More of the Same...? or the Beginning of the End?
By Daniel Silke
It all just sounds so familiar. The refrain of yet another Zimbabwean election looms amidst pessimistic predictions about a poll that hardly seems likely to be free and fair. Yet, the elections will go ahead and the entire world will be watching. However, it will not just be the result that will be analyzed, but Africa's and more specifically, South Africa's response to the final outcome.


As Zimbabweans go to the polls, few expect the outcome of the election to show anything other than another resounding Mugabe victory. Such are the levels of intimidation and media bias within the country that it is indeed difficult for any opposition party to campaign freely.
IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN...
By Selwyn Gerber
Tax time is when it all comes together as you open the files, unpack the shoeboxes, locate those old bank statements and credit card details - and meet with your tax preparer. It's also a good time to begin early tax planning for 2005. With that in mind here are 10 useful tax planning tips. ASK A LAWYER: Backlog Reduction at the DOL - an attempt to speed up the Labor Certification process for Green Card Applicants
By Mitch Berenson
The Department of Labor (DOL) has finally begun implementation of a plan to reduce and or eliminate the national backlog of approximately 300k pending labor certification applications. YESTERDAY- SA's FIRST OSCAR NOMINATION
By Charlene Avis
South Africa's movie industry recently enjoyed its first ever Academy Award nomination in the Best Foreign Language Film category, resulting in Red Carpet treatment for the movie Yesterday. JULUKA shared the excitement at a "pre-Oscar party", held in Beverly Hills recently.


Ironically, Yesterday was made on a shoestring budget and does not include highspeed drama, action or highflying "skiet, skop en donder". WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Colin Fluxman
By Drienie Hattingh
ANCHOR MAN, FAMILY MAN, ENTERTAINER and he loves classical music too...


"Keep em peeled!" Says the man with the velvet voice as yet another Police File chapter comes to an end. Then Colin Fluxman runs from behind the television cameras, and down the stairs of the SABC Broadcasting building, in Johannesburg, South Africa... FAMILY CORNER:
FAMILY CROSSWORD COMPETION - submit your entries to The Editor. The first correct entry drawn will win a 3 month membership to Kudu Club, courtesy of KuduClub.com
Jeremy Taylor of "Ag Pleez Deddy" fame in the USA for the first time
By Richard Ball
Anyone familiar with South African popular culture knows the song "Ag Pleez Deddy". In the UK enough people know the song "Jobsworth" and that the term, which defines an indifferent worker, has been accepted into the Oxford English Dictionary. What these songs share is their astonishingly inventive creator, Jeremy Taylor. He recently visited USA... Hot Happenings: Were you There?

• CALIFORNIA, Los Angeles - Wanna play Netball in the USA?
  By Charlene Avis
• Ladysmith Black Mambazo performs Live at UCLA
  By Bruce MacKenzie
• Strike a Woman, Strike a Rock/Wathint' Abafazi Wathint' Imbokodo
  By Charlene Avis
• OREGON, Portland - SA Business Club launches in Portland
  By David and Stacy Weidkamp
• NEW YORK, New York - SA Jabulani Musical Cast Entertains Arch. Tutu
  By Rudi Mbele

CULTURE SHOCK: Driving myself around the bend
By Bruce MacKenzie
I was subjecting myself to my usual Tuesday night T.V. brainwashing session last week, when a single scene dragged me home instantly: a man stepped out from a New York building to the edge of the curb, crisp and clean in his best attire for the night's fun. He lifted his right arm, index finger raised, and let out the magical cry: "TAXI!" How familiar I thought, and yet, somehow foreign. As I saw him I was home in an instant. I saw the cluster of people on the side of the road as I puttered into town in Dad's bakkie (my fine Japanese chariot was a vintage 1985 Isuzu), laden with errands to run for the farm.
Proudly South African:
By Paul Shippey
Dr Andre Nel - SouthAfrican Immunology and Allergy Expert.
In America, Dr Andre Nel is best known as a leading physician-scientist in the fields of immunology and allergies. In het hulle mos nou die oorsaak South Africa he is perhaps better and oxtail stew complimented known for marrying Margaret Gardiner, South Africa's first and only Miss Universe.


Mark Henegan, restauranteur and owner of I-Shebeen Restaurant.
If while in New York, you suddenly crave the taste of pap and wors or a slice of melktert, you may want to pay the I-Shebeen restaurant a visit. Owned by the jovial Mark Henegan, who hails from Durban, I-Shebeen has become something of a land-mark restaurant in the Brooklyn area. Finance
By Colin Donian
A budget for all. On February 24, Trevor Manuel, Minister of Finance, presented the 2005/2006 National Budget. And what a budget it is! The expenditure budget of R370 billion contained something for just about everyone. Travel:
SA Tourism Wins Platinum at the HSMAI Awards in NYC.


SA Tourism Announces Key Appointments for USA.
Claude Pretorius & Dr.Felicia Mabuza-Suttle Sports:
Deur Blou Willem
Suid-Afrika is bekend vir sy Groot Vyf maar op sportgebied kan ons met reg trots voel op ons Groot Vier. Ek praat van die makro s p o r t b y e e n k o m s t e , d i e Comrades, Duzi, Midmar en die Argus. En onthou, jy's nie rкrig in tel as jy nie kan sк jy het aan een of almal deel - geneem nie.

And more...

• Letter From the Editor
• Mail bag - "Know where you come from for a bird's spirit is in its nest" - HIV+ and alive in America.
• Health - Africa's Little Miracle
• Calender - Details of National South African Events
• Freedom Day - Message from our Ambassador
• Queen for a Day - Mother's day recipes
• Did you know?
• Brief Vannie Hys Af - Deur Blou Willem