South Africans must speak out

On Freedom Day, to celebrate fifteen years of democracy, I launched The Soapbox – a nonpartisan online platform where young South Africans can speak out about things they feel strongly about.
Why? Because South Africa is at a crossroads. Now more than ever is it important to use our freedom to ensure that democracy prevails in South [...]

The Soapbox – now live!

The Soapbox, an online platform where South Africans can speak out, launched yesterday on Freedom Day. Below is the post I wrote in “The Editor’s Notebook” on the site:
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It’s fifteen years since South Africa became a democracy, and we’re launching today in celebration of this. But furthermore, we chose Freedom Day because of the importance [...]

Bloggers constitute bulk of jailed journos

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, an advocacy group aimed at defending the rights of journalists, most journalists in jail are those using the web as their medium of choice — like bloggers, online reporters and web editors (thanks, Gino). A statement released on the CPJ’s website says the following:

There are 125 journalists in [...]

Zuma “rapes” justice system

As usual, Zapiro hits the nail on the head with, as it happens, a mighty sledgehammer in his latest Sunday Times cartoon. His hard-hitting, courageous, uncomfortable yet brilliant cartoon depicts Umshini about to rape “the justice system” which lies helplessly pinioned to the ground by Zuma’s head cheerleaders (Julius Malema, Gwede Mantashe, Blade Nzimande and [...]

Jon Qwelane: what are you hiding, sista?

A lot of people — the decadent amoral bourgeoisie, mostly — have got awfully upset over Jon Qwelane’s latest tirade. Why the fuss? The Sunday Sun is gutter press and Qwelane’s equally contemptible opinions are part and parcel of a paper that believes that stoking xenophobia and perpetuating intolerance is a prerequisite in speaking to [...]