One of the most interesting resolutions to come out of the ANC’s Mangaung conference in December was the idea of an integrity commission that will have the power to sanction members – no matter how senior – involved in dodgy dealings. 

Various parliamentary committees return to work on 29 January for deliberations on the legislative programme. Some highly controversial pieces of legislation and a possible attempt to impeach president Jacob Zuma could see the South African parliament off to a rocky start with its 2013 programme next month. 

So-called drone aircraft are fast becoming the standard, though controversial, vehicles of modern warfare. In one of those bitter ironies that sometimes lurk behind the history of a word or a name, 'drones' could have been an ideal symbol of the hippy lifestyle in the days of my youth in the 1960s. 

It is becoming increasingly difficult to find a single description for the ongoing unrest surrounding the agricultural sector in the Western Cape. It is developing into a seemingly unmanageable crisis. One veteran activist this weekend described it as “a historic rebellion, not a strike”. 

The fact that South Africa’s collective mind is sharply focused on road death statistics once every year during the end of the annual summer holidays might be counter-productive in allowing us to come to grips with this massive problem. It hides the fact that for the rest of the year it is a much deeper and broader problem than just a seasonal one. 

Bafana Bafana were seeking a morale-boosting win prior to their Africa Cup of Nations opening match against Cape Verde in the National Stadium this coming Saturday. However, it was not to be. Bafana’s preparations for the tournament left fans ambivalent at best, but coach Gordon Igesund remained defiant in the face of  criticism. 

Although most observers expected it, the whitewash of New Zealand's cricket team by South Africa was still impressive for the ruthless manner in which it was achieved. This time round, the Proteas avoided the trap of complacency and brushed aside the Black Caps who desperately missed the services of especially Ross Taylor, Daniel Vettori and Tim Southee. 

Between the end of 2012 and the beginning of 2013 America's fiscal cliff reached it's denouement. But more of the same is to follow. In the words of the New York Times, "... we will have many more showdowns (between Capitol Hill and the White House) and budget crises in the weeks and months ahead. In other words, cheer up for the worst is yet to come.”