Siyabonga Ntshingila is a walking example of how not to go through life productively. Having chanced his lackadaisical way through an education at one of the country's finest boy’s schools and a noted university, he then proceeded to unleash his special brand of inertia on the unsuspecting corporate world. Alas, as with the Bernard Madof..  ...more

Brewer's Droop: I get pissed off very easily by the most seemingly trivial things (a lifetime in advertising and media will do that to you). The problem is that you tend to forget what made you grumpy in the first place. Now, where was I?  ...more

Although a naturalized SA citizen since 1988, Chris Gilmour is originally from Edinburgh, Scotland and emigrated to SA in 1982. His main reasons for leaving Scotland were the truly awful Scottish climate and his inability to break into the notoriously cliquey Edinburgh financial community. He has a B.Sc. (Hons) in Chemistry and a Postgradu..  ...more

David Bullard is of the firm opinion that the columnist's job is to shout "fire" in a crowded cinema and then retire to a safe distance to see what happens. This view was not shared by The Sunday Times who sacked him for writing an allegedly "racist" article. Since the article in question wasn't much different in tone from what had been publis..  ...more

David Gleason has been a financial journalist since 1992. Before that he was with Anglo American in Zambia and this country for 22 years before moving into stock broking and then some investment banking. He has a reputation for investigative reporting and fearless opinions, which led him on one occasion to be labeled “A danger to democracy” by..  ...more

There's one thing I know for sure: I have great taste in music! Sometimes, I feel the urge to walk into Musica and shout, "THESE AREN'T THE ONLY OPTIONS, PEOPLE!" I can't remember the last time I bought a CD, in a store (I import all of my music). I don't listen to the radio anymore. It is just too painful (the music is worse than the comm..  ...more

Apart from a year spent completing his M.A. in icy, but intellectually bracing Toronto, DIGBY DA COSTA-RICCI has devoted his adult years to instructing South African youth in institutions as diverse as Wits, R.A.U. (as it was then called), King David High School, and Roedean (South Africa), his present rose-gardened workplace. He has, however,..  ...more

Music took over my life at the age of 10 when I was a drummer in a military band, then at age 14 a four letter word entered my vocabulary, JAZZ, and my world changed forever. I have played jazz as a musician, I’ve written about jazz as a journalist, I’ve broadcasted it on radio and presented it on television. I’ve been half-way around the wor..  ...more

GALLIMAUFRY/ɡælɪˈmɔːfrɪ/ A hotchpotch, jumble or confused medley. This word has been around since the sixteenth century, is still in use, but isn’t particularly common today. It’s one of those terms sometimes trotted out to give a literary feel to one’s writing, or spoken in a facetious tone for a quick laugh...  ...more

Throughout history, the youth have always asserted themselves either with a sort of sighing acceptance of things; or with a rumbustious rejection of the establishment. By the time the 21st century rolled around, we were all somewhat out-rioted. Thus, the “whatever” generation was born – and Jessica Dix is a platinum card member. Oh dear, the g..  ...more

Marlon Abrahams is the internet’s leading Single Dad. He knows there is probably a very good reason why fate conspired to bestow on him his three amazing daughters Hannah (10), Maddison (4) and Sofia (3). And most of the time he is convinced it was not to send him to an early grave. In his quest to uncover the elusive mysteries of parenting Ma..  ...more

Mervyn Dendy practices as an attorney in Johannesburg. He is a former teacher of law, a prolific legal author, and a past and present lover of rock music, who has been collecting records (and later CDs) since 1963. This pastime has led him to discover the true meaning of life: he (or she) who dies with the best collection of rock ’n’ roll wins.  ...more

Finally burning his Grammar School cap and tie, Mike went into the frenetic world of Newspapers in London. After two weeks of running errands and making tea, he fled, deciding he would have to wait a long time before he could write the society page in the Daily Mail. The Airline game beckoned. He made more tea but at least got to visit Beirut ..  ...more

When, in an unguarded moment that would come to define his character, Neels Blom mentioned to his betters that he would rather go fly-fishing, he discovered that a lifetime of rebellion against authority and general dissatisfaction with the human condition had been utterly wasted; the cause would have better served if, instead of joining the p..  ...more

Nigel Owen has spent his whole career in the banking world, after graduating from Keble College, Oxford in 1998, MA (Hons) in Economics and Managament. He currently works for The Royal Bank of Canada, having switched Royal Banks in 2007 from the Scottish one - luck or judgement, make your own mind up! He was born into a sporting family, wit..  ...more

You do not really require the usual few words about me. They can tell you nothing you want or need to know. It does not matter if writers practice yoga, enjoy cooking and go rock climbing, or if they do not. Only the writing and its point of view count. If you read any writing here, that will be nice. If you enjoy it, that will be nicer. If yo..  ...more

A full-time footballer, Rory is pursuing unsuspecting opponents and scoring goals as you read this. He has played in both South Africa and Croatia, and strongly advocates the return of the death penalty worldwide to prevent footballers from diving and rolling around on the field. Off the field, he doodled his way through law lectures b..  ...more

Rudzani Floyd Musekwa is Journalism and Media studies graduate from a sort of Ivy League Journalism School who believes that good writers don’t necessarily work for newspapers or magazines because good writers sometimes just can’t stand editors and their usually bored subs (with all due respect). Good writers are rugged men like Chris Br..  ...more

Communication strategist by day, writer of books and blogs by night, Sarah Britten is also fond of collecting wooden chickens. She has a doctorate in Applied English Language Studies and uses her skills to come up with ways to persuade consumers to buy stuff. One day she will finish that novel she started 6 years ago.   ...more

Shelli NT was forced to abbreviate her surname when she realised that no-one other than her dental hygienist could pronounce it. She is the Managing Director of Joburg.co.za, while also doing freelance writing and de-motivational speaking in her spare time.  ...more

Born in Entshongweni, KwaZulu Natal, Sthembile Shelembe is quite the proud, firmly grounded Zulu girl that many imagine when they think of a Zulu speaking person. Yes I am a bit stubborn too. A sparkling, rainbow coloured personality is one of my main characteristics although I must say I do not own a pair of rose tinted sunglasses so I alw..  ...more

Vicky Friedman performed in professional theatre from the age of 6. She graduated with a National Diploma in Musical Theatre from Pretoria Technikon. She also holds a B.A. Honours in Communication through UNISA. Vicky has appeared in stage productions including, The Best of Girl Talk Annie and Boogie Nights. She played one of the six merry mur..  ...more