One evening while channel surfing at home, I stumbled upon what sounded like a rap cypher on the radio. Quickly, I got up to look for an empty cassette tape nearby. Once I found one (a see-through Sonotech C-60 if memory serves right), I hurriedly inserted it into the...
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Mining strike: Whose reality is ‘the real world’?
Everyone, other thaN lunatics, troublemakers and the economically illiterate, is supposed to know that the demand by the striking platinum workers for a starting basic wage of R12 500 is plainly unaffordable. Indeed, anything even near R12 500 is supposedly so...
Can Hip Hop change the world?
Can hip hop change the world? Exploring the resistive potential of hip hop in the context of globalisation Reviewer: Eitan Prince Fernandes, S. Close To The Edge: In Search of the Global Hip Hop Generation. London: Verso Books. 2011. Basu, D. and Lemelle, S.J. The...
Unfreedom Day Land Occupation: Police assault activists| by Camilla Rose Coutts
On 27 April 2013 Abahlali baseMjondolo (AbM), the largest organisation of the militant poor in post-apartheid South Africa, established in Durban in 2005. Released a press statement entitled "Marikana: A New Land Occupation Founded on UnFreedom Day 2013." The...
Nicolás Maduro is Venezuela’s vote for Chávismo| by Mark Weisbrot
Hugo Chávez's economic policies were successful but a close vote means the new president cannot become complacent After a short but bitterly fought, insult-laden campaign, Chávista standard-bearer Nicolás Maduro defeated challenger Henrique Capriles, thus assuring...
Amplats are lying
NO NEED FOR RETRENCHEMENTS Delegates wrapped up the 19th annual African Mining Indaba in early February 2013 full of back-thumping promises to improve the public image of the sector. Little wonder that the mining captains feel the industry needs a facelift: since the...
The Warning: South Africa Is An Angry And Frustrated Nation And On The Brink | by Danny Schechter
Durban, South Africa: These are not the best of times in South Africa. It seems clear that there is fear and loathing everywhere as the press is packed with fresh allegations of corruption, and a restive mood spreads even as the country prepares to host the economic...
Pampering of rich too costly | by Dick Forslund
Speculation is rife in anticipation of next week's budget speech. Will Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan announce tax increases? Might the tax rate for personal income above R617 000 increase to 42 percent? Might it even return to 45 percent for the portion of income...
‘We cannot walk freely’| by Jeanne Hefez
Voices from Marikana: Lonmin workers speak It's nearly four months after the Marikana massacre, and the atmosphere in and around Lonmin is still one of fear in the face of a de facto state of emergency. As Amandla! goes to press, police continue to use excessive force...






