I Am Ashamed of Being A South African

For the first time in my life I have never felt so ashamed of being a South African untill recently. My embarrasment is fuelled by the ongoing xenophobic attacks that have cripped Gauteng province. I have never seen such hatred that "we" South Africans show to other fellow Africans. I don't care who says what, but there is absolutely no excuse for anyone to deliberately kill another human being. The horrible scences we see in the media recently are the reminiscence of the apartheid. The only difference is these are only senseless killings. Photo: Gianluigi Guercia, AFP

Pic of the day

TALENT UNLEASHED: Dr Mary Malahlela Primary School Marimba Band performs during Ikusasa Lami Orientation Day on 14 May 2008 at the Carnival City, Gauteng. Photo: Nkosana Lekotjolo.

South Africans must renounce Xenophobia

Xenophobia in South Africa is not something new. But the xenophobic attacks reported in the media in Alexandra and recently in Diepsloot - against fellow Africans, is something not only the country should be ashamed of but it's also inhuman to say the least. There is absolutely no excuse for any human being to inflict pain and kill another because they are illigal immigrants and "will take their jobs away."

I don't buy the argument that suggests that African foreigners in the country are the main cause of crime. We seem to have forgotten quickly how we lived and were treated under apartheid. Photo: Antoine de Ras, Daily News.

Poverty is a new war against Africa

With everyone in South Africa feeling the pinch of the forever price increase in oil, interest rates and the soon to be the highest increase in electricity by over 50%, the poor will be hit the hardest. But most significant pressing issue of our time at the moment in the world - in particular in Africa, is the increase in food prices. The media has reported that these increases in high prices have a potential to invoke protests in poor countries because of shortage of food. In South Africa, the highest inflation to be recorded recently was food inflation. It goes without saying that those who will bear the brunt of the escalating food price are the poor in Africa. Poverty is a new war facing Africa and it calls for immediate attention. Unfortunately some stand to benefit from the hungry and poor as they make huge profits from the food demand all over the world. Photo: M&G

Sundown in Jozi

These are some of the beautiful afternoon scenes in Jozi. The main pic looks like a huge hand in the sky on the 22 April 2008.

Photos: Nkosana Lekotjolo

Parreira's depature is not a crisis

Many South African socccer lovers and maybe some in the continent and abroad, - feel that the departure of the Brazilian-born coach, Carlos Alberto Parreira amounts to crisis to the South African national squad.

Also there are already talks of another Brazilian coach Joel Santana who is said to replace Parreira and take reign of Bafana Bafana. For me there is no crisis to the departure of Parreira. But however, what seems to be a crisis though, is the fact that we in South Africa are not able to find a suitable coach in the country or in the entire Africa who is capable to lead Bafana Bafana to the World Cup. This says a lot about our confidence in our African coaches.

Mbeki is an idealist

While MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai has passed a vote of no confidence against President Thabo Mbeki’s mediation efforts to try to resolve crisis in Zimbabwe; Mbeki remains optimistic about the situation in that country.

ANC President, Jacob Zuma has come out contradicting Mbeki by calling the situation in Zimbabwe a “crisis,” his cabinet ditching him and the mounting international pressure on SADC to come out to condemn the Zimbabwean situation. Mbeki however remains steadfast about his “soft” diplomatic approach towards President Robert Mugabe. Mbeki’s critics have labeled him as a denialist and have criticized his quiet-diplomacy. This is because Mbeki is an idealist who believes in diplomatic talks to resolve political deadlock in Zimbabwe. Photo: Alexander Joe, AFP