Stories about South Africa from January, 2006
South Africa: Condoms in the classroom
Mzansi Afrika comments on the debate taking place in South Africa over whether condoms should be available in classrooms …”The main argument, surprise, surprise, was from the whole moralistic religious viewpoint that condoms encourage sex, and sex before marriage, especially among teens is bad. The other concerns were around sex...
South Africa: Afrikaans usage
Moral Fibre from South Africa, reports on a row over the Afrikaans language between opposition parties and a military judge who complained about the use of the language in an official context… “”… I must say it on record that to me it is disgusting that at this time and...
South Africa: Stereotypes
South African blog, The Hope Flower points to a piece written by” Caine Prize winner Binyavanga Wainaina on stereotypes about Africa. “
We Love Cooking!
#1: All Indian food does NOT taste the same! From the UK, We all live downstream explains this popular belief that find its roots in the lack of adventurous spirit of some when executing this natural, vital and recurrent activity. What kind of Indian food do you get when you...
South Africa
South Africa comments on an interview with PW Botha and writes “please make these stupid people shut up“.
South Africa: Arts blog
African Voices and Visons is another new African blog, this time from South Africa. The blog is written by a young female documentary filmmaker. The focus so far on the blog is mainly on the arts.
South AFrica: Anger over poor housing
African HOUSEIT reports on street battles in Mabopane, outside Pretoria. Township residents battled with police as “they vented their anger over about poor services, and housing delivery”.
South Africa: not an earthquake
Mszansi Afrika asks why the tremor in Johannesburg is being reported as an earthquake which was 3.2 on the Richter scale. Anything under 3.5 is “generally not felt but recorded”. east of Johannesburg is being reported as if it were….well an earthquak
African Union: Sudan withdraws
The Fish Bowl points to a report in the London Independent that Sudan is withdrawing from the candidacy to chair the African Union after five countries withdrew their support.
South Africa: Africa source II
Linuxchix Africa reports on Africa Source II recently held in Kampala, Uganda….”Africa Source II focussed on how technology, in particular Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) can be integrated into the project work of NGO's.”
South Africa: reflections of a poet
South African poet blogger, the Imperfect Poet, reflects on his ability and evolution as a poet and writer….At the heart of this epiphany is that, for me to comfortably call myself a poet and a writer, I need to delve deeper into my forms of choice and create context from...
Global Fusion: Creating Delicious Food One Meal at the Time!
#1: Madrid Fusion My colleague Chef Elena was in Spain with three other Panamanian chefs, for the world famous "Madrid Fusion" one week event, held in the beautiful city of Madrid. No doubt this is an incredible event. It will set the course for the emerging and extravagant cooking techniques,...
South Africa: 4 years in London
One Afrikan celebrates 4 years of living in London.….”If anything, the past 4 years have been something of a pilgrimage, and with any pilgrimage (not that I’ve done one mind) there is a sense of satisfaction that starts surfacing as you start feeling that the pilgrimage itself is worth it.”
Mixed musings from Southern Africa
There's never a dull moment in South African politics. It's January and we already have our first political scandal of the year. Every political scandal gets a name – most of them ending in “gate”. Last year we had Travelgate (MP's scamming the parliamentary travel voucher scheme), Oilgate (ruling party...
South Africa: housing crisis
African HouseIT posts on a report on South African Housing crisis in the Western Cape.
SouthAfrica: Retraction by Global Fund on HIV funding
South African blog, Idland posts on the retraction of a $40M grant that was coming to town to prevent mother-to child transmission of hiv by the Global Fund because of a discrepancy between the treatment cost per head and the drug cost per head. He comments “It seems so much...
South Africa: Citizens Media
South Africa writes on the rise of the citizens media in South Africa. Although he praises the inclusiveness of this new media he is also concerned over the credibility of some of the writers who are blatantly biased in their reporting.
African Music Roundup
World Music. Lazy term. Music out of Africa is so rich it deserves it’s own full section in any major music store. but I could argue with the marketing department all day. My name is Obi and welcome to my first music blog roundup focusing on what’s buzzing on the...
South Africa: infected blood
South African blog, Childish – Kodachrome Maybellene posts on a worrying report that blood donated in the Western Cape is not subject to the same standards of control as in other regions which may result in some HIV infected blood entering the system.
South Africa: photo blog
Arty Miss Lavinia is a photo blog set up by Lavinia Live
Zimbabwe: living in South Africa
This is Zimbabwe reports on a visit to a city in South Africa where many Zimbabwean refugees have settled.