Columns

Mourning the death of democracy in the ANC

How can a political party whose democratic principles are in paralysis be a champion of democracy and accountable leadership? The events which unfolded during last weekend's ANC Youth League's provincial congress are just some of the many symptoms of a lack of democracy within the ruling party.
 

Up and down the Baviaans

In my fairly new cycling career I have competed in what I thought were some challenging events. That was, until recently, when I took part in the Trans-Baviaans 24 hour mountain bike marathon over 230km.
This was a daunting task, not because of the length.

Any ideas for a name?

The Hall in Extension 9 is now operating more or less normally. Earlier this year we published a front page
article about the launch fiasco that resulted from the municipal authorities’ failure to include residents from the immediate vicinity in organising the event.

Here's to many more K-Days

On arriving at City Lords, it was quite obvious to see that this is no ordinary derby day. I had witnessed a glimpse of what was to come while I watching the netball at the Kirkby Courts on Friday. The quiet on the Kingswood side of the stand before and during the netball game was disconcerting and seemed like a precursor of things to come.

Where are the placards?

In the Your Say section of this edition, reporters asked people in Grahamstown for their views on the escalating tensions between the media and the ANC.

This topic has been covered only briefly in Grocott’s Mail, but quite extensively in many national newspapers, on radio and on television.

Moral panic and the Superior Court Bill

In 1973 the sociologist, Stanley Cohen, published an influential book, Folk Devils and Moral Panics. The latter involves triggering acute public anxiety through the exaggerated and distorted claims about some event, individuals or groups who are referred to as folk devils.
 

Today the media...

Media professionals and a few politicians have expressed horror at Wednesday’s heavy-handed arrest of
a journalist in Johannesburg.
 

Flying high

In many respects Grahamstown enjoys a much higher profile than its size and economic fire-power would warrant. After all, it is only just a teeny city, sort of halfway between two medium sized cities.

'Tyger, tyger burning bright'...may just maul you in the night

Holding a stick shouting ‘No’ at a large Bengal tiger hardly seems like a viable idea, but this was indeed the advice from Goosey Fernandes, the owner of the recently missing tiger callled Panjo. Recaptured near Verena squatter camp 40km from Bronkhorstspruit, Panjo had been roaming free for the past few days.

Long live the interregnum

Let’s face it, those who are pushing the Protection of Information Bill through Parliament are not being entirely candid about their motives.
 

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