Jacques
Quacks like Patrick Holdford find receptive audiences in South Africa
Patrick Holford is one of the many nutritionists, doctors or specialists of one form or another who make a living by selling false or misleading promises. Sometimes, they even endorse harmful remedies, or harmful avoidance of effective remedies, as is the case with Holford’s association with HIV denialism (and Scientology). Why does a national chain [...]
Moralistic outrage chills free speech
The Kuli Roberts column, Bitch’s Brew, has been cancelled by Avusa and the Sunday World newspaper following the publication of a “racist” column which expressed various stereotypes related to a subsection of South Africans sometimes described as ‘coloureds’. But as offensive as the column might have been to some, is there ever a good reason [...]
The war on woo
Why do newspapers continue to publish astrological readings, and why are we not more concerned by the fact that so many people find it plausible that holograms can aid your balance?
Consumers in South Africa to stage homeopathic ‘overdose’
Consumer rights activists in South Africa have today announced their intention to take a mass homeopathic ‘overdose’ next month, as part of a major global protest against the alternative remedies.
Leo Igwe arrested (again)
Despite the stated commitment of Awka Ibom State Governor Goodswill Akpabio to rooting out the exploitation of children for the Pentecostal witch industry, people like Leo – who are allies in that cause – are frequently arrested and subjected to other rights violations.
ASASA complaint in respect of PowerBalanceSA
The text of the FSI complaint regarding misleading advertising on the part of PowerBalance, as submitted to the Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa in January 2011.
Homeopathic ‘Overdosers’ Announce Global Challenge
The 10:23 Campaign in 2010 saw 400 skeptics in the United Kingdom publicly protest the use of homeopathic remedies by taking mass “overdoses” of the pills. In 2011, the campaign will be expanding internationally.
SA women more likely to be raped than to learn how to read?
The One in Nine Campaign is “an unapologetically feminist collective of organisations and individuals” whose website perpetuates an analytical and statistical lie regarding rape in South Africa.
A response to Mngxitama
Gareth Cliff is perhaps smug, and he might even be a racist. But no evidence that I am aware of shows this to be the case. By contrast, we do now have clear evidence of the racist views held by Andile Mngxitama.
South African Charter of Religious Rights and Freedoms
The South African Charter of Religious Rights and Freedoms should be of concern to all who are committed to South Africa’s Constitutional values, particularly those endorsing and defending freedom of speech.
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