Protestors storm parliament, and serial-offender Luis Suárez bites again, some of the historical moments on this day
1876 Battle of the Little Bighorn: General George Custer and the US Seventh Cavalry are wiped out by Sioux and Cheyenne warriors.
1904 Cape Town is flooded again within the space of a few days as streets turn into raging torrents. A considerable amount of damage is recorded, but there are no records of fatalities.
1940 A conference of editors in Pretoria agrees to voluntary censorship on military matters and keep the public in the dark about World War II as much as possible.
1947 The Diary of a Young Girl (aka The Diary of Anne Frank) is published. The book is significant in that it speaks for the voiceless (especially children, whose stories have never been told), is a witness to atrocity, and a powerful reminder of the resilience of the human spirit. Anne's words – such as 'In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart' – are a powerful testament to the enduring human spirit and a plea for tolerance, compassion, and peace.
1948 The Berlin Airlift begins, ferrying humanitarian supplies into the city. The South African Air Force is strongly involved.
1950 The Korean War begins. SA, as a founding member of the UN, sends an air force squadron. 33 South African pilots are killed.
1999 In his first State-Of-the-Nation-Address, President Thabo Mbeki promises to tackle crime; SA's murder rate is third highest in the world. This year (2025), it is slightly improved at 10th-highest. Lesotho is the fourth-worst.
2006 In Jeppestown, Joburg, four cops are ambushed and shot dead by a 23-strong gang of robbers. The Task Force goes in and kill eight of the gang. The rest surrender.
2014 Liverpool and Uruguay striker Luis Suárez is charged with biting at the Fifa World Cup. The serial-offender apologises and reforms.
2020 Liverpool clinches first EPL soccer title in 30 years with 7 games to spare.
2022 The 30 000-year-old intact remains of a baby woolly mammoth is found frozen in permafrost in gold-fields of Yukon, Canada.
2024 China's Chang'e 6 mission is the first to return samples from the far side of the moon.
2024 Protesters storm parliament in Nairobi, Kenya, and set it alight. Police open fire on them, killing five and wounding 31.
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The South African
11 hours ago
- The South African
Australia cancels Ye's visa over controversial song
Ye, formerly known as Kanye West. Image: Instagram via @yesblackballsy Australia has revoked the visa of American rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, following the release of his controversial song Heil Hitler, which promotes Nazism. ADVERTISEMENT The decision was announced by Australia's Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke on Wednesday. YE'S CONTROVERSIAL SONG Ye released the song in May, coinciding with the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany's defeat in World War II. The track glorifies Adolf Hitler and has been widely condemned for its antisemitic content. Burke explained that although Ye had made offensive comments previously, it was the release of the Heil Hitler song that prompted officials to reassess his visa status. The rapper held a lower-level visa, but officials concluded that allowing someone promoting such ideology was unacceptable. ADVERTISEMENT 'We have enough problems in this country already without deliberately importing bigotry,' Burke told Australia's ABC broadcaster. AUSTRALIA AGAINST HATE SPEECH He emphasised that Australia does not need to import hatred, even from popular figures, according to Reuters. Ye has family ties in Australia through his wife, Bianca Censori, an Australian architect, and has been a frequent visitor to the country. Despite this, the government decided to cancel his visa to uphold national values and security. Burke noted that Australian citizens enjoy freedom of speech, but the government must carefully assess visa applications to prevent the importation of extremist views. BANNING CONTROVERSIAL FIGURES The cancellation aligns with Australia's recent stance on barring entry to other controversial figures. This includes US conservative pundit Candace Owens and Israeli-American influencer Hillel Fuld. This move reflects the country's firm approach to protecting its social fabric from divisive rhetoric. This move highlights the global responsibility of nations to reject hate speech and extremist propaganda. It serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance against the spread of bigotry, especially in multicultural societies like South Africa. The country also grapples with issues of racial and religious tolerance. YE AND NAZISM Tony Burke said, 'You're going to have a song and promote that sort of Nazism, we don't need that in Australia.' He added, 'Importing bigotry is not sustainable for any country.' This firm stance underscores the principle that popularity does not exempt individuals from accountability when their actions threaten social harmony. THE SONG The song Heil Hitler has been banned on several platforms and in countries like Germany. It features a disturbing tribute to Hitler, including samples of his speeches. It has sparked protests and petitions against Ye's performances internationally. This visa cancellation sends a clear message that nations must act decisively against hate speech, irrespective of the individual's fame or influence. It also reflects the broader challenges democracies face in balancing freedom of expression with protection against hate and extremism. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON AUSTRALIA'S DECISION TO CANCEL YE'S VISA? Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
eNCA
13 hours ago
- eNCA
Australia cancels Kanye West visa over 'Heil Hitler' song
CANBERRA - Australia has cancelled US rapper Kanye West's visa over his song glorifying Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, the government said Wednesday. The 48-year-old musician, who has legally changed his name to Ye, released "Heil Hitler" on May 8, the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. West whose wife Bianca Censori is Australian has been coming to Australia for some time because he has family in the country, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said. "He's made a lot of offensive comments. But my officials looked at it again once he released the 'Heil Hitler' song and he no longer has a valid visa in Australia." Burke said the rapper's cancelled visa was not intended for holding concerts. "It was a lower level, and the officials still looked at the law and said: You're going to have a song and promote that sort of Nazism we don't need that in Australia," he told public broadcaster ABC. Asked if it was sustainable to bar such a popular figure, the minister said: "I think what's not sustainable is to import hatred." But he said immigration officials reassess each visa application. - 'Importing bigotry' - Australian citizens have freedom of speech, Burke added. "But we have enough problems in this country already without deliberately importing bigotry." Kanye West's "Heil Hitler" song stirred public opposition last week in Slovakia when it was announced he would be playing a concert there in July. More than 3,000 people signed a petition against West's performance in the Slovak capital. The rapper -- a vocal supporter of US President Donald Trump -- is "repeatedly and openly adhering to symbols and ideology connected with the darkest period of modern global history", two groups behind the petition said. "Kanye West's concert in our city and our country is an insult to historic memory, a glorification of wartime violence and debasement of all victims of the Nazi regime," the petition read. In the "Heil Hitler" clip, dozens of Black men wearing animal pelts and masks, and standing in a block formation chant the title of the song, as West raps about being misunderstood and about his custody battle with ex-wife Kim Kardashian. The song ends with an extract of a speech by the Nazi dictator. West has also publicly endorsed fellow rapper and music mogul Sean Combs, who has been tried in New York for alleged sex trafficking and racketeering. The jury in that case is considering its verdict.
IOL News
18 hours ago
- IOL News
Reclaiming the United Nations from Western Decline
In the lead-up to the United Nations' 80th anniversary, voices from the West declare the organisation obsolete, but this critique masks deeper anxieties about shifting global power dynamics, writes Gillian Schutte. Image: IOL In 2025, on the eve of the United Nations' 80th anniversary, a growing chorus of Western voices is declaring the organisation obsolete. The critique, echoed uncritically in South African liberal media, laments the 'ineffectiveness' and 'paralysis' of the UN, suggesting that its time has passed in a rapidly shifting world order. What is striking, however, is that this apparent concern for global governance is being deployed at the moment when the West is losing its grip on that governance. The narrative, rather than being rooted in a desire for democratisation, is shaped by anxiety over the collapse of Western exceptionalism. The Russian Federation has responded by reaffirming its support for the UN, but with a clear call for reform. This reform is not cosmetic. It involves expanding the power of the Global Majority while resisting the return to a world dictated by NATO coalitions and closed-door Western interests. This position, presented in the liberal press as opportunistic, is in fact grounded in both history and realpolitik. It recognises the UN's contradictory nature. It was born from anti-fascist resistance and post-war consensus, but later hijacked by unipolar ambitions during the Cold War and the consolidation of neoliberalism. The UN then presents a dual legacy - both emancipatory and compromised. The United Nations was founded as a post-war mechanism to prevent another global catastrophe. It embodied the hope for international law, collective responsibility, and the protection of sovereignty. The "decolonisation" of Africa and Asia in the mid-20th century was legitimised in part by the UN Charter. It offered, however imperfectly, a platform for the dispossessed to speak. Yet from its inception, the UN was structurally skewed. The Security Council's composition, with five permanent members holding veto power, enshrined the hierarchy of "victors" from World War II - an imbalance that meant that while former colonies could speak in the General Assembly, they could never dictate terms in the Security Council. This imperial architecture was later exploited during the Cold War, most aggressively by the United States in the post-Soviet era. What the Russian critique acknowledges, and what many African analysts echo, is that the UN became a tool of unipolar domination in the 1990s and early 2000s. Humanitarian interventions became a euphemism for regime change. UN bodies were captured to serve neoliberal agendas. Development was reduced to IMF diktats, and peacekeeping mandates protected Western economic interests over local sovereignty. Video Player is loading. 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Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Western Hypocrisy: From Champion to Saboteur The West's current disillusionment with the UN stems from the erosion of its ability to control the narrative. When the UN fails to rubber-stamp NATO interventions or US foreign policy, it is deemed ineffective. When Russia or China exercise their veto rights, it is labelled as paralysis. Yet the same veto was tolerated, even ignored, when it was used by the United States to shield Israel from accountability or to justify illegal wars. This hypocrisy has reached fever pitch in the context of Ukraine and Gaza. The UN's attempts at consensus have been sabotaged by US-led bloc politics. When the General Assembly condemns Israeli aggression, the US invokes its veto. When Russia challenges NATO expansion, it is accused of imperialism. This takes place while NATO continues its own undeclared wars through economic sanctions, proxy forces, and disinformation. In this climate, the Western call for reform rings false. While pretending to seek democratisation, it seeks the removal of obstacles to Western domination instead. The push to abolish or dilute the veto is less about accountability and more about ensuring that no counter-hegemonic bloc can halt the Western agenda. Russian Advocacy: Reform from Below The Russian position does not reject reform. On the contrary, it calls for a more representative UN. This includes reforming the Security Council to reflect the multipolar realities of the 21st century. Russia has consistently backed the inclusion of African, Asian, and Latin American nations as permanent members of the Security Council. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has emphasised that African nations must not only have a seat at the table. They must also have permanent status that reflects their role in global politics and history. Unlike the Western reformers, Russia does not call for the dismantling of the veto. It calls for its preservation as a stabilising mechanism. This is not regressive. It is a brake on militarism and economic coercion. Without the veto, the world would already have seen direct NATO engagement in Syria, Iran, Venezuela, and beyond. Additionally, Russia's call to reform the UN is consistent with its broader doctrine of multipolarity. It rejects the notion of a single rules-based order imposed from Washington or Brussels. It champions a world of sovereign civilisations with diverse pathways to development, governance, and culture. This resonates with the Global South, which has suffered under the homogenising violence of liberalism presented as democracy. South African Liberal Media and the Betrayal of Sovereignty In this context, the repetition of Western anti-UN narratives in South African media is not only disappointing. It is dangerous. To declare the UN obsolete without interrogating whose interests that serves is to function as a mouthpiece for empire. It is to forget the role the UN played in challenging apartheid, in opposing colonialism, and in advocating for non-aligned voices. South African liberal media, shaped by donor money and Western ideological assumptions, has long been complicit in constructing narratives that align with global capital and undermine African agency. Its attack on the UN is another example of its alignment with elite global interests masquerading as progressive critique. It ignores the broader movement in the Global South for a reformed but preserved multilateral order. It ignores the desire for sovereignty to be restored without returning to the logic of Western-led governance. The Real Battle: Collapse or Coexistence The question is not whether the UN is flawed. It is flawed. The question is whether we abandon multilateralism and return to a world of unilateral coercion. That world is shaped by coalitions of the willing, where bombing precedes dialogue and sanctions replace diplomacy. Russia's position, whether one agrees with its geopolitical strategy or not, represents a clear alternative. It calls for the preservation of multilateralism, the reform of international structures, and the restoration of a world order grounded in sovereignty and pluralism. The Global South, and Africa in particular, must not be tricked into dismantling the very platform that once helped to free it. The call to render the UN irrelevant is not liberation. It is surrender. Let us not be fooled into thinking that Western editorial fatigue is a sign of moral clarity. It is the sound of hegemony cracking. The response must not be to join the wrecking crew. The response must be to rebuild the UN into an institution that speaks for the Global Majority. That is the only reform worth fighting for. * Gillian Schutte is a writer, filmmaker and social critic. She challenges liberal orthodoxy, donor-driven journalism, and Western hypocrisy through a lens rooted in African sovereignty and counter-hegemonic critique. ** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.
