kaba, says he fought against apartheid but feels h
Do Whites Care?
Click here to read a HeadSpace Column


University drop-out rate blamed on system

By Madimetja Mashishi

Education system needs a review to curb the university drop-out rate, says ACDP

The Minister of Education, Naledi Pandor, has been called-on to have the education system of the country reviewed from Grade R to university level, including adult education.

African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) MP and Spokesperson on Education, Cheryllyn Dudley, yesterday called on the education minister to “urgently establish an Independent National Commission” to investigate the continuous drop-out of students from university. She said the ACDP was disturbed by reports showing that about 50 percent of students were dropping out of university before graduation, and matric passes with university entrance were decreasing.

The ACDP has called on all stakeholders, including students, to identify and work together to address issues which could create conditions which “adversely” impact on the situation.

The Member of Parliament also said that research pointing to the enormous value of learners having access to education in their home languages, especially in junior schools, must be taken seriously and greater effort to provide this choice must be made.


Mlambo-Ngcuka in the Netherlands

By Madimetja Mashishi

Deputy President Mlambo-Ngcuka is away on a working visit.

Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka has left South Africa on Monday; she is on a working visit to the Netherlands. Mlambo-Ngcuka is in that country to hold bilateral political, economic and trade discussions with the Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende.

“The visit comes within the context of South Africa’s priority to strengthen bilateral political, economic and trade relations with the Netherlands and with a view to consolidating North-South relations,” says the presidency.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said that while in the Netherlands, Mlambo-Ngcuka will among others things pay a visit to His Royal Highness Crown Prince William Alexander of Orange, the Speaker of the Dutch Parliament, meet captains of industry and former members of the Anti-Apartheid Movement.


Julius Malema, the new ANCYL president.

By Vincent Morifi

The former Limpopo’s General Secretary of the ANCYL, Julius Malema has been appointed as the new president of the ANCYL nationally.

Malema has been in a race before the provinces could vote for their future leader with Mjongile, who said that he was also ready to be the president of the ANC youth League, but it came as a shock to him because he was only known to his province.

Malema substituted Cde Mbalula whose term has expired due to his age. Mbalula hopes that Malema will lead according to the policy of the ANCYCL as he was doing. The elections where held in Bloemfontein where the ANC Youth League elected a new leader, Malema on Monday. Malema was contesting in a race against Saki Mofokeng from Free State.
For now there is no room for Saki Mofokeng in the executive desk.

The other executives who were also elected are Andile Lungisa as the deputy president and Vuyiswa Tumelo-the only women as the secretary general. The deputy general is Steve Ngobeni and the new treasurer general is Pule Maba.

The deputy of the ANC on Sunday at the conference of the ANCYL gave the new leadership a criticism which is constructive saying that “Youth League needed to urgently address its organisational and structural weaknesses”.

The conference is having another day longer as it is not planned; this is because there are still going to elect the additional members of the ANC Youth League National Executive committee (NEC)


E.tv launches new news programme

By Vincent Morifi

E.tv will be launching an additional news programme on the 4th October 2008 at 1pm. This programme will be on lunchtime live and will be on air weekdays at 1pm and will be host by Andrew Barness who is one of the e.tv’s broadcasters.

E.tv is eager to inform the society about the world by planning to launch this additional programme which will help those who don’t get a chance to view news in the morning and even in the afternoons.

“In essence, lunchtime Live is a news and current affairs round-up,” says Debora Patta, Editor-in-chief of e.tv news in the e.tv’s website. She added by saying “the show will bring views developments and analysis on all the latest breaking news, as well as business, sport and showbiz. You can also expect interviews with celebrities and newsmakers”.

It was perceived by the news department that there is a gap between morning and evening news so lunchtime Live will feel that gap in between. There are many breaking news which are happening as Patta said, so this lunchtime will do better in bringing those to the public.



"No one should be sidelined because of colour", says Zuma

By Madimetja Mashishi

ANC President said that no one should be sidelined because of their colour. He said this at a dinner event attended by Solidarity members. He is reported to have said "...I cannot believe that in my country we have somebody that’s going to be deprived from opportunities because of his colour", this is reportedly an answer by Mr Zuma to a question asked by one member who claimed that his son was denied a bursary by a certain country because he was white.

Zuma, who had once told journalists that he saw no problem with white journalists being denied access to a Forum for Black Journalists meeting, said that "Policies are not like the ten commandments, policies are made by people and if in the process of implementation we see fault, we say deal with it correctly," reported Despactonline.

Zuma was, reportedly, presented with an original Voortrekker wagon chest and a family Bible by Solidarity.


DTT for South Africa

By Madimetja Mashishi


South Africa will start using digital terrestrial television (DTT) broadcasting by November this year, Filmmaker South Africa reported. DTT, first launched in the United Kingdom in 1998, is expected to be launched in South Africa by 1st November this year, but the current analogue signal is expected to run up until November 2011. The website reported that Communications Deputy Minister Roy Padayachie will, in March, present recommendations on subsidising and manufacturing the set-top boxes. It is also reported by the same website that the communications department is expected to recommend that all set-top boxes be interoperable between broadcasters, but MaltiChoice does not welcome the idea saying this will make it difficult to upgrade its set top box software to offer added value to subscribers.
Over 1 million of the estimated 8.3 million TV households is reported to be in ownership of MaltiChoice set-tops.