Drivetime

Gift of the Givers book launch

here was a packed house at the Gift of the Givers warehouse in Athlone last night for the launch of the aid agency’s first book, written by myself. Imtiaz Sooliman and the Gift of the Giver’s: A Mercy to All details the humanitarian relief organisation’s many challenging missions locally and…

29 Oct 2014 11AM 9 min

Human rights activists under clampdown in Bahrain

Human rights groups are urging Bahrain to drop all criminal charges against prominent human rights activists Nabeel Rajab and Zainab al-Khawaja and release them as the charges violate their right to free expression. Human Rights Watch (HRW) and the Gulf Center for Human Rights issued their statements on Sunday also…

29 Oct 2014 11AM 16 min

Zambian president Michael Sata dies

Zambian President Michael Sata, who was nicknamed "King Cobra" for his fiery comebacks and larger-than-life personality, has died. He was 77. Sata had traveled to London for unspecified medical treatment last week, and died at a hospital there last night. Officials did not disclose a cause of death.What legacy does…

29 Oct 2014 10AM 10 min

Cosatu and Numsa battle

There’s been some interesting developments on our political front, with the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) announcing on Monday that it is severing ties with the ANC, the South African Communist Party (SACP) and COSATU, the trade union federation. There has been a long-simmering ideological battle in…

28 Oct 2014 10PM 11 min

HRW launches Boko Haram report

Human Rights Watch yesterday released a new report detailing the experiences of women and girls who were abducted by Nigerian group Boko Haram. The report is based on extensive testimony from girls who have lived in Boko Haram camps. Some had been abducted well before the world took any notice…

28 Oct 2014 10AM 9 min

Marcel Golding resigns from company

E.tv boss Marcel Golding has resigned after his failed attempt to stop his suspension and disciplinary hearing at parent company Hosken Consolidated Investments. He claims the real reason behind his suspension is the result of government political interference in news coverage on e.tv's eNews and eNCA.To analyse this latest media…

28 Oct 2014 10AM 8 min

NPA to appeal Oscar Pistorius sentencing

Like we said last week, the Oscar Pistorius saga will not be over any time soon. Yesterday, the National Prosecuting Authority confirmed it will appeal against the conviction and sentence given to Oscar Pistorius. Prosecutors were not happy with the culpable homicide conviction and five-year prison sentence handed down by…

28 Oct 2014 10AM 6 min

Amnesty condemns death of executed Iranian woman

26 year old Reyhaneh Jabbari, university student and decorator, was hanged at dawn on Saturday in a prison outside of Tehran for the murder of a former intelligence official, who had tried to rape her in 2007. One human rights group, Amnesty International says she was convicted after a deeply…

27 Oct 2014 10AM 10 min

Senzo Meyiwa killing: analysis

As we read about yet another senseless killing in this country, questions are being asked as to whether South Africa should review its gun laws? To chat about this is E Daniel Kinnear, a strategist at the Africa Strategy Group

27 Oct 2014 10AM 14 min

Orlando Pirates pay tribute to Senzo Meyiwa

We continue to look at the death of Senzo Meyiwa, whom Premier Soccer League (PSL) chairperson Irvin Khoza described as “one of its brightest stars”. An emotional Khoza was speaking at the Rand Stadium in Johannesburg earlier today flanked by the entire Orlando Pirates squad.Mickey Modisane, the public relations officer for…

27 Oct 2014 10AM 3 min

Film Club screening : Who is ISIS?

ISIS, ISIL, the Islamic State - what ever you want to call them – have dominated international news headlines since their emergence a few months ago. And with a very slick propaganda campaign, it’s very difficult to tell what is the truth and what is not. Well that will be…

24 Oct 2014 11AM 6 min

Insurgent Diplomat

Long before the official negotiations to end apartheid, there were secret discussions that paved the way for dialogue between the African National Congress and the South African government. Aziz Pahad played a key role in these discussions, and has documented these in his first book, Insurgent Diplomat. In the book,…

24 Oct 2014 10AM 19 min

Islamic Relief

Islamic Relief South Africa (IRSA) in partnership with Zain Bhikha Studios have partnered up for an exciting stage production, An Orphan’s Tale, which will be staged from 29th October until the 2nd November at the Islamia College Auditorium in Lansdowne, Cape Town.The play is a heart-warming play , presented by…

23 Oct 2014 11AM 8 min

Top Saudi Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr 'sentenced to death'

Saudi Arabia is facing an international outcry and accusations of promoting sectarian hatred after a Shia Muslim religious leader from the country’s volatile eastern province was sentenced to death.Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr, who led protests in Qatif at the height of the Arab spring in 2011, was convicted on Wednesday…

23 Oct 2014 11AM 14 min

Oscar's fall from grace - understanding the behaviour behind the tragedy

As the buzz around the Oscar Pistorius trial starts to settle, the entire court drama that unfolded in front of our eyes leaves us with questions about the heroes in our society. The “Blade Runner” was a media darling, handsome, charming and widely liked.  How did he fall from grace?…

23 Oct 2014 10AM 17 min

African Governance report 2014

A third of African countries have not conducted a census in the last ten years, according to the Africa Survey 2014, to be released by Good Governance Africa (GGA) in Johannesburg. The Africa Survey is a comprehensive annual collection of social, political and economic indicators for the continent’s 55 African countries, compiled from a…

23 Oct 2014 10AM 7 min

Boko Haram and the ceasefire that wasn’t

The ceasefire between Boko Haram and the Nigerian government – announced on Thursday, with much fanfare, by government spokesmen – has already been broken. If, that is, it actually existed in the first place. Neither Boko Haram nor the Nigerian government indulge in much straight talk. The foundation of Boko…

22 Oct 2014 11AM 17 min

Muslim Views preview

As we all know, Muslim Views has been publishing and providing the Muslim community with a monthly edition dating back to 1960. This month, is no different. To tell us what to look forward to in this month's edition, is Faried Sayed

22 Oct 2014 10AM 5 min

NPA to discuss Pistorius sentence with prosecutors

Having spent his first night in prison, Oscar Pistorius can perhaps find some comfort in Judge Thokozile Masipa’s ruling that the court's doors are open to him if he believes he is not being treated fairly.Masipa sentenced the athlete to five years imprisonment, but in terms of legislation, he is…

22 Oct 2014 10AM 4 min

Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS)

The attention of the nation was on the National Assembly today as Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene tabled his first ever Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) as the principal responsible for the public purse.The Finance Minister walked up Parliament Street alongside his Deputy Minister, Director-General and the SA Revenue Service…

22 Oct 2014 10AM 12 min