In the 1980’s I unwittingly employed an apartheid police informer, Mark Behr, to work in the Institute for a Democratic Alternative for South Africa (of which I was a regional director). Behr had a serious talent – and zest – for self-promotion. But he was also bright, ambitious and charismatic and I naively believed thatContinue reading “That lingering odour …”
Category Archives: Interesting stuff to read
Political risk and the weeklies
Sunday’s newspapers were more interesting from a political risk and investment point of views than normal. This is what I thought mattered, as far as financial markets were concerned, in last week’s Mail & Guardian, the Sunday Times, Sunday Independent and City Press: Construction industry – possible prosecution and fines for fraud and racketeering GovernmentContinue reading “Political risk and the weeklies”
Red Alert – communists unveil non-traditional weapon
I have been interviewed several times this week about the Cosatu strike. Is this an irreparable breakdown between the ANC and Cosatu? Does this have implications for Zuma’s bid for re-election at Mangaung? How stable is the ANC/Cosatu alliance? What do I think of Jackson Mthembu’s response to Vavi’s claim that the ANC says “Cosatu isContinue reading “Red Alert – communists unveil non-traditional weapon”
Game of Thrones in the ANC
A good friend of mine in New York* recently put me on to “A Song of Ice and Fire” – a seemingly endless series of swords and sorcery novels by George R R Martin. This is the crack cocaine of fantasy fiction but it is also a surprisingly brilliant study of politics and power vacuums.Continue reading “Game of Thrones in the ANC”
‘Economic Freedom’ debate rescued from hijackers
Two brief thoughts – on a rainy Cape Town Sunday: Firstly – a by-product of Malema’s (possible) retreat I have a feeling that debates ranging from mine nationalisation, land distribution and continued white economic dominance in the South African economy have just been saved from the gangsters in the ANC Youth League who have beenContinue reading “‘Economic Freedom’ debate rescued from hijackers”
Pravin Gordhan and the Labour Market
You might have picked up from warm and welcoming statements by the Democratic Alliance and a flood of beaming news stories that our Minister of Finance Pravin Gordhan said something slightly more exciting about economic policy than the bland pap from the policy kitchen of the increasingly awkward compromise which is the Ruling Alliance. ButContinue reading “Pravin Gordhan and the Labour Market”
The communists have got this right
Here’s something important to read and understand. From a South African Communist Party Central Committee statement released today – I just caught it on Politicsweb here. You can disagree with the communists about a range of points of strategy and of principle, but they accurately and urgently identify populism as exemplified by the ANC YouthContinue reading “The communists have got this right”
Jacob Zuma versus the ANC Youth League
Yesterday President Jacob Zuma met white farmers in the KwaZulu Natal Midlands and reassured them about nationalisation of mines and about land seizures. He said: “What Malema said is neither the ANC’s nor the government’s policy … the farming community must not be shaken by his comments.” A few moments ago the ANC Youth LeagueContinue reading “Jacob Zuma versus the ANC Youth League”
Slightly cynical quotations about elections and democracy
From one of my favourite books of all time: Cassell Dictionary of Cynical Quotations (John Green – Cassel, 1994) with a few comments from the peanut gallery. The first few are new here, but I then attend append – not sure what I was thinking – to the end of the post “Some light weekendContinue reading “Slightly cynical quotations about elections and democracy”
Because I thought it might brighten your day
Our leaders dancing for our votes reminds me of a poem Michael Ondaatje wrote called The Elimination Dance. A version of this dance appears in cultures and countries around the world. The rules are that a caller shouts out particular categories of people or people who have undergone a particular experience. When you are called Continue reading “Because I thought it might brighten your day”
Race you to the bottom
Two startling contributions to the raging race debate – from below and slightly behind, so to speak. White (male) drivers The first is a letter to the editor of the increasingly excellent Business Day from one Oscar Mosito in Rosslyn His issue is with white male drivers. What is most endearing about Mr Mosito’s letterContinue reading “Race you to the bottom”
Complex, unstable and unpredictable
We are the ape with the pattern recognition dial cranked up high and this has served us well over our evolutionary history. But when we assess risk in systems as complex as the global economy our instinctive wariness at the sudden silence in the Palaeolithic forest is not necessarily useful – and might be partContinue reading “Complex, unstable and unpredictable”
Egypt, my Egypt
I am clicking “Publish” in a rush … I suspect I will come to regret this later. Anyway: The popular mobilisations in Tunisia, Egypt and a swath of authoritarian North African and Middle Eastern states are interesting and important for more reasons than can be named, let alone examined, here. But the aspects that haveContinue reading “Egypt, my Egypt”
Can you hear the drums?
Those who know me would expect me to profess that I would rather eat broken glass than say anything sentimental and upbeat for the sake of Christmas cheer. They would also know that I often fail: that a sort of “jolly hockey-sticks” optimism can sometimes creep into my disposition, that the studiously steely eyes oftenContinue reading “Can you hear the drums?”
If this is the New Growth Path what’s the Old Growth Path?
This is the second of three articles about the New Growth Path (NGP) Framework released last week by the Ministry of Economic Development. One of the architects (I must assume) of the NGP, Neva Makgetla (an economist long associated with Cosatu and now deputy director general in the Department of Economic Development) recently examined bothContinue reading “If this is the New Growth Path what’s the Old Growth Path?”
Nic Borain 