My friend, Wendy Willems (currently with the NGO War on Want, but soon a newly minted lecturer of media studies at Johannesburg’s Wits University took this photograph on a recent work trip in Nakuru, Kenya.
AFRICAN AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN TENSIONS
October 30, 2009 By 4 Comments
The New York Times has a depressing story about the tense relationship between Muslim immigrants from West Africa and African-American in a poor section of the Bronx. Resentment, mistrust, post-9/11 Islamophobia and just plain ignorance, are some of the factors at the heart of the dispute, which in some cases has turned violent. (In the image above some of the immigrants meet with police to report and discuss hate crimes against them.)
The story is accompanied by a photo slideshow.
CAPE TOWN IS … SURPRISE … “HOSTILE TO BLACK PEOPLE”
October 30, 2009 By 4 Comments
A new report by academics from the University of Cape Town–surprise, surprise–concludes that my hometown, “… is seen to be hostile to black people, while white people are still being appointed and promoted at rates suggesting “positive discrimination.” The link is to a news story in one of the Cape Town newspapers, that includes sample statements by by some respondents told the researchers.
RUSH LIMBAUGH, THABO MBEKI AND AIDS DENIALISM
October 30, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Thabo Mbeki, the former South African President who is an avowed AIDS denialist, must be happy with the latest rant of Rush Limbaugh, the nutty rightwing radio talk show host (he who is beloved by US Republicans and the media networks for whom he is a money spinner).
Limbaugh, early today, in an attempt to get at the Obama Administration for declaring swine flu a national emergency, went on a riff about how the government’s warnings about swine flu are similar to the “hype” about the extent of the AIDS pandemic in Africa. Anyway, Limbaugh first claimed AIDS infections in Africa are exaggerated and then said AIDS does not exist. Like he is a medical scientist or a researcher of pandemics.
I know this sounds crazy. But remember until not so long ago (that is 2008) this kind of nonsense was considered informed opinion among some members of South Africa’s Cabinet as well as some of its ruling party elites. (There is now a change.)
Via Gawker.
THE RIGHT OF RETURN
October 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment
“The Wall Street Journal” has an interesting news piece on the growing migration by Portuguese workers to Angola. With 9.2% unemployment (that’s considered a crisis in Europe; it should also be in the third world, but it is not) back in Portugal, the domestic economy expected to shrink by 3.7% this year, and “… temporary and seasonal construction work in other European Union countries — a mainstay for Portuguese laborers — … drying up,” resulting in many workers returning home and struggling to find work, many move back to Portugal’s former colony. Why? Angola has “… emerged in recent years as one of the world’s fastest-growing economies” bolstered by oil and mining (its gross domestic product grew well over 10% annually since 2004, and topped 20% in 2007).
KENYA TO CONDUCT “CENSUS” OF GAY POPULATION
October 29, 2009 By 2 Comments
So Uganda, with the help of their rightwing, American Christian boosters, want to “wipe out” gay people by making laws that bans even thinking about it. Now Kenya wants to do a “census” of its gay population. Their excuse is this is a way to fight AIDS. This is when it is common knowledge that most people infected with HIV and AIDS are straight and being gay is illegal (homosexual activity is punishable by up to 14 years in jail in Kenya).
MUSIC BREAK / ABASS ABAS / ‘MA GENERATION’
October 28, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Great beats and flow from French-Senegalese rapper Abass featuring Shade.
Via: Nomadic Wax
WARMING UP FOR THE 2010 WORLD CUP
October 27, 2009 By 8 Comments
My sister sent me these images (above and below)–making their rounds on the internets–of the new Green Point Stadium in Cape Town where one of the semi-finals of the 2010 World Cup will be played. The images were taken early this week when the stadium lights were turned on for the first time. Magnificent.
