Harry Bingham’s look at the failings and successes of the modern market system and placing it in historical perspective, set against the background of the 2008 meltdown of the financial markets, was published towards the middle of last year. But with fear anew gripping the global markets, seemingly poised for the second round of a double dip recession, this book is probably more worth a read than ever.

Is Julius Malema, the president (for the moment) of the ANC Youth League, potentially as big a political tsunami as Jacob G Zuma was in 2008, in the run-up to the ANC's Polokwane jamboree at which Thabo Mbeki was unseated, asks Jeremy Gordin.

As ANC Youth League (ANCYL) president Julius Malema and the rest of its leadership continue to face their accusers in a “small room with air-conditioning” (his words), the broader showdown between the parent ANC and its youth wing also continues. Both issues are fluid, and the outcomes could go in any direction. The only certainty is that there will be change and it is unlikely that either will continue wielding the kind of influence in the way they have been doing these past few years.

Reacting to last week’s Final word, calling into question the South African origin of the word babalaas, Rob Pienaar opened up a whole new treasure trove for me on the under-explored world of the country’s indigenous black languages and their contribution to the South and Southern African lingua -and room for plenty of fun.

The ministers responsible for hosting the United Nations climate talks in Durban at the end of the year (COP 17) said at a preparatory meeting last week the talks must focus on keeping alive the Kyoto Protocol, the only existing binding global deal to cut greenhouse gases. South African environment minister Edna Molewa said organisers are committed to extending the Kyoto agreement at the November 28 to December 9 talks.

The world is heading towards a global food crisis similar to that experienced in 2008, but ironically seems to be less prepared to respond to the crisis than was the case three years ago. Local analysts have also warned that South African consumers will have to tighten their belts as the festive season  approaches.

If the Force is with them, and it seems to be the case right now, Orlando Pirates are  simply unbeatable and should enlarge their trophy cabinet in order to cope with all the silverware. They retained their MTN8 title the weekend by beating arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs 1-0 in a pulsating final at the FNB Stadium.

As South Africa extricates itself from another messy and costly strike season – that will surely have a negative impact on the economy yet to show itself when third quarter economic data is released – the big debate around job creation and high unemployment continues. Unemployment can yet become a threat to stability.

In case you hadn’t noticed, banking in South Africa is on the move. If Visa’s $110 million acquisition of Cape Town-based mobile banking infrastructure provider, Fundamo, didn’t get your attention, then FNB’s July launch of a range of mobile banking applications should have, writes Arno du Toit.

There is intense rethinking in the Pentagon about the “war on terror”. The outcome of the Libyan conflict will reinforce its principal trends. When Donald Rumsfeld when appointed as George W Bush's defence secretary in 2001, had a clear aim of fighting wars with minimal “boots on the ground”. From that point, the US would fight its enemies mainly from the air and the sea. This vision of a high-tech military age saw armies as increasingly redundant.

For most of South Arica’s opening match in the Rugby World Cup against Wales, it seemed as if the Springboks were trying their level best to prove Warren Gatland right. The coach of Wales said prior to the match that the Springboks don’t actually play rugby.

President Robert Mugabe should  be given credit that he is still willing to face the rigours and challenges of political life and high office at the age of 87. It is said that politics can be addictive, so maybe, like many before him, president Mugabe needs the fix, the power, and adulation that the presidency provides.

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The appointment of the new Chief Justice, Mogoeng Mogoeng, by President Jacob Zuma elicited what Mogoeng himself calls a “tsunami of a special kind.” Indeed, his appointment triggered a flood of criticism, most of it targeting the judge’s level of experience, his pronouncements on his Christian beliefs and his alleged attitude towards gays and women. The biggest culprit in this unhappy situation is, however, probably a flawed appointment process.