Disclaimer: While the views expressed here are subject to Terms of Use of this blog, I wish to emphasise that the views expressed here do not represent the views of my employer as a person or as an institution. This is merely a bad attempt at satire intended for those with basic science knowledge and a large sense of humour. It is not a scientific paper nor official policy of anything.
Charles Darwin would have us believe that we evolved from apes. I understand most of science accept Darwin's . . . Continue reading this article
On 27 October, the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection will convene a workshop on the Evolution of the South African State, where papers developed by various researchers will be presented. What are some of the issues that will be discussed?
The recent global economic crisis, the high levels of poverty, unemployment and inequality, and the calls for greater state involvement in the economy, are events that should encourage South Africans across ideological, racial, class and gender divides . . . Continue reading this article
AISA DISCUSSION PANEL ON DEMOCRATISATION CRITICAL THINKING FORUM
THEME:
“Regime Change in Libya and Recognition of the National Transitional Council: Assessing the West and AU Perspectives”
David Maimela
5 October 2011
Programme Director, ladies and gentlemen, all protocol observed!
Thank you most sincerely for inviting us to speak today!
Our talk today is titled: “An elusive rules-based multilateral global system of governance - Equal human beings, unequal powers”.
From the onset . . . Continue reading this article
A response to David Maimela (by Prof Jonathan Jansen)
There is an important debate breaking in the national press about the place of student politics on university campuses.
The argument is made, and here I agree, that student politics is a vital component of the transformation of South African universities. A university is, without question, a place that should accommodate and give expression to the range of political ideas and ideals of the broader society. It is a place where such ideas should . . . Continue reading this article
The current legal case challenging the constitutionality of ‘banning’ political student organisations from partaking in SRC elections at the University of Free State has implications for the political system in South Africa, higher education and our young democracy as a whole, at least in the long-term.
In this court case, the University of Free State’s (UOFS) management and student organisations are at loggerheads about the best student governance model for UOFS. In my view, essentially, . . . Continue reading this article
Dear Cde Sindiso Magaqa (ANCYL Secretary General)
Congratulations on your election to lead our generation of youth to Economic Freedom in our Lifetime. Your unanimous election demonstrates the confidence we have in you.
I doubt we have been properly introduced before, in the interest of courtesy, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Bayanda Mzoneli. I am a member of the ANCYL. I work at the Department of Public Enterprises. I am responsible for Parliamentary and Constituency Unit in the . . . Continue reading this article
I read with interest, the speech by Cde Blade Nzimande, the SACP General Secretary, to the Central Committee of COSATU. As always, I was interested in how the vanguard of the working class will inspire hope among millions of unemployed youth and casualised workers. I had also read the text of the Political Report to the 2nd Special National Congress of the SACP held in December 2009 for the same reasons a few years ago.I do not have paid membership of the SACP and my Young Communist League of South . . . Continue reading this article
In a SASO BPC trial in May 1976, Steve Biko was asked, among others, about the meaning of the phrase "black is beautiful." His reply was,
"I think the slogan has been meant to serve and I think is serving a very important aspect of out attempt to get at humanity. You are challenging the very deep roots of the Black man's belief about himself. When you say 'black is beautiful' what in fact you are saying to him is: man, you are okay as you are, begin to look upon yourself as a human being; now . . . Continue reading this article
Anatole France, a French writer, once wrote, "The law, in its majestic equality, forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal their bread." Contained in this quote is the explicit hypocrisy of equality in a capitalist democracy.
Among the most taxed categories of persons in South Africa are motorists. Their taxes are applied equally regardless of the income differences, which obviously squeezes the poorer more. Obviously economists will tell you that . . . Continue reading this article
For the purposes of this text, we will pretend that a revolution is the change of government that is removed, by any means, on the basis of it being unjust (noting that justice is not universal). We will further pretend that a coup is an opportunist, and unjust, removal of a legitimate government by a faction of society and/or military for its own narrow ends.All the country information that appears after each country heading have been copied from Wikipedia as is. I, therefore, take no responsibility . . . Continue reading this article