Drum was the only magazine when the winds of change were blowing through the African continent in 1957. It celebrated its 60th birthday recently. The best talent available in the urban South African community was, like moth to light, attracted to the charismatic power of its visionary and prophetic founder, a Mr Jim Bailey. It…
During April Freedom Month I was in Soweto to celebrate not just freedom osmosis but the triumph of the human spirit, the spirit of self-responsibility and determination. This was made possible by the hard work, focus and, above all, determination of two individuals taking their lives and the future of Soweto into their own hands….
I find that some blacks are inclined to drive like taxi drivers irrespective of the model car they drive or their social status. It would seem that when it comes to doing the right thing on the road there is no difference between motorists from privileged suburban communities from, say, taxi drivers from the working…
Why would they ask me to put on a uniform and go to the heart of Africa to fire high-calibre machine guns and drop bombs on fellow Africans whose leader got into power through a coup and not democratic elections? I will not draw guns and shoot bombs at the sight of marauding African rebel…
The government does not need to fight or over-invest in the media. In fact, it can afford to keep its distance and insist on factual, accurate, correct and truthful reporting. It is an open secret that not only is the media overly juniorised but its professionals are so underpaid and demoralised they cannot uphold their…
We, as a country, have a serious problem with national morale. Everywhere you look you can sense ”something is wrong”. No doubt, over the last 23 years since the release of Nelson Mandela in February 1990, we have produced bright and charismatic leaders. Many have risen to international stature and are significant global players. In…
Am I the only guy who is fed up with the crisis of creative leadership and lack of innovation in the artistic sector? Where the hell is our outrage at the lack of significant national talent that begins to help us redefine the soul of this nation? We should be throwing stones at the glass…
The common objection to the work of many African artists is simple: they oversimplify reality and dehumanise the African experience to please a so-called global audience. As a result, their content is predictable and monotonous. In fact, it is not just an insult but, to a large extent, also a lie. What I mean is…
The most depressing feature of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) has been the mean-spirited attack of so-called ”white, foreign coaches” by leading soccer figures, commentators, players and fans. This reveals an outdated ethnic, tribal essentialism or nationalist view and the inability of some leading soccer figures to articulate and promote non-racism and international brotherhood…
I believe celebrated struggle poet and ANC veteran Mongane Wally Serote will be in a lot of trouble for saying “the white Western voice dominates discourse in this country while the African voice is muted”. He was a panellist on a Big Debate discussion about artists and whether they have sold out or have we…
