By Novell Zwangendaba – JOHANNESBURG – The ANC said it is appalled and strongly condemns in the strongest possible terms the “Dead Mandela” painting by Yiull Damaso. A painting depicting Nelson Mandela as a corpse undergoing an autopsy is causing an uproar in South Africa. The painting is a modern take of a 17th century Rembrandt painting called “The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Nicolaes Tripp” which depicts an autopsy being undertaken in front of a group of doctors, reported the Mail and Guardian. In artist Yiull Damaso’s version, former president Mandela is the cadaver with late Aids orphan Nkosi Johnson... Continue Reading
International civil society and networks of people living with HIV have welcomed the formal announcement from the Namibian Minister of Home affairs, the Honourable Rosalia Nghidinwa, to remove from its Immigration Control Regulation all HIV related immigration barriers for people living with HIV. With immediate effect, people living with HIV will not be barred from entering, staying or seeking residence in Namibia based solely on HIV positive status. “Even though [there] is no example of the enforcement of the Regulation in Namibia, its existence created the wrong impression of Namibia as a democracy and its national and international commitments to... Continue Reading
NORTON – Zimbabwean music star Oliver ‘Tuku’ Mtukudzi has endorsed the all-Africa petition calling on African governments to re-affirm their commitment to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goal (MDGs) by the year 2015. He joins South African songbird Yvonne Chaka Chaka and fellow compatriots Victor Kunonga and Pastor G who have already appended their signatures to the campaign. Tuku The petition, signed by Tuku recently at his headquarters of Tuku Music located at Pakare Paye Arts Centre – an arts academy that he founded and operates here – acknowledges that the MDGs are derived from more far-reaching international declarations,... Continue Reading
By Nosimilo Ramela – South African Tourism is confident that foreign football fans in the country for the 2010 Fifa World Cup are making a positive contribution to the economy – and that the benefits will last long after the final whistle is blown. “From a touristic point of view this has been a fabulous opportunity, given the exposure that South Africa has received all over the world,” said Thandiwe January-McLean, head of South African Tourism. Gillian Saunders, of accounting and consulting firm Grant Thornton, said predictions are that South Africa will make about R8.8-billion (US$1.1-billion) from tourism during the... Continue Reading
JOHANNESBURG – Umhahlo Wesizwe Sikamtwakazi, a group of Zimbabwean activists from Matebeleland that claims to stand for “matebeleland and for all the tribes which were ruled by king Umzilikazi and lobengula,” has sparked controversy in Hillbrow and surrounding areas in johannesburg after distribution of their fliers calling for an autonomous state in Zimbabwe of the ‘matebeles’. “Venda, suthu, Xhosa, Khalanga, Nguni, Tonga, Nambiya, Lozwi, Tshangani, Basarwa, Abatwa. As the youth of matebeleland we are claiming to be called Matebeles than to be called Zimbabweans,” says the group. The campaign has sparked anger among the zimbabwean community residing in South Africa.... Continue Reading
