· October, 2005

Stories about South Africa from October, 2005

From the African women's blogsphere

  31 October 2005

On 26 October, Togo became the 15th country to ratify the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa thus ensuring the ratification of the Protocol within 30 days, writes Black Looks. The protocol is groundbreaking and far-reaching says Black Looks,...

Africa: FGM

28 October 2005

Mzansi Afrika reports on FGM where she believes “some promising developments have taken place”. One such develoment is “a group of prominent muslim clerics in Somalia have issued a fatwa against female genital mutilation. They have condemned the custom as being against the Islamic religion, and say that it should...

Voices from South Africa

28 October 2005

South Africa has been painted as being a political wonder, and our transition to democracy is often described as a miracle. The country tries very hard to present an image of wellbeing and success in order to attract much needed tourism and overseas investment. There is no doubt that remarkable...

South Africa: Jacob Zuma

27 October 2005

South African blog Commentary discusses the left's support for disgraced South African politician Jacob Zuma, who is presently on trial for corruption, which they are equating with “real” democracy.

South Africa: Civil Rights

26 October 2005

The FishBowl from South Africa comments on the passing of civil rights activist and feminst, Ms Rosa Parks aged 92.

PLO should learn from ANC

  24 October 2005

South African blog, “the fish bowl” points to an article in todays Houston Chronicle, which discusses the need for the PLO to learn from the South African example, and the differences between the PLO and the ANC in both policy and ideology.

Afrikaner Homeland

  21 October 2005

South African blogger Mzansi Afrika points out that “those insane and racists Afrikaners in Orania have not yet given up on their dream of creating an independent, self-sufficient “homeland” within the borders of South Africa”.

Southern Africa social forum

  19 October 2005

The 3rd and final day of the Southern African Social Forum, held in Harare, dealt with the crisis in Zimbabwe. “Briggs Bomba, a representative of the parallel Uhuru Youth Forum of the SASF, said that Zimbabwe faces its worst economic crisis ever. The hospitals are no longer hospitals but ‘death...

17 October 2005

LinuxChix Africa partners with Kasi Open Source Software (KOSS) and takes Open Source software into the urban townships of South Africa and then on to the rural areas and villages

  17 October 2005

Bronwyn of Mzansi Afrika reports on the appalling lack of housing faced by South Africa´s urban poor and migrant population.

Miriam Makeba: Africa’s best loved diva farewell tour

  17 October 2005

In a career spanning over 40 years, Miriam Makeba, still regal at 73, is marking the end of her performing years with a 14-month farewell tour she says to thank the people in the countries where she has performed. Miriam Makeba or Mama Africa as she is fondly known is...

South Africa: AIDS quackery

  14 October 2005

commentary.co.za reports on revelations that a couple of AIDS patients apparently thriving on a patent medicine issued by the “Rath foundation”, were in fact taking anti-retroviral medication all the time.

South Africa: Bad night in Jo'burg

  11 October 2005

commentary.co.za posts an anonymous report about the incompetence of the Johannesburg police when answering an emergency call in which a child was at risk from a knife-wielding drunk, sparking debate and some recognition in the comments section.

What's going on in the African blogosphere

  9 October 2005

Some snippets from the African blogosphere. - Gatwiri takes issue with the July/August edition of Foreign Policy magazine which classifies Kenya as a failed state. He points out that, “The source of the research material is also incredulous. They say they used software to analyse data from tens of thousands...

South Africa: Chemical weapons program

3 October 2005

Abiola at del.icio.us tags a profile by the non-profit Nuclear Threat Initiative of South Africa's chemical weapons program, which began in the early 1980s under the code-name “Project Coast”.