David Muller brings out a full Karoo moon
The one-person actor David Muller entrances his audience on the fabled stoep at Hanglip Farm. Witnessed by Phakamisa Mayaba. Read more >>
Heritage and its preservation in the town of Colesberg
Curators should preserve and commemorate all aspects of Colesberg’s history, including its precolonial past, writes Nicky Rademeyer. Read more >>
Solidarity's welcome to Trumpless G20
It’s difficult to tell whether Solidarity dances to Pretoria’s or Washington’s tune, writes Phakamisa Mayaba. Read more >>
Of budding township artists and an unlikely poet
Unathi Asiya, the Hantam Trust’s inspirational music teacher and choirmaster, has set her sights on a new goal, namely to open up the world of the arts to youngsters in Colesberg’s Kuyasa township. Report by Phakamisa Mayaba. Read more >>
Thabo Mbeki dreams about the presidency
Thabo Mbeki has raised eyebrows by proposing that South Africa’s presidents should be directly elected by voters. R.W. Johnson unpacks the implications. Read more >>
A jewel in SA's tourism crown
Destine Nde writes about an exceptional game reserve and tourism facility that is fully aligned with the goals of South Africa’s tourism policy. Read more >>
It's all about the consequences
Jasper Cook writers about a song titled ‘Bodhlumlilo (Belching Fire)’ recorded by the African Jazz Pioneers, which has gained renewed significance at a time of belated inquests and commissions of inquiry about events in the apartheid era. Read more >>
Palestine: the terror continues
Despite undertakings by Western leaders – including Donald Trump – to prevent this, Israeli efforts to annex the West Bank continue, write Terry Bell and Gideon Levy. Read more >>
Francesca Albanese: the woman who won't shut up
Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories who delivered the 23rd Nelson Mandela lecture in Johannesburg last week, displays the same ‘dogged commitment to freedom and equality than Madiba’, writes Phakamisa Mayaba. Read more >>
European immigration crisis: the colonies coming home to roost
The widespread immigration crisis in Europe is the direct result of the infamous ‘Scramble for Africa’, writes Destine Nde. Read more >>
Julius Malema and the age of impunity
Riaan de Villiers writes about the book MALEMA: Money, Power, Patronage, by Micah Reddy and Paul van Wyk. Read more >>
A Karoo welcome to the master storyteller David Muller (a.k.a. Oom Schalk Lourens)
The storyteller and entertainer David Muller will present two one-person shows on Hanglip Farm and at the Hantam Community Education Trust in the first week of November. Read more >>
Mugabe, Gaddafi, al-Qaeda and the ANC
R.W. Johnson traces the linkages between Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe, Muammar Gaddafi and al-Queda, which, he argues, forms a backdrop to the ANC’s later involvement with Hamas and Hezbollah. Read more >>
HCET vegetable garden continues to instruct and inspire
 Grade Three learners at the Hantam Community Education Trust east of Colesberg visit its remarkable vegetable garden, managed by Charles Gavaza. Read more >>
From Terra Nullius to telescope: whose map is the Karoo?
A provocative essay by Hannah Hall, an honours student at Stellenbosch University and a participant in the ‘Cosmopolitan Karoo’ research programme. Read here >>
'Ready and willing': an interview with Herman Mashaba
Phakamisa Mayaba talks to ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba about his plans for the forthcoming local government elections. Read more >>
The condition of Africa
Africa continues to provide ample grounds for pessimism, as exemplified by The Economist‘s infamous cover of 2011 — but all is not lost, writes R.W. Johnson. Read more >>
Mbulelo Kafi psyches up the Pixley matrics
Leading Colesberg figure Mlulelo Kafi recently delivered an inspirational address to prospective matrics in the Pixley ka Seme education district. In this interview, Phakamisa Mayaba asks him about the underlying message, as well as his ideas about education and local development. Read more >>
The Gaza Peace Plan in full
Much has been written about the Gaza Peace Plan announced by US president Donald Trump on 29 September, but the plan itself has not been as widely publicised. Read the full text here >>
The Gaza Peace Plan:challenges and prospects
Prospects for successful implementation of the Gaza Peace Plan largely lie in the hands of neighbouring Arab states, writes R.W. Johnson. Read more >>
Is Britain going to the dogs?
David Willers examines this increasingly popular media theme — and concludes that despite the current turmoil, the British centre will probably hold. Read more >>
Xolani Khumalo: from busting crime to mayoral hopeful
ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has turned political convention on its head by selecting the drug-busting TV presenter Xolani Khumalo as the party’s mayoral candidate for Ekurhuleni, writes Phakamisa Mayaba. Read more >>
Keir Starmer's dilemma
Following his landslade election victory, British PM Sir Keir Starmer has been increasingly beleaguered by the rapidly changing face of British politics, centring on the explosive immigration issue, writes R.W. Johnson. Read more >>
Nigeria: a hard road to national unity
On 1 October, Nigeria celebrated its 65th Independence Day. Destine Nde recounts its hard road to independence and national unity. Read more >>
Own goal or knockout punch?: Helen Zille and the media
Helen Zille continues to give her adversaries the sharp edge of her tongue. Phakamisa Mayaba asks whether her (in)famous comments will stand her in good stead in seeking to conquer the City of Johannesburg. Read more >>
Charlie Kirk, Trump, Kimmel and the Epstein Files
Jay H. Ell unravels the complex dynamics surrounding Charlie Kirk, Donald Trump, and the ubiquitous Epstein Files, which are due to be debated in the American Congress. Read more >>Â
Sticks and stones
Riaan de Villliers drops in on some kids in a grassy field outside Napier — and discovers an astounding miniature fantasy world, built from sticks and stones, and traversed by vehicles made from milk cartons. Read more >>
The education crisis in KwaZulu-Natal: background and lessons
Destine Nde reviews the education crisis in KwaZulu-Natal, and its implications for the rest of the country. Read more >>
The Umthombo Wolwazi gumboot guys
Gumboot dancers from the Umthombo Wolwazi Intermediate Farm School in action in Colesberg. Dont miss this ! View here >>Â
Helen Zille's Great Trek to Jo'burg
Helen Zille has entered the race for mayor of the City of Johannesburg on the back of claims of a stellar record as mayor of Cape Town. R.W. Johnson takes a closer look at her Cape Town mayoralty and its aftermath. Read more >>
US risks falling behind in high-tech military arms race
Rather than ‘Making America Great Again’, Donald Trump’s incompetent leadership is jeopardising its long-standing global military advantage, writes R.W. Johnson. Read more >>
Home Sweet Home: preserving a small town's heritage
Destine Nde talks to a key member of Revive Willowmore, which is working to revitalise this strategically placed Klein Karoo town. Read more >>
Houses handed over, and a virtual vox pop
The Umsobomvu Local Municipality has handed over eight new RDP houses to lucky Colesberg residents – but the people remain restive. Phakamisa Mayaba takes the town’s pulse via social media. Read more >>
The radicalisation of the immigration issue
R.W. Johnson writes about the issue of migration which, he says, is currently dominating the politics of the entire Western world. Read more >>
Ramaphosa isn't happy, and Zille dances
A bemused Phakamisa Mayaba writes about this week’s double political curve balls – Cyril Ramaphosa berating the comrades and praising the DA, and Helen Zille’s candidacy as mayor of the City of Johannesburg. Read more >>
'The Books Of Our Lives'
Destine Nde visits Willowmore Primary School during National Book Week – and discovers a remarkable programme in progress. Read more >>
Ramaphosa's startling conversion to clean municipal governance
President Cyril Ramaphosa has caused a political storm by sharply criticising the performance of ANC local governments at a ‘roll call’ of ANC councillors held in Johannesburg earlier this week. R.W. Johnson dissects his startling address. Read more >>
Stone-hard nests in the Karoo: Observing megachile taraxia
Karin Sternberg writes about discovering a previously unrecorded wild bee species in the Wolwekraal Nature Reserve at Prince Albert – and coming face to face with a giant leopard tortoise. Read more >>
Whither the Karoo?: Noupoort on the move
Major investments in ‘green energy’ installations are starting to transform the Karoo, with far-reaching implications for its future. In the first of a series, Phakamisa Mayaba begins to trace the economic and social impact of a massive wind farm outside the previously forgotten town of Noupoort. Read more >>
New 'environmental knowledge hub' for the southern Karoo
Maeder Osler writes about a Conservation Research and Education Centre under construction in Prince Albert, intended to serve as a ‘dynamic environmental knowledge hub for the southern Karoo’. Read more >>
Lisa Meitner: the forgotten pioneer of nuclear fission
David Willers writes about Lisa Meitner, the largely forgotten nuclear physicist who first described the process of nuclear fission, as well as historic coverage of the Hiroshima blast in a recently discovered British newspaper. Read more >>
Warriors against the rural scourge of FASD
Tuesday 9 September was international Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Day. Phakamisa Mayaba talks to seasoned warriors in the Northern Cape — a global hotspot — in the fight against this deadly scource. Read more >>
De Rust: come and rest awhile
Destine Nde visits the small town of De Rust at the foot of the Swartberg, and learns about a pink elephant called Herrie. Read more >>
The anthropocene: a story in bones and plastics
Future archaeologists will judge our civilisation by its appetite and waste. Whether they also find evidence of wisdom, restraint, and care for one another and for the planet will depend on the choices we make now, writes Graeme Addison. Read more >>
The politics of illegal migration into Britain
Public anger over uncontrolled migration into Britain may reshape the entire political system, writes R.W. Johnson. Read more >>
'Men, he was one of ours ... '
So when did rural South Africa start to change? Maeder Osler recalls playing in a rugby match in Nouopoort some 45 years ago that still haunts his memory. Read more >>
The crazy world of TikTok
Brave, bad or simply crazy? Phakamisa Mayaba delves into the world of TikTok, which now has a staggering 1,8 billion active monthly users around the globe. Read more >>
The denouement of Emmanuel Macron
R.W. Johnson analyses the mounting crisis in French politics, triggered by the failure of President Emmanuel Macron’s strategy to ward off the far right and build a stable centre. Read more >>
Willowmore and the digital divide
Like many other small towns, Willowmore’s access to the internet has improved — but many residents can’t afford commercial connectivity, which is working to perpetuate the ‘digital divide’, writes Destine Nde. Read more >>
How do commissions and dialogues fix the broken?
In upcoming polls, writes Phakamisa Mayaba, the ANC will discover that people on the ground are tired of talk instead of action. Read more >>
National Dialogue harks back to Kliptown, not Codesa
Rather than Codesa, writes R.W. Johnson, the embattled National Dialogue has more in common with the ‘Congress of the People’, source of the fabled Freedom Charter, which, he argues, was unrepresentative and heavily manipulated, and produced a vague wish list instead of a workable development plan. Read more >>
Our rural world: we can flourish or fail
An inspired essay by Prof Graeme Addison about the past, present and future of Colesberg and rural South Africa in general, prompted by a visit to the Toverview website. Read more >>Â
Ramaphosa continues to chase the investment mirage
The government’s much-publicised investment conferences are no substitute for a workable development plan, writes R.W. Johnson. Read more >>
Edward Kieswetter: the consummate civil servant
Jasper Cook on working for SARS supremo Edward Kieswetter, driving his MPV to Cape Town, town-hopping in the Karoo in search of scarce fuel, and the nagging question of democratic taxation. Read more >>
May God protect all children ...
From Anne Frank’s attic in Amsterdam to Leen Al Farra’s tent in Gaza, Phakamisa Mayaba reflects on the timeless moral challenges posed by the fate of children in war. Read more >>Â
The Premier League: Let the games begin!
R.W. Johnson writes about the English Premier League, the fabled Liverpool Football Club, and growing up in Merseyside. Read more >>
On home remedies and black widows
A visit from a friend with a delicate problem prompts Phakamisa Mayaba to revisit the local use of traditional remedies and foodstuffs. Read more >>
The Trans Baviaans: from dream to reality
After 21 years, the unique Trans Baviaans Mountain Bicycle Race attracts riders from all over the world. Destine Nde talks to its founder, Drikus van der Walt. Read more >>Â
Crippled National Dialogue limps to the start line
R.W.Johnson traces the role of Thabo Mbeki in first proposing and now rejecting the National Dialogue, which seems headed for expensive and embarrassing failure. Read more >>
Hiroshima at 80: an ominous anniversary
Last week’s memorials marking the 80th anniversary of the atom bomb blasts over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki provided little comfort by way of progress towards nuclear disarmament, writes Riaan de Villiers. Read more >>
Going nowhere slowly: PRASA then and now
Jasper Cook takes a look at PRASA’s long-distance passenger rail service, Shosholosa Meyl, and discovers that it might take you far longer than before to get to your destination — or you might not get there at all. Read more >>
President Ramaphosa visits the Northern Cape -- and life goes on ...
President Cyril Ramaphosa revisits the Northern Cape and declares it a ‘province on the move’ — but Phakamisa Mayaba (and its citizens)Â struggle to regain a sense of hope and enthusiasm. Read more >>Â Â
Life on the margins: the Eastern Cape's roads
Destine Nde reports on a striking article about the poor state of roads in the Eastern Cape as a barometer of political marginalisation — but finds hopeful signs of renewal in his home town of Willowmore. Read more >>
The M&G and the 'ANC hegemony': a response to Bill Johnson
We recently ran an article by R.W. (Bill) Johnson in which he argued that the Mail & Guardian was facing closure because it formed part of a disintegrating ‘ANC hegemony’. Riaan de Villiers and Phillip van Niekerk, a previous editor of the M&G, respond. Read more >>Â
Sleep-walking into disaster
With massively increased US tariffs on SA goods imminent, the SA government seems to be sleep-walking into disaster, writes R.W. Johnson. Read more >>
Remembering another giant on Mandela Day
Phakamisa Mayaba writes about the life and times of Hugh Masekela, and why he listened to him on Mandela Day. Read more >>
The power of the few
Destine Nde writes about a courageous organisation with big plans for a small Klein Karoo town. Read more >>
FROM A ROOM WITH A VIEW
Riffs and links, mostly by Maeder Osler, from an Old Waenhuis in the Northern Karoo which lives on in his memory. Latest:
Oom Schalk Lourens hits the Hantam
Bodorpe en onderdorpe: the local government challenge
Revived sheep festival speaks to Colesberg’s vitality
What price accountability?: ANC local councillors and the media
JUST SAYING
NOTABLE COMMENTATORS
J.P. Landman is one of the most astute and accessible public commentators on current South African political and economic issues. For more info, and links to his newsletters and podcast, read here >>
TOVER JAZZ
Swinging in Cape Town with the renowned Parisian pianist Christopher Culpo. Read more >>
JASPER COOK
Besides contributing to Toverview, our esteemed friend Jasper Cook maintains a blog called Scazima, which is well worth visiting from time to time. Added to this, his son, Donovan, has started a YouTube channel called JAZZTRAINS, featuring conversations with Jasper about working as a fireman on steam engines, his international travels with the African Jazz Pioneers, ‘and everything in between’. The fourth episode appears below.
TOVER ART
Artwork made up of ‘dubbeltjies’ (devil thorns), found in a gallery in the town of Richmond in the Central Karoo. Read more >>
TOVER POETRY
Maeder Osler writes about the poetry of Frank Meintjies. Read more >>
HIGHWAYS & BYWAYS
Welcome to a new series aimed at exploring maps of the fascinating (and elusive) region known as the Karoo. We start with a colourful map on the KNK website. Read more >>
TOVER PORTALS
TOVERVIEW acts as a portal for an enterprising Colesberg journalist and writer, Phakamisa Mayaba.
Phakamisa Mayaba
Phakamisa Mayaba is a freelance journalist and creative writer who is building impressive content on his own website, eParkeni. To connect with this exciting site, click here.
USEFUL LINKS
Hantam Community Education Trust
Karoo Space: At the heart of South Africa
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https://www.sanews.gov.za/newsletters
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