Lying pale, against a backdrop of starched, white sheets, a tube prying open your mouth, reaching into your throat, fetching you a little more life. ‘But her blood pressure,’ ’After this pint of blood we’ll know’, ‘Maybe she’ll be fine’, ’Ma, moenie bang wees nie. Ek is hier,’ ‘Kidney function’, ‘Take her home!’, ‘Adrenalin,’ ‘She’s stable’, ’A death in dignity,’ (Read more)
Aug 072010
Journalism is a particularly difficult industry to break into. Fresh out of university, brandishing first class degrees and sporting the sort of confidence only the young, and stupid, dare exhibit we soon learn that without a contact, or two, and some measure of good luck even the most talented among us struggle for a byline. The Pulitzer prize featuring so (Read more)
Jul 182010
Johannesburg-Linguists, lexicographers and self-appointed purveyors of linguistic purity gathered late, Sunday 18 July, at an undisclosed location, south of the south-western semantic web, to admit to the tongue-that-terrorised-the-world-for-centuries, a lexeme even the staunchest colonialists, war-mongers and cultural chauvinists have historically neglected. English language users, including those of the British isles, have been strongly urged to place an aesthetically-compromising, perspective-narrowing cover (Read more)
Jul 152010
Our fathers were friends. We became friends and together we whiled our childhood away. They were days of wishing our fathers owned CNA, just so we could have every Sweet Valley book we wanted. Only Aaliya was smart enough to swear by Nancy Drew instead. Of Friday afternoon street cricket with Vijay. Vijay, the Hong Konger who spoke with a (Read more)
Jun 142010
On the first night of worldcupmas My true love brought to me You Uruguayans, trumpets ablaming, Evra’s an ostrich, not just, aujourd’hui.
In South Africa we’re swathing our cars in the national flag, wearing football jerseys to work, trying our damndest to look for some unique way to show off our patriotism. I am a Muslim. I am a South African. I have been blessed to never feel that these identities are irreconcilable. My Muslimness is entrenched in my South Africaness. My (Read more)
May 132010
I bought a book the other day. One of those impulsive, compulsive purchases that leave me feeling like I’ve done something good in the world. Of course the feeling is altogether misguided. Later, while reading the paltry balance on my bank statement I grudgingly admitted that I hadn’t done the world a favour at all. I continue to contribute substantially (Read more)
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