Opinion and Analysis

Heading for the 2014 (E)lection

E-tolling, excrement and expanded public works. Apart from starting with the letter “E” they appear at first sight to have nothing in common. But with the country heading toward what promises to be a bitterly contested election in April or May next year, they are not only linked, they are likely to be major campaigning features.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 24 June 2013

Transformation by quota is barking mad

Jack Lewis argues that government's transformation plan is based on identity politics and is misguided. He asks people on the political left to speak out against it.

Jack Lewis

Opinion | 19 June 2013

Declaration of economic war in South Africa

For all the sound and fury of the current fight between poultry producers and meat importers, their dispute may turn out to be only a minor skirmish in what promises to be a war of words and protest action aimed at securing the high ground of economic policy. And central to this will be the question of land.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 19 June 2013

The Opaque Prism Part Three: How can we make our online lives more secure?

This is the last in a three-part series on the United States government's PRISM programme.

Nathan Geffen

Opinion | 18 June 2013

The Opaque Prism Part Two: What’s wrong with PRISM?

This is the second in a three-part series on the United States government's PRISM programme.

Nathan Geffen

Opinion | 18 June 2013

The Opaque Prism Part One: Some Internet users aren’t American

This is the first in a three-part series on the United States government's PRISM programme.

Nathan Geffen

Opinion | 18 June 2013

Maverick and the Dockrats: Where is the al-Qaeda link?

One month ago the Daily Maverick published an article by De Wet Potgieter headlined "Al Qaeda is alive and well in South Africa." A second part was promised, but has still not been published.

Yael Even Or and Camila Osorio

Opinion | 17 June 2013

Fransman’s inexcusable behaviour

This was originally published as a letter in the Cape Times on 14 June 2013.

Doron Isaacs

Opinion | 14 June 2013

Why double digit pay rises are justified

The annual wage bargaining season — erroneously labelled the “strike season” — is upon us. Workers around the country, through their unions and in bargaining councils and bilateral negotiations with employers, are determining wages and conditions for the coming year or more.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 12 June 2013

Open Data: opening democracy?

Open Data is possibly the big change waiting to happen. It is not only going to change our interaction with the world, but also define new ideas and solutions to problems for us.

Jonathan Dockney

Opinion | 5 June 2013

What kind of boy are you?

‘Are you a boy or a girl?’ ‘Go outside and play with other boys and throw that doll away. Who bought it?’ My father shouts at me as he finds me playing with the cheap fashion doll which I secretly brought with my lunch money after months of saving.

Luckyboy Mkhondwane

Opinion | 5 June 2013

The ANC-Alliance soap opera trundles on

“Confusion hath made his masterpiece.” That quote from Shakespeare’s Macbeth seems perfectly to sum up the statements, comments, reports and machinations surrounding the Cosatu executive committee meeting last week.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 5 June 2013

Debunking Jeremy Cronin on civil society

“Join our hands to fight the drug companies, join our hands to raise money from the private sector, join our hands in raising money from each of us who will contribute to save lives of everyone who needs to be saved.” With these words Zackie Achmat launched the Treatment Action Campaign in 1998.

Doron Isaacs

Opinion | 29 May 2013

Organisational rights and democracy

Potentially turbulent and conflicting currents among trade union federations have been exposed following an attempt by deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe to calm troubled labour relations waters.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 29 May 2013

MyCiTi: brilliant service delivery or irresponsible public planning?

Policy makers hail the MyCiTi Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) as the solution to Cape Town's public transport. MyCiTi has been lauded for its service quality. But it has also been criticised for its drain on public funds, and the system is also being questioned by existing operators.

Martin Eichhorn

Opinion | 29 May 2013

More and more people, less and less work

In recent columns I have mentioned the frightening statistic from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) that, on a global level, more than 120 million men and women are now without work — and will probably never work again. This week, an updated figure arrived from the ILO: there are now more than 200 million people who are jobless and with little hope of their circumstances changing.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 27 May 2013