A review by Xoliswa Skomolo In 1990, South Africa crossed the rubicon of apartheid, and all babies born thereafter are referred to as "born-frees". One of them is the author of this book. It is an elaborate and rich narrative - a roller coaster of a journey that has...
home
Why Did The Heaven’s Not Darken? Fear and Loathing in Girl Killer SA
The life and death of Rene by Andre Marias This newspaper headline refers to the rape and murder of my niece Rene, 28 years ago. She was four years old at the time of her death on Xmas Eve, 1986. As is so often the case, she knew her killer and he was known to the...
Pete Seeger tribute
For Pete's sake We Shall Overcome Singing and Fighting by Andre Marais During a recent concert performance on the Cape Town leg of his SA, tour, Bruce Springsteen took time out to pay tribute to the legendary American folk-artist Pete Seeger, who passed away earlier...
THE CASE OF SHANNON—OUTCASTE CAPE TOWN: a personal reflection by Andre Marais
THE CASE OF SHANNON---OUTCAST CAPE TOWN: a personal reflection by Andre Marais My nephew Shannon is about to be sentenced next week. He is currently languishing in Polsmoor as an awaiting trial prisoner. As I watch him being brought from the holding cells to court in...
Marikana and the crisis of Migrancy | by Micah Reddy
The Marikana massacre and unrest on South Africa's mines in 2012 elicited a flurry of analysis, much of it superficial and too hastily produced to be of any real use. One of the more authoritative accounts, however, came from former trade unionist Gavin Hartford, now...
Who was Walter Rodney?
A brief introduction to his life and works Walter Anthony Rodney, known to many as Walter or Brother Wally, was born on 23 March 1942 in Guiana, a British colony on the northern coast of South America. His father Edward was a tailor and his mother, Pauline, a...
Nobama campaign – some lessons
From the 26th June to the 3rd July, US imperialism sent its chief political representative to Africa on a public relations exercise. The trip was cynically billed as building 'trade ties' and 'strengthening democratic institutions'. In the end, it emerged that Obama...
City of Cape Town makes up law to justify eviction of the poor by Jared Sacks
The City of Cape Town has been caught red-handed using a fraudulent legal pretext to justify the eviction of shack dwellers who had occupied a vacant piece of City-owned land, by citing a non-existent law they claim is called the "Protection of the Possession of...
BLACK NOISE
Black Noise is a new column that features young black writers dedicated to critiquing and undermining racism, sexism and economic exploitation in South Africa and beyond. I can't even imagine the terror Anene must have felt on that construction site. The details of...


