The impact of revolts in the Arab world and the resultant turmoil in much of the North African region is being felt way beyond the boundaries of the immediate region. It is especially so in Europe where refugees have added renewed momentum to northward-bound migration, putting European solidarity increasingly under pressure. Now there are also signs of strain on NATO hegemony with tensions developing between the United States and Britain over the low-key US involvement in Libya.

The general municipal election of 2011 will probably be remembered in history as the Toilet election after all the accusations and counter-accusations about the erection of open toilets in townships by various municipal administrations across the country. This and all the other mudslinging during the campaign have probably left few candidates in the true sense of the word at the end of it all.

South African companies that regularly communicate and interact with their customers by email should introduce digital signatures to their bulk messages in order to authenticate them to their intended recipients according to an expert after a recent phishing warning by the South African Banking Risk Information Centre (SABRIC).

South Africa’s municipal elections last week showed that the opposition vote has undergone a considerable process of consolidation behind the Democratic Alliance while the position of the African National Congress has remained generally unchanged.  However, epilogues for a multi-party system with a proliferation of smaller parties are premature if not totally off the mark.

Throughout history a pattern has been established in which major shifts in economic power are followed by, or go hand-in-hand with, shifts in military power and/or  dominance. Developments following in the wake of the sex-scandal that has engulfed the International Monetary Fund managing director underline that the world is presently again experiencing such a ground-shift.

Maybe his plans to move the International Monetary Fund (IMF) away from dominance by Europe and America did contribute to Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s fall from grace, as the punters of conspiracy theories claim, or maybe it did not. What is clear however is that Europe is not about to let go of its hold since 1945 on The World’s Banker.

The emotional debate about land reform, which is mostly code for the redistribution of land, is one largely filled with myths and misconceptions. In the interest of the country’s future and food security time has come for historical perspective to put some of the myths to rest, writes Stef Terblanche.

Orlando Pirates leapfrogged Ajax Cape Town on Saturday in one of the most pulsating final 90 minutes to an Absa Premiership competition in  memory, to become the Absa Premiership champions. Pirates defeated Golden Arrows 2-1 at Orlando Stadium. Ajax could only manage a lame draw at home to Maritzburg United.

The municipal elections of 18 May took place against a background of local government in crisis in many parts of the country and ever-escalating service delivery protests. In the midst of the election campaign government gave notice of plans for some substantial structural adjustments for some municipalities in an attempt to alleviate some of problems at the heart of the crisis.

The unrest in North Africa and the war in Libya have brought the plight of people uprooted by political instability and violence under the spotlight once again. It poses challenges way beyond the borders of the countries in which the upheavals are taking place – from Europe to Southern Africa.

The municipal elections have come and gone, and as the election dust settles municipalities across the country will be heaving a sigh of relief hoping for a return to business as usual. For many local governments it can, however still be a while before calm returns as the horse-trading in hung councils starts in earnest this week to establish governing coalitions.

Crucified and humiliated by the rugby critics for their inability to demonstrate composure under pressure and to showcase their fighting abilities after the disappointing defeat to the Chiefs, the Stormers’s answer was swift and convincing.
In a fight back chillingly reminiscent of the one that was staged by the Chiefs after the break when they trailed 3-20, the Stormers bounced back in similar fashion,  erasing a 3-19 deficit and racing to a 28-26 win against the Blues.

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