The recent controversy about the artist Brett Murray's "The Spear" painting provoked furious verbal and other acrobatics. Those who opposed the public showing of the painting did so claiming not to be censoring an exposed penis per se, but to be objecting to the...
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Can capitalism survive the end of growth? | by Cy Gonick
Richard Heinberg. The End of Growth: Adapting to Our New Economic Reality New Society Publishers, 2011 Publisher & Coordinating Editor of Canadian Dimension Industrialized economies have grown most years since the mid-19th century. Globally, economic output per...
Is the SACP still relevant? | by Mazibuko K Jara
The South African Communist Party can be faulted on many fronts, but its sterling contribution to defeating apartheid and challenging capitalist exploitation was personified in the principled socialist morality and selflessness of Chris Hani, Joe Slovo and others. In...
Why The Spear outraged us | by Mzukisi Makatse
Mzukisi Makatse on freedom of artistic expression in South Africa The contextual and political understanding of the freedom of artistic expression in South Africa Now that the dust seems to be settling after the storm and hysteria occasioned by The Spear - Brett...
Egyptian election: Odds stacked against democracy | by Sokari Ekine
Whilst the Egyptian people continue artistically expressing themselves, the Egyptian government is busy painting over the walls of history in and around Tahrir square that document the uprising. [attributed to Angry Egyptian] It’ been 16 months since the start of...
By supporting Israel, Hillary Clinton breaks US human rights law | by Josh Ruebner
US-Israel relations are growing even rosier despite Israel’s atrocious human rights record. Guess which institution had the following to say about Israel’s human rights record in 2011: “Arab citizens of the country faced institutional and societal discrimination.”...
Ayanda Mabulu vs Brett Murray | by Unathi Kondile
Firstly, I’d like to thank Brett Murray for his contribution to the arts. Secondly, I wish I could deliver canapés and wine to all the South African households who have had the privilege of entering a gallery from the comfort of their homes, courtesy of our media’s...
Against Shell’s fracking arguments | by Jonathan Deal
Three oil companies, Royal Dutch Shell, Falcon Oil & Gas, and Bundu Oil & Gas, see massive opportunities in the exploration of natural gas trapped in the underground shale formations in the Karoo, a semi-desert area in South Africa. The Karoo is a sparsely...




