Holding power to account
Steve Kretzmann 
Making public transport more affordable and attractive, promoting walking and cycling, encouraging densification of housing along transport routes, taking over the rail service, and encouraging businesses to allow remote working and flexible hours: These are some of the proposals outlined in the City of Cape Town’s new transport plan.… Read more
Construction of the controversial multi-billion rand development at the River Club in Observatory continues despite legal challenges to the development.
Last month, an urgent application for an interdict was brought by the Observatory Civic Association (OCA) against the developers, Liesbeek Leisure Properties Trust (LLPT) for resuming work despite a court order to halt construction, pending the hearing of a contempt of court application.… Read more
Theatre
The award-winning, exemplary, acclaimed theatrical team of Andrew Buckland, Sylvaine Strike, directed by the inimitable Toni Morkel, with live piano accompaniment by Tony Bentel, return to the Baxter theatre with Firefly.… Read more
Given the prevalence of social media, this obsession with propagating a curated image of oneself appears to have seeped into other aspects of our lives, and our creative endeavours.
In literature the memoir, once the preserve of writers or individuals of considerable achievement, and usually only published toward the end of one’s life, have become more prevalent.… Read more
Anonymous pamphlets and a website are being used in an apparent attempt to hijack the Observatory Civic Association in order to smother litigation against the controversial River Club development.
Thousands of full-colour pamphlets were distributed door-to-door in Observatory on three different occasions in September.… Read more
The N1 is a long road, dry too, mostly. Grass faded blonde among the black rocks but still waving in the wind, even in the Karoo beneath the sun blasted mesas and the twisted ridges. A squint is burnt into the landscape by a merciless sun, becoming increasingly tortured the souther you go from Beaufort West.… Read more
Opinions on billionaires – their very existence, that is – tend to be polarised. People either worship them or despise them.
Those who worship them, read their books (ghost written, of course) on how to be successful, follow their tweets and write Facebook fawning over how prophetic their favourite billionaire is, tend to be the same people who think capitalism, especially unfettered capitalism, is a good thing.… Read more
Lovers of books and poetry have the chance to get behind the pages written by their favourite local authors at Cape Town’s favourite literary celebration, the Open Book Festival, which returns to being an in-person occasion after two years of Covid-19 regulations.… Read more
Some of the most influential palates in the world of wine will be tasting this year’s Standard Bank Chenin Blanc Top Ten Challenge winners when international buyers, critics, and the media visit the country this spring.
Speaking on behalf of the Challenge’s five judges, panel chair James Pietersen said the winning line-up was arguably emblematic of the country’s best in Chenin winemaking.… Read more
Schools are having their civvies day, people are diving into the ocean at dawn en masse, flowers are blooming up the west coast, the City of Cape Town is holding back on cutting the grass in their parks and verges. Because: Spring.… Read more