Everyone in South Africa knew 2010 was going to be an amazing news year, regardless of whether the FIFA Soccer World Cup was successful or not. What many wondered was what 2011 had to offer; and it has given us, journalists and the world over, so many headline-grabbing, mind-boggling and heartwarming stories. Here’s a few that have stuck in our heads as we head towards a new and exciting year:


The Changing Seasons

Globally, this is possibly the biggest rolling news story this year. A revolution that’s seen many Arab dictators walking, no, actually running scared from positions they’ve held for numerous decades as leaders of their respective states. Also known as ‘the Arab Awakening’, it’s been characterised by civil resistance, constant campaigns and demonstrations against totalitarian rule and often times major incidents of violence. Its roots stem from Tunisia, where protests began on the 18th of December 2010 following the death of Mohamed Bouazizi, who set himself alight as a stand against police corruption and constant ill-treatment from government officials - thus eventually leading to President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali being overthrown. That was followed by the ‘Egypt Burning’ protests which resulted in the ousting of President Hosni Mubarak who had been in power for 30 years - and the October 2011 death of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, the world’s longest standing dictator.

Other countries that experienced forms of demonstrations against the current regimes included Algeria, Jordan, Yemen and Swaziland.


Japan in Ruins

On 11 March 2011 millions stood frozen in front of their televisions screens as they watched wave upon wave pound into the coast of Tohoku, East Pacific Japan. The 8.9 magnitude quake, dubbed the "Eastern Japan Great Earthquake Disaster” - which was followed by several aftershocks - brought severe devastation and claimed over 18,000 lives. Some of the biggest fears that followed the tsunami disaster revolved around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, as some of its reactors melted and released  radioactive material into the air and sea, thus leading to the evacuation of thousands of people.


SA’s Play for the SKA

The bid to host the Square Kilometre Array Project actually started in 2003 and in July this year it came down to two contenders: South Africa and Australia who after submitting documentation dealing with a wide variety of technical issues including design, infrastructure and costs in September 2011, will find out who’s to host the world’s most powerful radio telescope in February 2012.


Operation Neptune Spear and The Death Of A Terrorist

On 1 May 2011, American networks at about ten in the evening (American time) announced that President Barack Obama was to give a national address in about 30 minutes. That evening, in the early hours SA time, Obama told American citizens, as well as the rest of the world, that Osama bin Laden, leader of the Al-Qaeda terrorist organisation, was shot dead in a gun battle in a compound in Pakistan by a US Navy Seal team: Neptune Spear.


The EU drowns

Perhaps one of the other gripping rolling news stories of the year - along with the Euro’s constant decline,  it’s taken a few political and key economic players’ careers with it. It began 10 years ago, when Greece was admitted into the EU. The move quickly proved to be ill-judged: Greece’s skyrocketing debt, and its notorious inability to collect taxes from its people led to the near downfall of the Euro. With nearly half of all European countries now using the Euro, Greece’s problems have caused a domino effect that has now threatened the entire European economy, as well as other world economies.

Recently, economic powerhouse Germany has taken the lead in ensuring the EU’s survival. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, aided by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, has laid out a strategic two-part plan to European Council President Herman Van Rompuy on how to pull the EU out of the looming crisis. Whether Van Rompuy heeds their advice is yet to be seen.


The end of an iEra

On 5 October co-founder, former Apple CEO and all round technology maverick Steve Jobs died in his sleep at the age of 56 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. Many mourned Jobs’ death the world over for his role as the ‘father’ of the iPhone, iPod and Apple Mac, with most applauding his role in transforming electronic objects into lifestyle tools and mostly social objects of desire.

For more, click here.


Endless man-made predicaments

This was meant to be the year that South Africa wins the battle against rhino poaching. Many efforts have been put in place to try reduce the number, but as the World Wildlife Fund has recently stated, it’s been a year of great disappointment with over 400 rhinos killed, 67 more than the toll at the end of 2010. Click here for more.

Somalia also grabbed its fair share of headlines this year but the situation there mostly tugged at heart strings. EWN reporter Nastasya Tay spent some time there with local organisation the Gift of The Givers, capturing the everyday struggles of living in famine-declared land. Click here for more.

South Africa is still struggling with water problems, with numerous regions experiencing water pollution, acid mine drainage issues and sludge build up. Click here for more.


The Ficksburg Hero

Out of Meqheleng, an informal settlement in a town called Ficksburg in the Free State came what some now refer to as a hero.  Andries Tatane only came into the spotlight after his brutal death at the supposed hands of police during a service delivery march at the local municipality offices in April.


President Jacob Zuma: decisions, decisions, decisions...

Many would say the country’s president has made several controversial decisions and appointments this year, with some media alleging that he’s trying to weaken the country’s independent institutions. Whilst others have commended him for stances they see as a way towards eradicating corruption within his government. Some of his surprising decisions this year include:
       
• Sicelo Shiceka – the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister spent most of the year on sick leave with full pay, amidst rumours that he abused state funds. A June probe was launched by the Public Protector after Parliament’s Ethics Committee requested a look into allegations of numerous violations of the executive ethics code. Findings of the probe stated that he racked up more than R1m in travel costs for him, his staff and friends - meaning his actions constituted maladministration and abuse of public funds. Even before the report was released, several political figures, the media and civil societies called on President Zuma to dismiss the Minister from his role amidst reports that he used state funds to fly to Switzerland to visit his lover in jail. The president eventually fired Shiceka during his second cabinet reshuffle at the end of October.

• Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde replaced Geoff Doidge and was appointed the Public Works Minister during President Zuma’s cabinet reshuffle. It didn’t take long for her to ruin her career in that ministry. According to newspaper reports she allowed for a controversial R500 million lease for new police headquarters (which was originally cancelled by Doidge) to be built in Pretoria with controversial businessman Roux Shabangu - stating that they couldn’t get out of the binding contract and that she had been advised by state attorneys to see it through as they could be sued or found liable for the amount that the lease was worth. The story takes an odd turn when it’s found that the deal was signed without a public tender, which automatically called for the deal to be investigated. This year after investigations into the lease the public protector’s findings were that the minister ignored two senior counsel opinions when she revalidated the leasing agreement between her department and the Roux Property Fund for a multimillion-rand police building.

Madonsela also instructed cabinet to urgently interrogate Mahlangu-Nkabinde on her decision to reinstate the contract. Reports also alleged that even after the office of the State attorney looked at the contract and told her it was unlawful, she advised the deal’s financier to continue with the deal. When cabinet attempted to question her regarding the lease, she was a no-show - and that, after missing a deadline from the public protector to respond to the public protector's report, raised questions about her involvement in the deal. More reports surfaced as the year went along, such as the allegations that she forced a top official from her Public Works department to enter into rental contracts worth R1.2 billion with Shanbangu. Like with Shiceka, there was public outrage for many months as to why she was still allowed to keep her job. In September the DA called for her to go, saying instead of taking responsibility for her actions she was diverting the blame for the situation on department officials. Nkabinde-Mahlangu also got the axe during Zuma’s cabinet reshuffle in October.

• Bheki Cele - the general, the mafia-styled, fashion-savvy police commissioner who’s admired for his balls to the wall attitude and outrageous utterances and policies; from commanding his police officers to shoot to kill when feeling threatened; to calling murder accused Shrien Dewani a monkey who came to kill his wife in South Africa. President Jacob Zuma announced during the cabinet reshuffle that the commissioner will be suspended pending an outcome of an investigation into the unlawful police lease agreements. As is the case with the two ousted ministers, Zuma according to analysts and some journalists, has been seen as to be dragging his feet in making solid decisions regarding the future of their careers.

• Mogoeng Mogoeng - appointed as the Chief Justice of South Africa on September 8th, this after being selected as President Jacob Zuma’s preferred candidate to head the highest court in the land, besides his ‘youth’ (the youngest Judge on the constitutional court) counting against him. Several civil organisations and the media have frowned upon this decision and made sure to vocalise it. He has been accused by the Nobel Women's Initiative of invoking dangerous myths about rape, and of blaming victims. He’s also been lambasted for allowing Cape Judge President John Hlope to screen candidates while engaged in legal action over his conduct. Mogoeng, also an ordained priest, has also been said by many to be emotional and passionate, which has led to questions of whether his role as a Justice of the Court will remain impartial or will fall in line with his religious beliefs - however some constitutional experts claim that he is actually the most conservative member of the court.

• Menzi Simelani - in 2001 he was appointed the country’s national director of the National Prosecution Authority by President Jacob Zuma, a move that was marred by controversy and major opposition from the start. An application was brought forward by the DA challenging his appointment and requesting the court to overturn an earlier decision by the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria - a move that worked in the political party’s favour as the Supreme Court of Appeal has ruled that President Jacob Zuma's appointment of Menzi Simelane as National Director of Public Prosecutions was invalid.

• Willem Heath - a former judge at the high court, Heath recently stepped into a new set of shoes as the head of the Special Investigations Unit for the SA Government. A surprising move by the president as it seems the previous head Willie Hofmeyr was a more than competent leader. Other questions raised around Heath include the fact that he’s done media interviews where he chooses political allegiance, and he’s said former president Thabo Mbeki was the main instigator behind Zuma’s rape trial. Heath also provided Zuma with legal advice when he faced corruption charges stemming from the connection with Schabir Shaik, all worrying as the head of the SIU should be impartial. On 15 December, Heath resigned from the position.


Bidding farewell to a mother of the nation

South Africa’s much loved struggle veteran Albertina Sisulu passed away on a Thursday evening on the 2nd of June in her Linden home. Revered worldwide as an icon and respected for her work taking care of the vulnerable, she raised her own five children and adopted many others while her late husband Walter Sisulu spent 20 years behind bars for treason, all of this which she did whilst constantly dealing with about 17 years of continuous bans, including 10 years of house arrest. After her husband's death in 2003, she continued to champion the cause of the vulnerable, including children affected by Aids and those with special needs.


The young lion that refuses to be silenced...

Julius Malema... one of the most popular leaders the African National Congress has had at the helm of its Youth League. He has at least eight times out of ten made it onto radio leads, newspaper front pages, numerous prime time television slots and has been the subject of a fair share of twitter trending hashtags - all of which means he’s been one of the most spoken of public figures in the country, stemming from being successfully sued by the rights group Afriforum and the Transvaal Agricultural Union of South Africa (TauSA) for his continuous singing of the song ‘Dubul Ibhunu’.

During the month of August the ANC (the Youth League’s mother body) announced that it intended to charge the leader, along with spokesman Floyd Shivambu, deputy president Ronald Lamola, treasurer general Pule Mabe, secretary general Sindiso Magaqa, and deputy secretary general Kenetswe Mosenogi for bringing the party into disrepute and sowing division within the movement. Being the defiant leader everyone’s come to know him as, in the middle of his hearing he staged a march, with a couple Youth League  members for economic freedom from the Joburg CBD to the Union Buildings in Pretoria - a march that was uncharacteristically peaceful, especially following the violent protests that broke out in the city centre outside the ANC headquarters where his trial was being heard.

By November 2011 the Party’s National Disciplinary Committee had concluded and released their findings against Malema and the rest of the charged YL members. They were all found guilty on numerous counts - along with bringing the party into disrepute and for sowing division within the movement. The ANC also suspended Malema from his role as Youth League leader for five years, a move some say will effectively kill his young political career. Malema is currently appealing his suspension.

For more click here.


Making a domestic mark

On the 18th of May, close to 24 million South Africans took to polling stations to participate in the fourth local government elections. With a national turnout of 57.6 percent - the African National Congress took 62.0 percent of the overall results, the Democratic Alliance (the country’s official opposition party) claimed 23.9 percent, the Inkatha Freedom Party 3.6 percent and the National Freedom Party 2.4 percent of the votes.


The Princess takeover

It seems from the time Prince Charles and his then wife, the late princess Diana of Wales, birthed two boys the world would anxiously await the time for one of them to find a suitable suitor. Well… that happened this year when the eldest of the boys (now men) Prince William picked Kate Middleton after meeting her back in 2001 at St Andrews University - making the 20-year-old woman the first ‘commoner’ to marry a prince who’s most likely to inherit the throne. They were married on April the 29th with a glittering ceremony watched by billions of people around the globe. That Friday afternoon, Middleton became known as Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge and Queen Elizabeth made her grandson William the Duke of Cambridge to mark the marriage of the second-in-line to the throne.

Shortly after that it was South Africa’s Charlene Wittstock, a former Olympic swimmer’s turn to walk down the aisle and live most young girl’s fantasies to become a real life princess.  Wittstock married Prince Albert  the 2nd from Monaco in a civil ceremony on 1 July  at the Throne Room in the prince’s palace after which they had their honeymoon in South Africa, amidst rumours that she not only had cold feet about getting married, but that she had attempted to ‘escape’ back to Africa before the actual ceremony.


SA Media under threat

In 2008 an idea came along to update an old apartheid-era law pertaining to the security and confidentiality of state documents, the goal being to protect the state and its citizens.
The trouble with it stems from the need to have a media appeals tribunal, with the ruling party explaining that they felt that the local media was irresponsible and did more harm than good. The threat that comes with the new bill, which was passed on Tuesday the 22nd of November - a day many marked as ‘Black Tuesday’ after the original Black Tuesday that occurred in 1977 when the then apartheid government banned several local newspapers. As it stands, the fate of the media and the Protection of Information Bill lies in the hands of the National Council of Provinces and eventually President Jacob Zuma, but until then the media remains loud and proud in its disapproval of the secrecy bill.

For more click here.


Moving towards the green planet...

The annual conference of the parties, better known as COP, is an annual event where thousands of delegates gather with the aim of assessing the planet’s progress towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

In 2010 at the COP16 sitting in Cancun, Mexico several issues where brought forward to be dealt with in more detail at the 17th sitting which was recently hosted in Durban, South Africa. Things that needed urgent attention included the Green Climate Fund, the climate technology centre and the Kyoto Protocol – this perhaps the most important of the three - a binding agreement originally signed in Kyoto, Japan in 1997, an accord between 37 industrialised countries and Europe to reduce gasses that contain radiation from being absorbed into the atmosphere.

Durban’s sitting broke records and has been claimed by many to have resulted in a watershed deal that took both developed and developing states into consideration. The records broken by this sitting relate specifically to the fact that it carried on for a day and a half longer than originally scheduled and an agreement was reached to start the process that will see the Kyoto Protocol - where the original deadline was 2012 - extended to 2018. A $100 billion a year will be set aside for the Green Climate Fund. ‘The Durban platform’ as it’s been christened is seen as the compromise which saved the climate talks and allowed more room for future negotiations. What‘s astonishing though, is that hot off the heels of COP17, Canada has already pulled out of the Kyoto Protocol.

For more click here.


Written by Matshidiso Madia