MetaFilter posts tagged with southafrica

The Economist: The World in 2010

goodnewsfortheinsane — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:09:43 -0800

In 2010, Obama will have a miserable year, NATO may lose in Afghanistan, the UK gets a regime change, China needs to chill, India's factories will overtake its farms, Europe risks becoming an irrelevant museum, the stimulus will need an exit strategy, the G20 will see a challenge from the "G2", African football will unite Korea, conflict over natural resources will grow, Sarkozy will be unloved and unrivalled, the kids will come together to solve the world's problems (because their elders are unable), technology will grow ever more ubiquitous, we'll all charge our phones via USB, MBAs will be uncool, the Space Shuttle will be put to rest, and Somalia will be the worst country in the world. And so the Tens begin.

The Economist: The World in 2010. Previously: 2009, 2008, 2007. How did we do last time around? Guest contributions: President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso lines up Europe's priorities President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev argues for dialogue and cooperation President of the Maldives Mohamed Nasheed wants his island nation to remain above water President of Indonesia Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono would like for Islam and the West to live in harmony President of South Africa Jacob Zuma says Africa should rise to the occasion Director-General of the World Health Organisation Margaret Chan predicts the development of the flu pandemic Managing director of the International Monetary Fund Dominique Strauss-Kahn explains how to prevent another crisis CEO of Yahoo! Carol Bartz believes business leaders should tap into the information flood Chairman of HSBC Stephen Green argues that the financial sector should welcome emerging economies CEO of Fiat Group and Chrysler Group Sergio Marchionne thinks greener cars require bolder action CEO/CTO of SpaceX Elon Musk says the private sector should handle space travel

District 9 Now Playing in South Africa

smrtsch — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 15:01:00 -0800

District 9 has generated some discussion here and else where. But, what do South African viewers of the film think about it?.

White Refugee

PenDevil — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:11:27 -0800

This past Thursday the Canadian government granted refugee status to Brandon Huntley, a South African who has been living illegally in Canada since 2005. Huntley claimed that if he were to be repatriated back to South Africa he would be persecuted due to the fact that he is white. The South African government is not amused.

Tribunal panel chair William Davis said the evidence of Huntley "showed a picture of indifference and inability or unwillingness" of the SA government to protect "white South Africans from persecution by African South Africans".

Cat food.

crossoverman — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 03:26:06 -0800

Welcome to District 9. Director Neill Blomkamp turns his sci-fi short "Alive in Joburg" into a full-length feature film - examining xenophobia in an allegory of Apartheid, set in a slum recalling District 6 of Cape Town in South Africa.

Rape and Regret in South Africa

thisperon — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:36:05 -0800

Man Who Committed Rape Asks for Victim's Forgiveness Decades Later Dumisani Rebombo and his friend raped a young girl in their village in South Africa when they were teenagers. Years later, he returned to the same village to find the woman he attacked and begged for her forgiveness. A story showing the brutal personal side to the rape culture in South Africa.

Jacob's Ladder

lullaby — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 16:14:18 -0800

Jacob's Ladder. Jacob Zuma is a former goatherd, a master of traditional Zulu stick-fighting, a resistance hero, a one-time spymaster, a graceful dancer, and the father of some 20 children. He has been tried for rape and indicted for corruption, racketeering, and fraud. He has been called the next Mandela and the next Mugabe, a black Jesus and a crass rube. A profile of South Africa's recently elected president.

Drawing, erasing, redrawing

louche mustachio — Wed, 06 May 2009 08:22:52 -0800

William Kentridge creates animation by working into charcoal drawings; drawing, erasing, redrawing, layering, to create stories that frequently link the intensely intimate with the politics of his native South Africa. Johannesburgh -1989 introduces characters that recur through many of his films. Monument -1990 Mine -1991 Sobriety, Obesity, and Growing Old -1991 Felix in Exile-1994 History of the Main Complaint - 1996 Weighing...and Wanting -1997 Automatic Writing Magic Flute, Part 1 Magic Flute, Part 2 Magic Flute, Part 3 What Will Come-2007 On his place in the art world On a world "fixed in time"

A Most Disgusting Song

msalt — Tue, 05 May 2009 16:00:00 -0800

Sixto Rodriguez aka Rod Riguez was a platinum-selling urban-poet folk-funk singer in South Africa, a hit across Australia and New Zealand -- and had no idea. He was working on a construction site in his home town of Detroit until his daughter Eva Alicia found a fansite called "The Great Rodriguez Hunt". Albums: "Cold Fact" (1970, 2008). 4 stars in Billboard (4/18/70); 8.0 on Pitchfork (9/17/08) "Coming From Reality (1973, 2009 - reissued today) Tour: May 8 - July 12, 2009 United States and Europe Songs: "Inner City Blues", "Sugarman", "Crucify Your Mind", "Forget It" - on Daytrotter "Heikki's Suburbia Bus Tour" "Sugarman", "Crucify Your Mind", and "Only Good For Conversation" on his Myspace page "Sugar man" - on David Holme's 2002 mix album "Come Get It, I Got It"; sampled by Nas on You're Da Man

The Doctor Will Sue You Now

xchmp — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 08:11:34 -0800

"If you’re ever looking for a warning sign that you’re on the wrong side of an argument, suing Medecins Sans Frontieres is probably a pretty good clue." Science journalist and blogger Ben Goldacre has released the missing chapter of his book, Bad Science, telling the story of Matthias Rath, vitamins and the AIDS crisis in South Africa. [Previously. Also.]

Zines!

Kattullus — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 20:35:23 -0800

The Zine Library has hundreds of zines in pdf format for your perusal. They are organized into categories ranging from the common political (anarchism, political prisoners & animal liberation) and identity based zines (indigenous, race & gender) to the more esoteric (anarchist history, primitivism & theory) as well as the useful (cooking, DIY & organizing manuals) and arty (art, comics & music). Now, zines are by their very nature hit and miss but there are some real treasures to be found. I recommend these three: [all links pdf] The Rebel's Dark Laughter - The Writings of Bruno Filippi, Barefoot in the Kitchen and Delivery from Below, Resistance from Above - Electricity and the Politics of Struggle in Tembisa, South Africa. Note: Many if not most zines are set up to be printed out and bound together in chapbooks. That requires a bit of going back and forth when reading in pdf-format, but they wouldn't be real zines if they were straightforward to read ;) Don't know what a zine is? A pretty good overview is provided by zine librarian Jenna Freedman in Zines Are Not Blogs: A Not Unbiased Analysis. [This site has been posted previously but was buried deep in the weeds of more inside]

"The anti-apartheid movement's cricket team"

rodgerd — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 14:33:00 -0800

"Far more is known about...the activities of the secret service in Moscow...than what the England selectors said and did that night": Basil D'Oliveira was a Coloured South African all-round cricketer who moved to the UK to avoid the colour bar that prevented him representing South Africa; representing England with considerable credit, he created a crises for English and South African cricket, with Nazi sympathiser and South African Prime Minister Vorster ordering the British not to select him to tour South Africa. Initially the MCC refused to select him; while they claimed this was due to a drop in form; many in the press flayed this decision, seeing it as a capitulation by the MCC, and hence the British Establishment, to South Africa's apartheid regime, in spite of the British government's official policy that South Africa must not dictate selections. The ban on the MCC team helped to bring about the Gleneagles Agreement, isolating the sports-mad white South Africans from international sport (with a notable exception).

"Many times when the women were sewing they would cry."

Miko — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:24:49 -0800

Weavings of War: Fabrics of Memory , an online exhibit of comtemporary textiles created (mostly) by women living in war zones.

A Reactionary Musical Moment?

Jahaza — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 21:52:49 -0800

A recent series of posts on the web site of First Things magazine looks at what could be described as a reactionary moment on the part of some folk and roots musicians in Québec and around the world... and we're not talking The Goldwaters (Wikipedia). R.R. Reno kicked things off writing about the English band Show of Hands' and their songs "Country Life" (Youtube) and "Roots" (Youtube). Paul Allen (no, not that Paul Allen) adds a discussion focusing on “Dégenerations” by Quebec's Mes Aïeux (Youtube). Finally, Reno notes "De la Ray" (Youtube) by "the Afrikaner folk and rock singer, Bok van Blerk". (More on the song's reception here from a South African newspaper. Part One and Part Two of a two part 10 minute video piece on the song.)

Out of Africa

netbros — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 21:55:43 -0800

Out of Africa. As award-winning Globe and Mail Africa correspondent Stephanie Nolen bids farewell to a place she's come to love, she reflects on how it has changed, and how it changed her. Africa photo gallery

Miriam Makeba Has Died

fourcheesemac — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 07:03:19 -0800

Miriam Makeba, 1932-2008. "Her haunting melodies gave voice to the pain of exile and dislocation which she felt for 31 long years. At the same time, her music inspired a powerful sense of hope in all of us" -- Nelson Mandela Just a taste:
Pata Pata
The Click Song

Presenting African Swim

drezdn — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 23:02:36 -0800

African Swim is the newest free album being offered by Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. This time the album features South African hip hop groups.

Should This Feat With No Feet Be Defeated?

Xurando — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 11:16:14 -0800

Should Oscar Pistorius be allowed to run with prosthetic blades in the Olympics for South Africa? Current money says maybe.

Xenophobic Attacks in Johannesburg, South Africa

huffa — Wed, 21 May 2008 12:10:11 -0800

Xenophobic violence breaks out in Johannesburg and around South Africa. The victims of these attacks have been primarily poor foreigners living in townships and shack settlements. Durban-based shack dwellers' movement, Abahlali baseMjondolo (previously) have posted an incisive and informative response. More coverage of the events here and here. Photo galleries here and here.

Poor whites in South Africa

flapjax at midnite — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 07:24:21 -0800

Given the history of the country and the fact that a huge number of South Africa's black citizens still live in conditions of desperate hardship, a film seeking to draw attention to white poverty in that nation might understandably raise some eyebrows or some suspicions. But Poor Whites - South Africa is worth a view. Perhaps things aren't always quite as, er, black and white as this South African TV spot would indicate. Meanwhile, ANC president Jacob Zuma, visiting poor whites at a shantytown yesterday expressed surprise at the level of poverty among white people. "You have shown me that it exists", he said to Solidarity officials who had invited him. NOTE: Predictably lunk-headed YouTuber comments are in FULL EFFECT at the YT link here. Avoidance heartily recommended. ALSO NOTE: I'd like to make it clear that my posting this link to MetaFilter is not a personal "endorsement" of the film's message. It is not a political statement on my part, and I'm not "taking sides" with the filmmakers. I simply found it interesting and, as I said, worth a view. That's all. The PSA TV advertisement ends with the message "TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT MZANSI". Didn't know what that referred to, but here's what Wikipedia says, and what South Africa.info says.

Apartheid: then and now

madamjujujive — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 18:24:14 -0800

Then and Now presents works from 8 South African documentary photographers - each contributes 10 photos taken during apartheid and 10 made since the democratic elections of 1994. (On display at Duke University through July 27.) More about the project Prior mefi thread: South African Photography during the Era of Apartheid More works by the eight featured photographers: David Goldblatt Guy Tillim Paul Weinberg Eric Miller Graeme Williams Gisele Wulfsohn Cedric Nunn George Hallet

So, you thought Cricket was for sissies, aye?

hadjiboy — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 06:22:44 -0800

First, a bit of an introduction to the game of Cricket (youtube) for those of us who may not be familiar with the sport. Next, a few clips (1, 2, 3, 4) on how awesome the Gentleman's Game can be (and you thought we didn't do anything but roam around in our white pants and cotton shirts...). But, if that wasn't enough for you, then here's a taste of Twenty20 Cricket (the fast, fast paced version of the game), and the new DLF Indian (pdf) Premier League. (This is in addition to the One Day Matches, which were instituted to bring in a bit more excitement into the game during the 1970's, prior to which the match only consisted of Tests. However, some purists still maintain that the game would've been better served had it not been commercalized to the extent that it has, and still prefer the leisurely pace of the original format to its current incarnation.) A small History of Cricket here, along with a History of the US playing the sport too: yes, you yanks were Batsmen and Bowlers once upon a time as well. Although, there is hope that you might still try and break into the sport yet. Women too have shown that they are just as good with the bat and the ball as their male counterparts, and so have the visually challenged. See, this is a game that anyone can play, even kids who can't afford the equipment, and play a rudimentary form of the sport called Gilli Danda. Oh, and not to forget, there's someone else who tried his hand at Cricket too. Any guesses? And finally, a list of the DLF Indian Premier League Cricket Teams: The Kolkata Knight Riders | The Deccan Chargers (Hyderabad) | The Delhi Daredevils | The Rajasthan Royals | The Bangalore Royal Challengers | The Chennai Super Kings | The Mumbai Indians | And the as yet to be named Mohali Cricket Team

Baobab!

dhruva — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 19:58:07 -0800

The Sunland Big Baobab tree is large enough to contain a tree bar and wine cellar.

S. African nuclear facility attacked

Kirth Gerson — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 12:44:58 -0800

Nuclear Facility in South Africa attacked by armed intruders. According to the Pretoria News, four armed men broke into the control room of the Pelindaba Nuclear Research Center, shooting "a senior emergency officer" in the process. The government nuclear agency Necsa has told the paper that publishing the story would be a violation of the National Keypoints Act. The facility seems to be part of South Africa's nuclear weapons program.

Lucky Dube Shot Dead

Henry C. Mabuse — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 01:27:53 -0800

Lucky Dube Shot Dead - Lucky Dube, the South African Reggae musician, has been shot dead by car hijackers in Johannesburg. In front of his son. To say that Lucky Dube was an important artist is an understatment.

"A Compound From Olive-pomace Oil Gets 80% Slowing Down Of HIV Spread"

duende — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 15:45:32 -0800

In the past, various possible treatments and methods have been suspected of helping combat AIDS, which have later been proven correct. Other, less reputable treatments have also been claimed to work, the likes of which descend towards malpractice, pseudoscience and criminal negligence. But in a turnabout, the olive oil element of South Africa's controversial treatment, deemed to be "Africa's Solution", actually helps as well.