So far, this year will not be remembered in history as being dominated by one or two big events either domestically or on the global front. Rather it was a year of emerging trends as we move towards the midway mark of the second decade of the 21^st century and sets the scene for what could be a very eventful 2013.

It is that time of the year when old men get dressed up in red outfits, designed for a winter in those parts of the world where it actually snows at Christmas. With false beards, they sit sweating in shopping malls and department stores all over South Africa earning a few extra rands for some of the Christmas ‘bargains’ offered in just about every shop. 

Mother tongue-based education is not a panacea for South Africa’s education-related ills. However, moving beyond English and Afrikaans as the languages of learning and teaching is indeed possible and desirable. Not only should it be an option but it is an obligation of the state. It will also help to ensure that the country showcases the true potential of all its learners. 

While legal codes across the globe have battled to keep pace with the explosion in the electronic social networks and platforms over recent years, cyber space has become a bit of the ‘Wild West’. Now, some high profile defamation lawsuits in the United Kingdom may force some legal precedents to be set.

As most South Africans, including its sport stars, slip into holiday mode and time with family and friends, football and cricket’s warriors will see the year out on the playing and training fields. The national football team’s collective will be on an important mission early in the new year.

In what should be the last important political event of 2012, the African National Congress’s 53^rd elective and policy conference next week will shape politics and much more in South Africa next year and in years to come. While president Jacob Zuma’s re-election seems to be a done deal, a late surprise still cannot be ruled out and a number of question marks hang over his continued presidency.

A potentially explosive crisis involving farm workers in the Western Cape, with the threat of spreading to the rest of the country, was averted last week. But the unanswered questions remain: where and with whom did the unrest that erupted in the middle of November really start and what does the future hold on this front? It is an extremely complicated situation and single answers are not possible, bar to say that the farming industry is bound to change in many respects. 

On the domestic and international sporting front, 2012 delivered some magnificent peaks and deep valleys for both individual sportsmen and women and teams. For some sports, like cycling, there were also horrific scandal-ridden valleys. South Africa had its share of both.