the dedication of the building in 1949. 9:42 The entrance to the monumentr proper reads " architect: gerard moerdyk, completed 1949, cornerstone laid by the desc... Continue reading ...
Protesting for change
Posted by forward thinker on Tuesday, September 20, 2011,
In :
Current affairs
Strike season is officially upon us. Civil society has awaked to daunting images of poverty, years after the presidential elections. People voted for change and promises given by political parties alike. However, government has failed them; nonetheless, those confronted with poverty refuse to die down without a fight.
People from all walks of life gather in small to huge group’s demanding to be heard. The most recent of these is the Thembelihle informal settlement protests. Community... Continue reading ...
New York Remembers 9/11
Posted by forward thinkerZee on Monday, September 12, 2011,
In :
Current affairs
y
source:gett
Ground Zero was yesterday abuzz with those wanting to pay their respects to the victims and heroes of the worst tragedy on U.S soil since Pearl Harbour. On the 11th of September 2001, two Aeroplanes crashed into the iconic Twin Towers and others in the pentagon and Pennsylvania, not only changing the skyline of New York but also the thousands of lives who would be affected but yesterday was as much a honour to those affected by this tragedy as a celebration of how far the countr... Continue reading ...
Malema hearing day 3
Posted by forward thinker on Saturday, September 3, 2011,
In :
Current affairs
On Friday the 2nd of September Julius Malema’s hearing entered day three at Luthuli house in Johannesburg. The day’s proceedings started at 8am with some of Malema’s supporters who travelled from all over South Africa to Bayers Naude Square outside the house of legislature.
Police arrived armed and prepared with barbwire separating them from the supporters. Members of the media were scattered around Luthuli house and Bayers Naude Square. Roads around the venues were closed as m... Continue reading ...
Struggling to find a struggle.
Weighed under the pressure of a turbulent and difficult past the youth of today face a real crisis of how to leave their legacy on the blood stained pages of South African history.
South Africa is unique in it's past, a past that reflects inequality at it's worst. The policy of Apartheid was for many black citizens, and white sympathisers, of South Africa a hard rock that was constantly being pushed against, they labelled their efforts "The Struggle". For those who lived and died for the f... Continue reading ...
proudly souf africane
Posted by forward thinkerZee on Thursday, August 18, 2011,
In :
Current affairs
Southern African ubuntu taken to new level.
According to The Star's Business Report released yesterday, Home Affairs Deputy Director-General Jackson Mckay told Ministers at a labour Portfolio comitee, held in parliment on tuesday, that South Africa faced a increasing trend of Zimbabwean nationals crossing the border into South Africa on a monthly basis to collect social grants meant for South Africa's most needy.These Nationals then crossed back over the border spending these grants in t... Continue reading ...
Malema’s powerful friends.
Photo: News24
ANC youth league president Julius Malema is not one to shy away from the media; however, he never gets in ‘trouble’. For the average Joe paying a fine of more than R500 is expensive-but for Malema R100 000 fines do not impact on his back account. One has to ask who are these friends that constantly keep him out of the mud?
The youth league president is controversial himself, but behind every person is a team of people who build him up to be that, perhaps even pro... Continue reading ...
Gautrain is its own worst enemy.
Image: Gautrain website.
It is a well known fact that Johannesburg is a world class city, however, its transport systems did not match up. In 2000 Government took initiative and invested billions of rands to fund infrastructure projects i.e. the Gautrain. This state of the art rail network fares start from R19 to R46 a ticket depending on where you are going.
The Gautrains slogan is ‘For people on the move’ One has to ask who are these people? Government says it’s a form of pu... Continue reading ...
Poll results- shutting up JuJu.
Posted by forward thinker on Monday, August 15, 2011,
In :
poll results
Results from last weeks 'TRUTH POLL' are out, with astonishing results.
We asked you what the best way to handle Julius Malema was:
50% of those who voted said that the best way to handle JuJu would be to send him to robben Island
while a further 50% said that we should just ignore him.
Do you agree with what people have been saying? What did you vote for? What motivated your vote?
Tell us in the comments section below Continue reading ...
Poll results- Can't live without
Posted by forward thinker on Friday, August 5, 2011,
In :
poll results
Last week we asked you to tell us what social network you cannot do without
A Third said that they could not do without Twitter
Another third said they could not do without BBM
And a further third confessed to not being able to live without FACEBOOK
Do you agree with what people have been saying? What did you vote for? What motivated your vote?
Tell us in the comments section below Continue reading ...
South Africa bails out Swaziland; at what cost?
King Mswati the 3rd Today Minister of Finance Pravin Gordhn announced in Petoria that South Africa will indeed bail out Swaziland. The loan will be to the sum of $356 million (R2.4 billion). However, Gordhn warned that the loan will only be processed on the grounds that Swaziland improves its financial management systems.
Swaziland which lies on the borders of South Africa and Mozambique has an estimated 1.2 million people. Many of these people did not welcome the announcement bec... Continue reading ...
Hate speech or freedom of expression?
Where ever you turn; you are bombarded by actor, author, ex-SA fm talk show presenter and Sowetan newspaper columist Eric Miyeni’s article entitled "Haffajee does it for white masters". Whether this is an alleged attack on City Press editor-in-chief Feral Haffajee on behalf of Julius Malema because Haffajee exposed Malema's finances, or is simply freedom of expression.
Chapter 2 of the Constitution contains the Bill of rights (1996); these are rights that every citizen has available ... Continue reading ...
Shock joke Gives JUJU the silent treatment
Posted by forward thinker Zee on Tuesday, August 2, 2011,
In :
Current affairs
Reports coming out of the SABC today suggest that 5fm Morning drive time show host gareth cliff and his team are, after a suggestion by a caller this morning, tomorrow having a Malema free day, boycotting all Julius Malema News stories and Jokes in hope of “getting some peace”. Cliff said that he and his team, consisting of Leigh-Ann Mol, Mabale Moloi, Damon Kalvari, Sias Du Plessis and Thabo Modesani, would do their best to make sure that no content relating to Malema would be aired... Continue reading ...
IEC Local government elections
On the 19 May the IEC held the local government election in each metropolitan area. Whether you are an ANC supporter or a DA fan you cannot deny the importance of making your mark for a better South Africa. Of the 22 hundred thousand + people who registered to vote only 57.46% of people took to the polling stations. The youth were guilty of this hazardous crime, only half of the youth who registered to vote turned out at the polling stations are you one of them?
According to the constitu... Continue reading ...
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