South Africa
I’d like to be able to say that sharing the world’s largest radio telescope with South Africa is a reasonable outcome for Australia.
I’d like to be able to say we deserve to be a part of it. I’d like to be able to say that. But I can’t.
We don’t deserve it. We don’t deserve it because barely anyone knows that it exists.
Continue reading "We don’t deserve this huge, exciting scientific project" »
It was almost rained out, but England beat South Africa in the cricket World Cup semi-final on this day in 1992.
It’s Tuesday at The Punch. What’s on your mind? Share it here.
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Sewana says:
You have more useful info than the Brtisih had colonies pre-WWII. Read more »
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fairsfair says:
I remember reading about that Badger - it is horrific. In a literal sense that was his cause of death, but I see where you are coming from. It is actually quite hard to comprehend how powerless you are when you have your hands cuffed behind your back and you… Read more »
“Please tell everyone South Africa’s not as dangerous as they think.” That’s how most of my conversations have started over the past 10 days as I travelled around the country that will host next month’s World Cup.
It’s just 16 years since Nelson Mandela’s election as president signalled the end of the apartheid era, and like a teenager going to her deb ball, South Africa is nervous about being the centre of attention.
Worried that the roads won’t be ready. Worried that the national team, known to all as Bfana Bfana, won’t perform well. But most of all, worried that the country’s reputation for violence will be the ever-lasting memory of this World Cup.
Continue reading "Nervous wait for World Cup in rainbow republic" »
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MMSA says:
I think you need to take alot of what white south africans in australia or the UK have to say with a pinch of salt. Most are bitter, twisted individuals and south afircans in general have the tendancy to overclaim or overstate things. There are not guards at the restaurants,… Read more »
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rohan says:
So a white guy visits south africa and thinks its terrible out there. Not suprising…after all it is run by a black government. But the fact is that violence is south africa has been prevalent even before the present government. But then, you really cannot say anything positive about any… Read more »
It was February 10, 1990 Church Square Pretoria, and my mate thought it was a great idea.
We had spent two months travelling around southern Africa in an old panel van equipped with camping gear, spare petrol tanks and an expired canister of tear gas. South Africa was on the threshold of civil war.
This was most evident to us when we drove through the condemned homeland of Transkei. Even though a state of emergency had been lifted in the so-called separate state, it was a war zone. Smouldering cars, milling youth and a clear absence of law and order said to us we were in the wrong place at the wrong time…..but that is another story.
Continue reading "Terre’Blanche: face to face with hatred personified" »
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Paddo says:
Although the apartheid system was wrong and should never have occured what is happening now to 3000 white farmers isn’t right either. Thousands of white South Africans rely on charity and soup kitchens to survive, and cannot afford to emigrate to Australia legitimately. Perhaps, instead of worrying about hordes of… Read more »
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Seano says:
@Ryan. Mate you can keep making your nasty comments. Fact is Hockey didn’t advocate murder and neither has Nicole or I. You’re making it up and you really should apologise. Read more »
It’s Thursday @ The Punch
Today in 1967 the first succesful human heart transplant was performed on 53-year-old Lewis Washkansky in Cape Town, South Africa.
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Joel B1 says:
*********Mods: The subject of this comment is “tricky”. I’m making it ‘cause I think it’s better to be aware of such things rather than pretend it doesn’t happen and ignore it. However, I’m aware also that there is a fine line between “making aware” and “telling how to do”. Obviously… Read more »
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Liz says:
How cool Read more »
It’s Monday @ The Punch
What’s on your mind?
Fact: On this day in 1985, Desmond Tutu became the first black person to lead the Anglican Church in South Africa.
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jim says:
Watched “Are you smarter than a fifth grader?” again last night, and I am now convinced that those kids are given stuff to read before the show containing the answers. Some of them get obscure stuff right yet their answers sometimes contain rudimentary spelling mistakes. What’s up with that? Read more »
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stephen says:
Lot.s of talk about pretensions in today’s posts Luce’. Maybe we don’t need a Republic after all ? Read more »
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