Pierre de Vos, Refusal to hand over spy tapes illegal

The withdrawal of hundreds of corruption charges against Jacob Zuma, immediately prior to his being elected president of South Africa was based on alleged tapes acquired by intelligence officials. Continue reading

Government statement on why miners cannot have legal representation funded. Evidence leaders can represent their interests

http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page71654?oid=400091&sn=Detail&pid=71616

Government refuses to fund legal representation for miners at Marikana commission, but millions spent on representi

http://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2013-08-23-radebe-on-commissions-state-money-only-for-state-employees/#.UhcAPBbH0y5

Vijay Prashad, Bradley Manning, Crimes against humanity and the values of international law

Bradley Manning, Crimes Against Humanity and the Values of International Law

Raymond Suttner: Government and tripartite alliance ‘no pitch’ at Marikana memorial

From the first days after the Marikana massacre Continue reading

Sisonke Msimang, Dear corruption watch. What about the victim?

This article by Sisonke Msimang asks why Corruption Watch did no more than ‘censure’ Zwelinzima Vavi Continue reading

Gcobani Qambela, Why Trevor Noah’s tweets about Caster Semenya matters

I do not know what Caster Semenya’s sexual orientation is. What I do know is that she is constitutionally entitled to decide how she wants to be, in terms of her sexual identity and her choice of sexual practices so long as this does not violate the rights of others.  We are speaking of a young woman who has had traumatic experiences because her sexuality was questioned in the course of her athletic career.  A comedian is a public figure and if that person is to do more than make people laugh, especially if s/he is a satirist there must be some sense of responsibility and respect towards other human beings especially someone who is vulnerable.  And this is especially so if Caster Semenya has chosen a sexual identity that deviates form heteronormativity.  We are living through a period of repeated ‘corrective rapes’.   We are entitled to expect that all public figures should take steps to combat this scourge and even if their job is humour, to defend constitutionalism, and individual identities and choices.

http://www.thoughtleader.co.za/oneyoungworld/2013/08/12/why-trevor-noahs-tweet-about-caster-semenya-matters/

Laura Kapelari, Social media rape culture and how women are fighting back

http://feministssa.com/2013/08/13/social-media-rape-culture-and-how-women-are-fighting-back/

Why the Music of Protest Is Still Worth Defending – Dar Williams interview; new movie about Victor Jara

http://portside.org/2013-08-08/why-music-protest-still-worth-defending-dar-williams-interview-new-movie-about-victor

Nick Cohen, Pope Francis is not a liberal

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/aug/10/pope-francis-is-not-liberal

The Right to Shelter: Let Down by the Judicial System in South Africa. Interview with Professor Bonita Meyersfeld, Centre for Applied Legal Studies, Wits

http://sacsis.org.za/site/article/1697

Antony Loewenstein, The daily inhumanity of Guantanamo Bay

http://antonyloewenstein.com/2013/08/11/the-daily-inhumanity-of-guantanamo-bay/

Raymond Suttner: Decisions/concessions made by the Mandela-led ANC during the transition towards post-apartheid South Africa

The transcript and interview with Professor Sampie Terreblanche  (link at the end of this article) provides insights Continue reading

Glenn Greenwald, On Obama’s cancellation of summit with Putin and extradition

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/aug/07/obama-putin-extradition-snowden

Blessing-Miles Tendi, Why Robert Mugabe scored a landslide victory

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/05/robert-mugabe-zimbabwe-election-zanu-pf