It was a delightful television advertisement with clever and creative wordplay that set me off on a quest to discover who the Jack of the “jackpot” was. Along the way, I discovered that “sweet Fanny Adams” was a real and tragic person in history. At the same time I was reintroduced to another lady, also called Fanny, from the long-gone days of my teenage boyhood dreams.

The stormy and deeply divisive public debate around the controversial Brett Murray painting of president Jacob Zuma, dramatically illustrated the extent to which race still features in democratic South Africa. Lately, over a wide spectrum of public issues, the race card has regularly been played.

Plans to create an African free trade area (FTA) by integrating three existing African trade blocs consisting of 26 countries by July 2014 are gaining momentum. The aim is to create a free market of 525 million people with an output of US$1 trillion, making it a global player.  

The battle for leadership and policy positions within the labour wing of the ANC-led governing alliance now almost exactly mirrors the battle lines within the ANC itself.  President Jacob Zuma has a leading edge on both fronts as the leadership race has now moved headlong into the Eastern Cape.

The efforts of governments in developed countries, especially in Europe, are coming down hard on workers. Policies aimed at combating the economic crisis have “devastating consequences” for the job market while not having the desired result of reducing budget deficits, a United Nations agency reports.

The silverware drought of Mamelodi Sundowns continues. However, their neighbours, SuperSport United, won their fourth title of the past five years by adding this year’s Nedbank Cup to three ABSA Premier Soccer League titles. On Saturday, United found their rhythm and with collective cohesion on the attack, benefited from the slightly below-par defensive efforts by Sundowns.

Five points separate the top three contenders of the South African conference in the Vodacom Super Rugby campaign. This happened after the Sharks produced, arguably, their best forty minutes of the season and the DHL Stormers stuttered for, perhaps, their worst forty of their season. The Stormers are on 50 points and the Bulls on 48 after twelve matches. The Sharks on 45 after thirteen.