When things are looking down it can be an eye opener to see things from another's perspective.
I've written a couple of times in my blog about how things seem to be looking bleak in South Africa these days. But the grass isn't always greener elsewhere...

Although leaders may have shaken hands, the pressing reality for Zimbabweans today, four months down the line from the 29 March harmonised polls, is coping with the economic crisis. The optimism for better lives  - characterised by more food, medicines, clean water, banks notes, transport and all other basic necessities - has all but dissipated.

There was an article in the newspaper recently headlined, "Smoking Could Make You Friends." I noticed it because I'd been thinking the very same thing, just a few days earlier. The article was about US presidential candidate, Barack Obama

Way back during the apartheid years, when I was in international company, I hated having to admit to being a South African. During the transition to democracy that changed and for a time, I felt proud of my country. Lately, I'm starting to get that uncomfortable ashamed feeling again when I travel. Yesterday I hit a particularly low point.

We, civil society organizations acting on behalf of the people of Zimbabwe, today reassert our commitment to the struggle for a transition to democracy. In doing so, we stand firmly by the principles of democratic constitutionalism that are embodied in the People’s Charter, which represent the birthright of every Zimbabwean. 

Last week I wondered how much money one person needs -- when you have 10 or 20 or 25 million US dollars, why would you need more? How many meals can you eat, or beds can you sleep in, however luxurious? Well, this week I found the answer to that question. It came in the form of an article about the world's most expensive cup of coffee.

As I breeze through check in formalities at Accra international airport on my non-stop evening flight to Johannesburg, I cannot help but flashback twenty-seven years ago to when I first started traveling to my second home through marriage from the country of my birth, Zimbabwe. How the tables have turned in less than one lifetime!

Late last week the Guardian newspaper in Britain exposed a secret report prepared by an expert for the World Bank, which estimated that biofuels have forced up food prices by 75%. This report, if accurate, is shocking, as up to now the US administration has claimed that biofuels have contributed less than 3% to food price inflation, while development experts in South Africa have pegged the figure at 30%.

Intense debate on the pros and cons of a government of national unity cum- transitional arrangement cum- negotiated settlement between Zanu PF and the MDC has now taken centre stage in Zimbabwe’s socio-economic and political discourse in the aftermath of the 27 June 2008 presidential election runoff.

It seems that all our state institutions in South Africa are being tested at the moment. They're all in crisis or under attack -- from the Human Rights Commission, to the Judiciary, to the national broadcaster. It's the toughest test our teenaged democracy has had, and its clearly time for us all to grow up and become adults.

I have been reading the text of a remarkable court judgment delivered by judge MP Tsoka, of the High Court of South Africa, at the end of April this year. It is an incredible document, and amid all the bad news coming our way lately, gives me some hope and encouragement. The judgment concerns a case brought by residents of the township of Phiri in Johannesburg, asking the court to declare unlawful, the installation of pre-paid water meters in their properties.

The Movement for Democratic Change acknowledges the concern about the Zimbabwe crisis expressed in the resolution adopted at the 11th Ordinary Session of the African Union General Assembly. The MDC would like to thank those African leaders who have joined the global chorus by standing on the side of the Zimbabwean people and advocating that their voices be heard.

The Sunday TImes in SA reports that the number of South Africans worth over 1 million US dollars has increased by 14% in the past year. In Africa as a whole, there are 10% more dollar millionaires than there were last year. Africa is second only to South America in the rate of increase in the numbers of ultra-rich. Those worth over $30-million. At the same time, we know that Africa is the only continent where poverty is on the increase. Over 121-million Africans try to get by on less than 50 US cents a day. What's wrong with this picture? 

What is happening today is not an election. It is an exercise in mass intimidation with people all over the country being forced to vote.

Bulawayo Agenda is compiling Election Updates from reports and alerts from its network of contacts located in areas served by its chapters monitoring the 27 June run-off and by-elections.

The Southern African Legal Assistance Network (SALAN) welcomes the stance taken by the Southern African Development Community (SADC)’s call for the postponement of the Zimbabwean Presidential run-off elections scheduled for Friday 27th June 2008, which have been characterized by widespread violence, forcing MDC Presidential candidate Morgan Tsvangirai to announce his withdrawal from the race.

The topic of tuberculosis (TB) is capturing worldwide attention, including from the media. Most stories focus on informing the public about resistant forms of TB, providing accounts of patients’ flights from hospital, and exploring the very important susceptibility of people living with HIV.

On Youth Day, June 16th, Julius Malema, the leader of the ANC Youth League, said at public rally that the youth were prepared to kill for Jacob Zuma. A few days later, Zwelinzima Vavi, the head of the giant trade union federation, Cosatu, said the organisation's members would be willing to sacrifice their lives for Zuma. Despite the outcry that has followed these remarks, I remain deeply, deeply disturbed.

For me the most provocative aspect of Robert Mugabe’s presidential run-off campaign this time around is the abuse of word empowerment and its simultaneousy use of women -- particularly in adverts that are inserted in mainly the State media. I am particularly revolted by an advert in support of Robert Mugabe’s ‘empowerment’ policy or stance (whatever you may call it) inserted by a group who I am hearing of for the first time, called the Young Women Movement (YWM).

On Monday I attended a seminar on information for social change -- looking at the role of new technologies in the publishing arena. The presentations and discussions were exciting and sobering at the same time. There are some exciting possibilities arising from new developments  in the use of the Internet -- and of cell phones. But it is clear that there are still many barriers in the way in Africa, including high communications costs, slow bandwidth, and lack of widespread access to technology.

As Zimbabwe gears up for the presidential runoff on June 27 2008, cases of political violence have been increasing, particularly against members of the opposition party, the MDC. The MDC's president, Morgan Tsvangirai, has also been prevented from holding campaign rallies by the police force. The question that remains is whether the presidential runoff is going to be free and fair, given the already uneven ground for preparation.

It's a long weekend in South Africa, and the annual Cape Town book fair is on again. I attended two very interesting sessions, one on Saturday and one today (Monday). Today's session was a full day, looking at information for social change, and the possibilities and constraints of new technology. I'll write more about that in a couple of days. What I want to write about now is Saturday's session -- a panel discussion on social grants, and whether they are causing dependency.

One of the problems facing a number of African cities is traffic congestion. As economies develop and grow, the amount of traffic just keeps on increasing. There is also an ongoing trend of urbanisation, where people migrate to the cities from the countryside, thus adding to the problem. And our cities, laid out and planned decades ago, just aren't coping.

If we are serious about economic development in Africa, we need to do as much as we can to boost intra-African trade. Look at the trade data for almost any African country, and I bet you'll find that their major trading partner is either in north America, or Europe. Trade with other African countries usually comes way down the list. But if we want to see our economies really take off, we need to start trading with one another. And in order for that to happen, there are two things we really need to get right: communications and transport.

On Wednesday (28th May), I paid a visit to Mary Tal, who heads up Whole World Women Association, an organisation based in Cape Town, dealing with the concerns of refugees and migrants -- and women in particular. Whole World Women is a participant in the Citizen Journalism in Africa project. When I meet Mary, she looks tired. She has been very involved in the recent xenophobic crisis in South Africa.

Civic society in Zimbabwe commemorated Africa Day with a call against oppression and violence; and encouragement to fellow Zimbabweans to defend their vote by participating in the June 27 presidential run-off.

It's a strange and terrible time in South Africa. The xenophobic attacks, which started in Gauteng province (Johannesburg, Pretoria and surrounds), have now spread across the country. It's horrific. Tens of thousands of people forced to flee their homes -- again. Several killed, many injured.

Civil Society calls on government to meet international HIV/AIDS obligations regarding sexual & reproductive health

Environmentalists in Tanzania have criticised the recent decision by a number of East African governments to endorse the use of DDT in the fight against Malaria.

I have just finished reading The Uncertainty of Hope, by Valerie Tagwira. It is a novel set in the Harare area of Mbare, during the time of Operation Murambatsvina. The novel reminded me why fiction is so important. It's important for lots of reasons, but one of them is that it teaches us, by helping us imagine -- other people, other lives, other circumstances.

Whether we talk about homophobia or xenophobia, we need to acknowledge the fact that these are hate crimes and that for as long as human rights are not seen as indivisible, these violations will continue in other forms and this continent of ours that we call home will perish.

Members of the Treatment Action and Literacy Campaign (TALC) in Zambia, recently had an opportunity to share notes on advocacy and activism, with their French counterparts.

Yesterday I woke up, went outside to pick up my newspaper, and was confronted by a picture of a man burning to death, set alight by a mob who laughed as the flames engulfed him. We have been seeing images like this for days now, as South Africans in several poor residential areas, as well as the Johannesburg city centre, have been attacking foreigners.

Reading Brett's article this morning, 'Let's Do Away With Elections Altogether', made me realise that I was not the only one thinking about governance and how strange it was that I wished Jacob Zuma, a known homophobe, was already in office.

I am becoming disillusioned with democracy. Elected leaders, all around the world, seem to be getting worse and worse. In London they've just elected Boris Johnson, a bigoted buffoon, as mayor. In Italy, Silvio Berlusconi was recently re-elected as prime minister. This is a man who is notoriously corrupt, and who in his previous terms in power ran the government like his private business empire.

In the early 1980s, when I was at university in England, an official of the South African apartheid government came to speak to students of the debating society.

I was quite disturbed to read two opinion pieces in the SA Sunday papers, on Zimbabwe, where the authors were basically defending Mugabe. The thing is, these writers have some valid points to make - but they go on to draw unjustifiable conclusions.

As the schools open this week with the economic situation in Zimbabwe getting worse by the day TAPIWA ZIVIRA AND MELODY CHAITWA take a critical look into the state of the crucial education sector that has since been forgotten by the Robert Mugabe regime

It goes like this: Snuki Zikalala is known as an Mbeki man, and he was suspended by Mpofu, who perhaps used to be an Mbeki man but is now apparently in the Zuma camp. Mpofu was then suspended by the Board, which is believed to be loaded with Mbeki supporters, and the board has been censured by the Parliamentary committee, which is full of Zuma's people.It's all rather like one of the SABC's own soap operas -- but any script-writer who wrote this plot would be told to change it -- it's too far fetched to be believed.

As we speak people are being beaten using chains and burnt with plastic. War veterans shamelessly drip melting plastic on their victims. Homes are burnt down with children and women - the whole family - inside