The appointment of business tycoon Cyril Ramaphosa as ANC deputy president late last year at Mangaung once again raised the prickly issue of conflict of interest – that is, politicians and other public officials involved in business dealings and property ownership.

South Africa romped to an emphatic win by an innings and 27 runs within three days in the first test against New Zealand at Newlands in the traditional New Year’s test.

South Africa’s labour relations scene seems set to start where it left off at the end of 2012 with more turmoil in the mining and Western Cape agricultural sectors, signalling a potential for escalating labour instability during the year.

As the year 2013 kicked off, in a last-minute compromise, lawmakers in the United States congress seem to have succeeded in kicking the can of the country’s deep financial troubles down the street. But, like children playing the game of hide-and-seek, come the end of February they will be back at the can in the streets of Washington. The game will start all over again unless a modern-day Lady Godiva comes to their rescue.

Last night, Bafana Bafana played Norway in an international friendly at the Cape Town stadium in preparation for the AFCON tournament. It was evident from hours before kick off that the Cape Town public had taken to this game. The stadium just about sold out – evidence of the fact that this is only the second international game Cape Town has hosted since the completion of the 2010 World Cup.

South Africa’s official opposition in parliament, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has decided to put its proposed vote of no-confidence in President Jacob Zuma on the back burner for now. In the context of legal issues confronting the president, the opposition’s decision is not necessarily good news, but rather an early sign of a political storm building around his position.

On 1 August last year, the city of San Bernardino became the third local authority in the state of California to file for bankruptcy within a month. They followed in the footsteps of a number of other US cities like Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Jefferson County, Alabama and Central Falls, Rhode Island to name but a few, indicating that the problems of public finances runs much wider and deeper than is generally realised.

Burry Stander - world renowned South African champion cross country racer - passed away on Thursday from injuries sustained in a road accident in KwaZulu-Natal whilst training.