Microlog
15 Microlog entries tagged with ‘southafrica’
South Africans entertained by battle of the brands
Nando’s is notorious at home for its comedy ads, but this is the first time another company — and insurance firm, no less — has decided to play the game. Only in South Africa! Permalink ·
Paul Simon’s Graceland: the acclaim and the outrage
The outrage, of course, stems from Simon’s breaking of the cultural boycott of the later apartheid years. But he wasn’t playing his own music to white audiences for a fat paycheque: he was helping to bring the music of black South Africans to wider attention. And I disagree completely with Jerry Dammers that it did “more harm than good”. Billy Bragg pretty much sums up the whole kerfuffle when he says Simon was on “the wrong side of the argument” — as if this unique situation fitted into the manichaean nature of the apartheid struggle. Also note Jonas Gwangwa’s smartalec racial politicking about how it took “another white man to discover my people”. Spare me, please. Permalink ·
South African English is lekker!
I’m pretty sure Bee doesn’t use even half of these (the ones that aren’t plain old English English, I mean). See also: more on South African English from the OED. Permalink ·
South Africa rights groups condemn Jacob Zuma’s choice of top judge
How someone who holds such prejudiced beliefs can even be a regular judge, let alone chief justice, is beyond me. Permalink ·
Overtime in Soccer City
A year on, and South Africa’s stadiums lie mostly empty. Can’t say this was unexpected. Permalink ·
ANC’s Julius Malema lashes out at ‘misbehaving’ BBC journalist
South Africa can’t and won’t improve until dangerously misleading relics and liars like Malema are out of the picture. Permalink ·
How I never quite fell for South Africa
The Guardian’s Rory Carroll reflects on his tenure as Africa correspondent, giving a glimpse of the all-too-real dark side of the ‘Rainbow Nation’. Having been there (and soon to return) myself, beyond the paths where the tourists tread, I can somewhat identify with his sentiments. Permalink ·
Farms of fear
A recent Sunday Times Magazine story on an extraordinary spate of racism-fuelled killings in South Africa’s Limpopo province. If it does only one thing, it shows just how much further the country has to go, socially and economically, before full reconciliation can ever be reached. Permalink ·
Photojournalist Simon Wood meets the people who lost most when Mandela won
Id est, the Afrikaaner underclass in today’s South Africa. There’s still a lot of bitterness, still much resentment. But by and large, they only have themselves and/or the apartheid goverment’s protectionist policies to blame for their current predicament. Permalink ·
The South Africans are already on their second blog awards
We’ve got some catching up to do. Of course, that won’t happen until I am finally recognised for my greatness, oh yes. Permalink ·
SA divisions on reconciliation day
A late link from a few weeks ago, but still relevant. Some good food for thought. Permalink ·
Desmond Tutu: “We have probably not done as well in regard to… those who thumbed their noses at the truth commission … We probably should have done what the legislation requires and really prosecuted people.”
It’s not too late to make things right, for everyone’s sake. Permalink ·
“Our democracy is only 11 years old. We need more time to put the past behind us.”
A sad story about an artists’ commune being ‘invaded’ by people from a nearby township, that says a lot about the lack of real effort the government has made to improve conditions for the most disenfrancised in the last decade. If only all sides could get over the bitterness of the past and see what’s really going on… Permalink ·
Confusion reigns over Pretoria name
Most people are ignorant or misled about the origins and signification of either name, so why not just use them both? We do it here (Dublin/Baile Átha Cliath) and it works just fine for us. Permalink ·
Angry SA passengers burn trains
Again?? And twice in one week?? It’s no wonder the trains are late — they keep bloody burning them!! Permalink ·
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This page lists all Microlog entries by MacDara Conroy tagged with ‘southafrica’. You will find many more entries sorted by month and by category in the Archives.
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