A hungover hooray!
And so we wake this Sunday morning, foggy of head and proud of heart. Thanks go to the Boks, for those men brought a great victory to this nation.
I’ve got to say I was caught quite by surprise at the Bok Fever which swept over South Africa in the days before the final. It was amazing going into my local supermarket on Friday evening and Saturday morning and seeing people wearing green and gold from one end of the store to the other.
It was great to see the national anthems being sung last night before the final. I remember the TV cameras catching Bok fans in the stadium singing our national anthem as if their lives depended on it. How amazing it must have been to be there.
It was moving to see the tears of emotion in Brian Habana’s eyes as the anthem played. He was not alone. I think there must have been millions around the world and in SA who shared a tear too.
I know I’ve been rude about our President lately but the effort he made in going to the final and celebrating with the Boks was a good thing to do. Some may think it contrived in the shadow of Madiba ’95 World Cup final appearance but I think it was a genuine effort to show support and to close something of the divide our country has experienced lately. Good one, Mr President.
How I wish we could have World Cup finals every week. We’d never have to worry about politics and nation-building ever again. Of course we’d all be nervous wrecks and alcoholics, but it would be a price worth paying 
No pride in this prejudice
Here is my column for tomorrow's paper.
WE have been running a rather unusual story which has emerged from a mundane theft case taking place in the East London Magistrate’s Court.
Domestic worker Luleka Matwa was on trial charged with stealing R73000 from the well-known local radiologist Dr Mark Tarboton.
The case was of interest because it involved a relatively well-known local figure and a crime by someone close to the family. But then the case took on a new dimension when Matwa claimed she had not stolen the money, but that it had been paid to her by the doctor after they had had an affair.
Tarboton said that he had gone overseas and mistakenly left his bank card and pin number together and Matwa had stolen the cash.
Will children rule the world?
We ran this sapa story in today's paper about how parents could face a R300 fine if they are convicted of smacking their children in terms of new legislation. Who will do the policing of this? Well, it would seem the children themselves. So the authorities will have to investigate every complaint by a child that their parent has smacked them, it appears.
Look, don't get me wrong. I'm not into smacking kids (although I'll admit I smacked my son on his hand when he was learning to crawl and kept trying to poke his fingers into a plug socket. It happened once and I wouldn't want to do it again) Does that make me criminal?
Well, it would according to the new law where “any minor smack on the buttocks or rap over the knuckles” would be illegal. What's going to happen here? Is little Johnny going to threaten his folks with a smacking rap with the cops when they refuse to up his pocket money or buy him a sweetie?
Scridb filterWhat's your legacy to Biko?
Here is an editorial opinion I have prepared for Saturday's paper around the planned memorial service for Steve Biko in King Williams Town.
Scridb filterToday Steve Biko’s family will have a formal memorial service for the late Black Consciousness leader some 30 years after his death.
For the first time, Biko’s family and thousands of others will have an opportunity to pay proper tribute to this remarkable man at a service in King William’s Town.
Over the past week, this newspaper has asked readers to write in with their views on what Biko means today.
Should white women count?
Tando, a contributer to this blog, in a comment for another post, has offered a potential hot potato for discussion: Should white women count in Employment Equity? There is a view that this group of people has benefited most from equity legislation. Some feel this is wrong and was surely not the intention of these laws. It's not the most comfortable idea for people to discuss - but what the hey, I'd be interested in your views.
Scridb filter