The long grind of the information battle. Result: What SA’s top civil servants earn
Over the last six months or so since I joined the Media24 Investigations team I've been pushing for us to really get active on access to information applications and last weekend one of our most ambitious projects came to fruition as we published the salaries of most of South Africa's directors-general, the country's top civil servants. (Stories in Afrikaans in Rapport here and also in City Press)
An earlier access to information request involved us fighting for information around the SA's national matric examination mark adjustments.
The information in our most recent project involving the DGs salaries came after many months of work in hassling dozens of government departments to respond to our access to information request - even though the Promotion of Access to Information law clearly sets out how this process is supposed to unfold.
Now, for reporters in Western democracies the idea of having to file access to information applications to get details of civil servants' salaries would probably seem crazy as this kind of information would, you would imagine, be freely available.
But would it? Our own campaign was in itself inspired by the amazing Bureau for Investigative Journalism project in the United Kingdom which produced a series of stories on the back of literally thousands and thousands of access to information applications.
How to bust open secrets with South Africa’s wonderful access to information laws
So, this morning Dr Mafu Rakometsi, the CEO of the Umalusi Council, stood up at a press conference in Pretoria to reveal some answers to some pressing questions about the 2010 matric results and how the results in various subjects were changed. 
For myself and team mates in the Media24 Investigations team and colleagues at the Sunday titles, Rapport and City Press, this marked the end of a fascinating chapter in which we had brought the power of South Africa's access to information laws to bear on this body.
Dr Rakometsi told everyone gathered there that the exam quality watchdog had taken this unprecedented step because of the intense interest in the "standardisation" process and after extensive consultations with relevant stakeholders and other interested parties.
But the truth behind this decison is rather more textured, as I will explain. The story behind it, I believe, holds an important lesson for South African journalists and, in fact, for any citizen wanting to ensure that those in authority do not withold from us information to which we are entitled.
Scridb filterHeading to the happy healthy corner… data comes to life
I saw this data in action over at gapminder.org about a year ago, but this "real world" visualisation really brings it to life. A very optimisitc look at the trendline to the future. Take a couple of minutes to watch it.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbkSRLYSojo
Gemma crosses her little Rubicon
This morning we took our daughter off for her first day in "big school", that rite of passage which we all experience.
I remember my first day of school like it was yesterday. Everything seemed so big and we all seemed so small.
I can imagine how Gemma felt this morning: wracked with excitement, twittering with nerves, full of eagerness at growing up and getting ready to learn.
"I feel a bit nervous," she said as we drove to Rustenburg Girls Junior. Before long she was hanging out with a new buddy and kissing us goodbye.
New city, new school, new faces, new adventure...It's amazing how good kids are at adapting. Much better than their folks.
Some parents weep at moments like this but I just felt proud. She's going to love it.