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By Mike Hanna in Africa on February 7th, 2010
Reuters photo

The image that stuck with me that bright February morning was never filmed or photographed.

A pair of white police officers were watching a video feed from parliament just over the cobble-stoned street from where they were standing:  FW De Klerk's face filled the screen and I heard the words "unconditionally free Nelson Mandela" - the more senior officer shook his head miserably and said to the man next to him - "dit is die einde van ons volk": it is the end of our people.

The De Klerk government had retained a tradition established by that of PW Botha, De Klerk’s predecessor.

Advance draft

At the opening of parliament in February each year, the international media representatives in South Africa would be herded into a large conference room over the road from parliament and given an advance draft of the president's speech.

By Haru Mutasa in Africa on February 3rd, 2010

South African president Jacob Zuma has admitted to fathering his 20th child – out of wedlock. After days of speculation on whether he really was the father, he finally issued a statement laying the facts on the table.

Zuma is a controversial political figure and his love life is a hot topic of discussion on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. 

So is it really anyone’s business how many wives or how many children the man has? Are his extra curricula activities really that big a deal when it comes to running South Africa?

By Haru Mutasa in Africa on February 2nd, 2010
EPA photo

A Chinese company is considering making dolls of the controversial South African president Jacob Zuma, a media report says.

By Hoda Abdel-Hamid in Africa on February 1st, 2010
Photo from AFP

When John Garang signed the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) back in 2005, he made sure it included a referendum clause by which the people of south Sudan could decide their own fate.

They could remain part of a united Sudan or become an independent entity.

Garang told his people that it was a golden choice and they must take it seriously. The referendum is set for January 2011, and southerners are gearing up for it.

But statements of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon made on Sunday have infuriated people here. In particular, his comment on Radio France Internationale that "the UN has a big responsibility ... to make unity attractive".

Protesters have been carrying banners screaming: "Down, down with the UN coward Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Ban Ki-moon repent before judgement."

Another said: "Why not hand over Bashir to ICC to get good leadership?"

By Paul Rhys in Africa on January 31st, 2010

Egypt are African champions for the third successive time, beating a young Ghana team 1-0 with a late goal from a striker plucked from obscurity to finish as the leading scorer at the continental finals.

Mohamed Gedo found out about his inclusion in the Egyptian squad for the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola while idling through the football news on the internet following his international debut in December.

But five goals later, the 25-year-old is Africa's top striker and has a medal round his neck that Ghana's current generation of players can still only dream of.

It is 28 years since the Black Stars last won the trophy, and they had much the better of this final in Luanda before being opened up in surgical fashion by Gedo and fellow marksman Mohamed Zidan.

By Haru Mutasa in Africa on January 31st, 2010

It’s a request by some entrepreneurs who want to cash in on the upcoming football extravaganza.

Prostitution is currently illegal – and foreign fans who decide to acquire the services of a sex worker could be arrested by police if they are caught.

So in an effort not to offend would-be travellers – and make sure everyone has a ‘good’ time – some want authorities to look away, at least until the World Cup is over.

It’s a tricky one. The South African sex industry will probably thrive during the World Cup - whether it’s legal or not.

So, in an effort to make this the best World Cup ever, should South Africa copy Germany, for example, and let visitors here enjoy themselves without looking over their shoulders?

South Africans have been debating this topic for a while now.

By Paul Rhys in Africa on January 30th, 2010
Photo by EPA

There is a scene in the British comedy Blackadder Goes Forth, where on a mission into no-man's land during the first world war, one English officer asks his captain what he should do if he treads on a mine.

"Well, normal procedure, lieutenant, is to jump up 200 feet into the air and scatter yourself over a wide area," comes the reply.

The day before their showpiece final in Angola, the Confederation of African Football (Caf) have been indulging in some dark comedy of their own.

And while being equally as idiotic as Blackadder's Lieutenant George, they are also being distinctly unfunny.

In their defence, they are only following procedure. In the same way you might follow procedure once your foot had detonated a mine. That is, in a completely braindead manner.

Tags: Angola
By Haru Mutasa in Africa on January 30th, 2010

The football World Cup in South Africa will be played in front of fewer than half of the expected number of foreign fans.

That's according to the governing body Fifa, which expects to make a marginal loss on the 2010 World Cup.

This is in contrast to the £178 million profit it made in the 2006 tournament year.

Availability of flights out of Europe to South Africa and crime seem to be the main reason for this.

By Haru Mutasa in Africa on January 28th, 2010
Photo by Getty Images

Tendai Mtawarira is the BEAST.

His unfortunate nickname is because of the aggressive way he plays rugby – not his looks.

He’s 24 years old, Zimbabwean and a fantastic rugby player (in my opinion).

His crime seems to be playing for the South African Springboks. Some politicians have serious problems with that.

In fact they want him dropped from the Springboks because he is a “kwerekwere” – a foreigner.

Some like Butana Komphela, chairman of the South African national assembly sports committee, want him thrown out of South Africa and deported to Zimbabwe.

Is this fair?

Emmanuel Adebayor is from Togo, plays for Manchester City in the United Kingdom BUT he does not play for England national team.

Michael Essien is Ghanaian, plays for Chelsea in the United Kingdom and he does not play for the English national side.

So why should Beast be treated differently?

By Paul Rhys in Africa on January 27th, 2010
Photo from EPA

There will be no football played in Benguela tonight.

After Ghana and Nigeria finish kicking a ball around a pitch in Luanda, attentions will turn away from the Angolan capital to more weighty affairs in the south.

Because Algeria are not taking on Egypt for a place in the Africa Cup of Nations final.

The two are meeting in the theatre of combat.

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