The science behind our extreme vulnerability

There is a tsunami of information on the subject of human emotion circulating at this moment. Before I venture into the topic, I would like to bring your attention to a key distinction between other previously experienced global pandemics, and COVID-19 (“Covid”). These pandemics have mostly resulted in isolation, to varying degrees, and all with […]

14th Anniversary Conversation with a stranger

Safrea Chronicle

As I was shopping for a dress for myself and gift for my husband on the event of our 14th wedding anniversary, I bumped into this beautiful woman at Pick ‘n Pay Clothing, in Lonehill. We started chatting about the dresses available, until I eventually told her why I needed a new dress. She asked, “Do […]

Some Durban Public Spaces

Safrea Chronicle

All places inhabited by the human race have areas of private space and areas of public space. Private space is where the ‘Right of Admission’ sign is hung. Public space is everything else: streets, squares, parks, open market places and beaches. It is the area where the human collective freely comes and goes. It is […]

A weak in the news: Fair coverage of Miss SA? Fat chance!

Miss South Africa Sasha-Lee Laurel Olivier

Spare a thought for struggling gossip columnists. Lockdown Level 3™ doesn’t exactly open the door to swinging parties and bad behaviour flowing from boozy nights on the town. But column inches must still be filled. Which might explain City Press hackett Ntombizodwa Makhoba’s decision to trip the light tendentious with a story on Miss South […]

The Afrikaner Volkstaat – dream or pipe-dream?

The Afrikaner volk is a very easy group to mock. They fulfil all the stereotypes of bigotry, backwardness, stubbornness, parochialism and raw nationalism. They love to tweak the beard of liberals and progressives, and they are full of fire and brimstone about their own minority rights and how those rights are being eroded. But here’s […]