We believe in God
We believe that sex is sacred
We believe in caring for each other
We believe in using condoms

Devoted Catholics may call this campaign message immoral and going against the Church and the teachings of the Bible, but to a group like Catholics for Choice they believe its time the Church endorses condom use. A very controversial subject to talk about and indeed an issue, which can make one, lose strength to lead such a huge following. The fact that sex is sacred has not done enough to spare the youth from indulging and this has resulted in high pregnancy rates and a surge in sexually transmitted infections. In trying to deal with all these sex challenges Catholics for Choice thinks good Catholics should condomize to show a sign of caring for one another. The campaign is aimed at the Vatican to change its policy on condom use and it is targeting countries at risk of high sexual infections like Kenya, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

It’s curious to see a photograph of South Africans protesting outside a police station in response to the murder of Mido Macia. It’s mind blowing to read that “a large crowd of horrified bystanders” were  “looking on” with “some warning police they were being filmed.” Has there been any discussion and investigation into why the public didn’t take action and help Macia? Protesting is far safer than intervention, isn’t it? Being a spectator is core to upholding and maintaining injustice.

Mamphela Ramphele, anti-apartheid activist, businesswoman and academic has launched a new political party platform, Agang, in South Africa.

In her speech delivered yesterday she said:

“Today I announce that I am working with a group of fellow citizens to form a party political platform that will focus on rekindling hope that building the country of our dreams is possible in our lifetime. Our consultations and conversations across the lengths and breadths of our country have confirmed a hunger for a new beginning. Young and old, poor and rich, men and women, urban and rural people are yearning for a political platform that can put our country first. A platform that will be open to all South Africans of good will who want to build the country of our dreams. This will be a platform that will capture the best in us and enable us to transcend our divided past and work together as a society united in our diversity. It is a platform that will seek to work with others to reduce the fragmentation in the political landscape and to realign politics towards a focus on putting the country first. We launch this initiative under the name Agang, or in the Nguni languages of our country, Akhani, which can be interpreted in English as “Build South Africa”.

The ANC have criticized the new party saying it brings nothing new to the table as it rehashes the challenges South Africa is currently facing. The ANC secretary general, Gwede Mantashe, is quoted on SABC news saying ‘the newly-launched party political platform might be an American initiative aimed at channelling money to destabilise the South African government.’

New hope for South Africa?

As the nation’s power utility company ZESA grapples to meet electricity demands from customers, its a different story south of Limpopo as South Africans march in protest not just energy but for clean energy. Greenpeace Africa and other civil society organisations in South Africa took to the streets In Johannesburg on Saturday 10 November in support for a just energy solution.  (Picture: Greenpeace Africa)

The South African Reserve bank has issued a new series of banknotes that personify South Africa’s former president Nelson Mandela. The new notes feature the image of former president Nelson Mandela on the front of the notes and, on the reverse side, images of South Africa’s Big Five – rhino, elephant, lion, buffalo and leopard. The denominations of the notes are 10, 20, 50 100 and 200.