Litnet

"I approach this space through the work of counter-narration, driven by my interest in critical heritage and its possibilities for restitutional justice and reparations. For me, the most meaningful form of reparation is truth-telling."

"The outcome of all this was going to have far-reaching consequences, which would shape the basis of international dispute resolution for the next 170 years – indeed to our own day. The CSS Alabama’s rise to posthumous fame was just beginning."

"The DA’s frustrations with the ANC are understandable; so are the Western Cape’s citizens’ grievances with crime and governance. But the remedy cannot be the slow dismantling of the very republic that holds us together."

"Africa is not merely a matter of geography. It is a wound still healing, a question still posed, a promise yet unfulfilled. For those of us who believe in her future, that work of memory and of resistance remains unfinished."

"Significant reform and skills improvement are needed if more deterioration in service delivery and public trust is to be avoided, but the political obstacles to municipal reform are significant. Many municipalities experience regular turnovers of mayors and senior officials, often due to party infighting, especially within coalitions."

"African democracy advocates, civil society and media professionals generally do not share their governments’ enthusiasm for Chinese security engagements, citing the widespread abuse of Chinese policing and mass surveillance systems. China is also frequently criticised for its regime-centric strategy, which many African observers believe entrenches authoritarian practices. African civil societies play a crucial role in scrutinising these security relationships to ensure they advance citizen interests."

"This is not the time for panic. It is the time for calm, for resolve, and for clarity. Let us remember who we are: a people who have faced down tyranny before."

"His body of work cuts across genres — novels, short stories, drama, essays, poetry, biographical writings as well as translations."

"The scale of AI-generated books is as staggering as that of music. One estimate puts the number of such titles already in the hundreds of thousands, particularly in the US, China and Japan."

"The implications are stark. If those entrusted with the highest ranks of law enforcement cannot operate without fear or favour because they fear political retaliation, then our entire criminal justice system is endangered."

"Coalition politics is not about ideological triumph, but deliverable results – rebuilding Eskom, fixing Transnet, unclogging ports, revitalising public education, etc. These are tasks that transcend partisan lines. No coalition can function without a competent, apolitical bureaucracy. A phased, legally mandated Skills and Integrity Audit of senior civil servants, overseen by the Public Service Commission, should be launched, with clear benchmarks, retraining and regular reviews."

"This is no sudden collapse. It is a pattern that has been years in the making ..."

"I am trying to find a legally, morally and logically sustainable principled distinction, that can stand up to scrutiny, between Russia’s attack on Ukraine and America’s attack on Iran."

"And as a nation, there was no prosthesis for the amputated soul of South African cricket before that majestic hundred by Aiden Markram. And that unforgettable partnership with a hobbled Temba Bavuma..."

"But frankly, I crave the meanness and bitterness of a metropolis perched on a dry ridge overlooking Africa’s greatest financial slum."

"This inquest was graced with about 20 lawyers, all presumably paid by the State. Their weekly costs must add up to more than the total compensation paid to the widows."

"While the theme of arts and money is critical – artists absolutely need funding to continue their work – my presentation was not just about finances. It was about the often overlooked but essential role of arts administrators in the creative and cultural industries. I spoke about how arts administrators are no longer just support personnel; we are visionaries, policy influencers, systems-builders and change agents."

"My presentation was a reflection on the role of one of the creative economy’s role-players, the young creatives. Where do they go from here with what is at their disposal?"

Denise Zinn is an alumnus of Harvard University and plays an active role in university management in South Africa. She tells Freek Robinson about the liberating effect Harvard had on her own development, and also reflects on the importance of continued research, worldwide, and the contribution that foreign students make to any university.

"Nothing this inquiry can do can bring back these remarkable men, and to put a price on their deaths seems insulting in the extreme. But it was done previously."