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“Zuma mocks institution of polygamy”.

By Minor Matters | 4 days, 2 hours ago

Charlotte Bauer has written a brilliant column in this week’s Mail and Guardian. Wise and considered thoughts on our polygamous president.

zuma and wives

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Spud’s big movie break

By Minor Matters | 4 days, 20 hours ago

spud_picture

Looking forward to another South African movie hitting the big screens soon? The book that I didn’t much like but that so many of you did, will become Spud The Movie! And it will most likely join the latest string of South African-linked film successes like District 9 and Invictus which have been nominated for a string of Oscars. I say this fairly confidently because John Cleese has signed up as Guv and this is a sure sign of confidence in the potential of the movie.

Author of the bestselller, John van der Ruit blogged this morning to say that he’s “received the screamworthy news that John Cleese had officially signed on the dotted line to play The Guv. Five days after that, and following months of torture, I learned that the financing had finally been secured and the film was green-lit to begin shooting in March. After years of uncertainty and one step forward, two steps back, Spud the Movie has galloped past the point of no return…. I can officially announce that the role of Spud will be played by the phenomenally talented Troye Sivan, star of Wolverine X-Men Origins.”

Very exciting news Mr van der Ruit.

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Giacometti sold for R778 064 962,00

By Minor Matters | 4 days, 21 hours ago

This sculpture sold for 65million pounds which is R778 064 962,00. That’s a lot. Sapa reported last night that Alberto Giacometti’s sculpture “L’Homme qui marche I” in London on Wednesday, a world record for an art work at auction, said auctioneers Sotheby’s. The high price made it “the most expensive art work ever sold at auction,” Sotheby’s said in a statement.

giacometti

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Toddler training for politicians.

By Minor Matters | 5 days, 19 hours ago

Gina Ford who some call a nursery fascist, has decided to take on British politicians. Her Contented Baby website asks of the British political party leaders: “Which one of these men would you trust with your child’s future?”.

The Contented Politician is not such a bad idea perhaps. Those Westminster guys could do with a bit of toddler training. A few of our politicians could do with some too, don’t you think?

Ford is fighting back after she got severely criticized by Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg.

On the 10th January 2010, Clegg told a UK The Sunday Times reporter that following The Contented Little Baby routines is like “following a sort of Ikea assembly instruction manual” and claimed that Gina’s instructions are similar to “sticking babies in broom cupboards”. The routines, he said, are as “absolute nonsense”.

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“Zuma fails the cultural test”

By Minor Matters | 5 days, 22 hours ago

Nomboniso Gasa writes today in the Sowetan that “We are a constitutional democracy that protects cultural freedoms of all, including those of the president. But the choices of the President of the Republic concern all of us”

She argues that “according to the cultural milieu, to which Malema refers, leadership is earned every day. Ukuzeyisa nobungcathu – self-control, discipline, modesty about one’s desires are critical qualities of leadership. The revelation of yet another child fathered by the president in one of his many sexual liaisons has been described by the ANC as his private life and something on which we should not comment. Yes, the president or any human being has a constitutionally protected right to privacy.

In the same vein, we must accept that the president of the country, by virtue of his position, has to exercise caution and inspire certain norms, values and principles.”

Read her full piece here.

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Max Normal’s Die Antwoord.

By Minor Matters | 6 days ago

Yirre. Watch what Max Normal is up to with Yo-Landi Vi$$er and Jack Parow: an Afrikaans futuristic ninja rap crew. Die Antwoord is pretty uncomfortable stuff but damn excellent. Love it.

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Eddie Izzard cracks up SA crowd

By Minor Matters | 6 days, 1 hour ago

I was there. Eddie Izzard’s first show at the Joburg Civic was absolutely jam packed with incredibly enthusiastic South Africans. I was a little sceptical. I’ve been to a number of international comic acts here. And most of these great comedians I’ve seen don’t work on us. But Eddie did and he is a genius for managing that.

There were a few minutes of warm up and hours of entertainment. Eddie tweeted this morning “Had a great show last night in Johannesburg. Very good audience and I went on a bit. But good to finally play South Africa”. I don’t think anybody was minding too much that you “went on a bit”, Eddie.

My husband was rolling about next to me. John Vlismas (I’m sure it was him) was sitting a few seats a head of us. I tried to spot his reaction but it was too dark.

Eddie finished after 11pm and earned no money for this. I am impressed. As I am with Matthew du Plessis and Jason von Berg’s video of The Times’ interview with the comedian yesterday:

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FW de Klerk’s speech and the young Afrikaner

By Minor Matters | 1 week ago

FW de Klerk explains in a piece written for The Times why he made his historic speech today twenty years ago, rather than earlier. What set the stage for the rapid changes that followed this day – this after many years and years of struggle.

Remember, remember that day. I was no longer a baby. I was a student at the University of Stellenbosch, hanging out with my rebellious Afrikaans friends, going to Voelvry concerts, drinking late into the night with young “trouble makers” like Koos Kombuis. These young folk made a statement, one that was heard by the leaders of the Nationalist Party.

FW says one of the reasons that changed Whites opposition to negotiations, was the changes that were taking place in the Afrikaner community. “In the decades following 1960, a whole generation of young Afrikaners moved from the working class to the middle class.

They graduated from university and travelled abroad – and were inevitably influenced by global values. Their attitudes were increasingly determined by the more individualistic and liberal lifestyles to which they were exposed at the cinema, in the books they read and – after 1975 – on television. TV programmes such as The Cosby Show gave them a view of black people that did not accord at all with the perceptions with which they had grown up.

The new generation of university-educated Afrikaners no longer shared the fiery nationalism of their parents and grandparents. By the early 1980s they were becoming increasingly uncomfortable with many aspects of apartheid and wanted the NP leadership to find some way of dismounting the tiger of growing black resentment without being devoured. By 1989 they were ripe for change. ”

Remember this?

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Tuckshop snub.

By Minor Matters | 1 week, 1 day ago

I’VE been snubbed like never before. I did my first tuck shop shift on Friday.
Last year my daughter nagged me repeatedly: “Mummy, why don’t you do tuck shop like all the other mums?”
So, on the list of resolutions I made this year, I reluctantly added “Do tuck shop”. I wasn’t welcoming adding another duty to my list of things to do, but I was told that children love to see their parents at school. It was important.
I gingerly put my name on the list for tuck shop duty when the school year began.
A few short days later I got a letter. Assigned to a group, with dates allocated for the year, I was set to become a tuck shop mum. Read More…

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Mr President.

By Minor Matters | 1 week, 1 day ago

You seem busy. But very busy with the wrong activities.

I hope you find the time to do the work we desperately need you to do.

It’s none of my business, I know, but you don’t seem to be condomising. Isn’t this a problem?

Today’s Sunday Times reveals that our President Mr Jacob Zuma has fathered his 20th child. The mother is the daughter of his friend, Irvin Khoza – “Iron Duke”. The daughter is Sonono Khoza, a 39-year-old divorcée.

I am not sure how I would feel in twenty year’s time about a good friend of mine fathering my grandchild. I imagine I’d be pissed off. Very very much so. I would feel betrayed too. I know she’s an adult but certain boundaries have been disrespected here. And what about our first ladies? How do they feel about this child?

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