Opinion and Analysis
De Doorns: an explosion waiting to happen…
There should have been no surprise or outrage expressed by mining companies,
agribusiness, and government officials about the recent explosion of strikes and
protests on mines and farms. And trade unionists across the board should not have
been caught flat-footed by the outbursts of anger that erupted in the North West,
Limpopo and now in the Western Cape.
Terry Bell
Opinion | 21 November 2012
Turning our backs on girl learners
Last week, it was reported with a sense of accomplishment that 38 teachers have been struck off the roll since 2010 for sexual abuse of their learners. I am a lawyer currently working on six cases of sexual violence in schools in three provinces.
Nikki Stein
Opinion | 14 November 2012
Understanding the two Commissions of Inquiry into the police
There are two Commissions of Inquiry underway in South Africa (SA) that involve the SA Police Service (SAPS), the Police Minister and Police Commissioner, that we should be interrogating, examining, monitoring, overseeing and following with equal vigour.
Fatima Hassan
Opinion | 14 November 2012
The unseemly hat of opposition: A time for self-reflection?
When I saw the TimesLIVE photograph of Premier Zille leading the Democratic Alliance in a march to President Zuma’s Nkandla homestead, I had a visceral reaction. To some, outrage might have been caused by Zille’s finger-pointing, or the gross abuse of state resources symbolised by the police line blocking her delegation’s access to a public road.
Dustin Kramer
Opinion | 7 November 2012
Still dealing with symptoms rather than causes
By tomorrow afternoon (Saturday, October 20) it should become clear whether
Britain is about to join the growing tide of European rebellion against economic
austerity that has become particularly vociferous and violent in Greece and Spain.
Terry Bell
Opinion | 24 October 2012
Why is the Public Investment Corporation bankrolling private education for the rich?
Next month young activists will attempt to make Bhisho the centre of the world. Members of Equal Education (EE) will be present throughout the duration of a court case aimed at securing infrastructure standards for every school in South Africa.
Doron Isaacs
Opinion | 17 October 2012
Understanding the Simelane judgment
The Constitutional Court is proving that there is life after Chaskalson, Langa, O’Regan and Ngcobo. Many feared that new Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng would usher in an era of slavish Executive-mindedness – and that may still come true – but recent judgments of the Court are quite the opposite.
Doron Isaacs
Opinion | 10 October 2012
The immense danger and opportunity of climate change
There’s an astonishing blind spot that afflicts most of South Africa’s elites and intelligentsia, and indeed, our civilisation. It’s particularly tragic that South Africa, which suffered nearly 10 years of HIV denialism, should now also be afflicted by climate change denial.
David Le Page
Opinion | 10 October 2012
Tougher times ahead as tensions ratchet up in Europe
In a world wracked by ongoing economic crises, what is the role of trade unions? And if they focus
solely on “bread and butter issues”, are they, as National Union of Mineworkers spokesman Lesiba
Seshoka says, doomed to fail because “broader policies are shaped at a political level”.
Terry Bell
Opinion | 10 October 2012