By Black Diamonds on January 9, 2017
Education, inspiration, leadership, South Africa, Women
Arts & Culture, Book review

Zubeida Jaffer writes a beautiful account of the story of a singularly determined young girl who sets out to improve her lot in life through education. It is a story one hears a lot today but when you set it in the context of the late 1880s, you realise what a truly special woman Charlotte more…
By Black Diamonds on November 25, 2016
Elections, leadership, Voter registration, Zimbabwe
Polemic

The life of a man is three score and ten, a mere 70 years in which he can bestow a multi-generational legacy on the fortunes of a nation. If for good, man is a wonderful asset but if for bad the choice of leader is an extremely important decision to make. The mess that a more…
By Black Diamonds on March 30, 2016
citizenship, core values, leadership, renaissance, Social democrats, Zimbabwe
Polemic

“I’m a man of my times.” – Frantz Fanon Dear friends, For years I have “stressed” about our dear country and continent. We have seen the damage that our leaders have wrought on our people and nations and the sense of hopelessness that has come with that. Despite the occasional despair that ends with one more…
By Black Diamonds on January 13, 2016
leadership, Politics, Zimbabwe
Polemic
When the nationalists embarked on protests, talks, frustration, armed struggle and then finally negotiations for ceasefire across the continent, it was not driven by selfish ambition. Many of them were corrupted later by the trappings of power. This is why we look, with a certain nostalgia, at the black and white pictures of the nationalists more…
By Black Diamonds on September 9, 2015
leadership, Science, Technology, Women
Diamonds, Hidden gems

KEYNOTE ADDRESS WOMEN IN SCIENCE AWARDS (WISA) CEREMONY HILTON HOTEL, SANDTON, JOHANNESBURG 13 AUGUST 2015 DR MAUREEN TONG The Programme Director, Ms Leanne Manas, The Honourable First Lady Madame Bongi Ngema-Zuma, The Minister of Science and Technology, the Honourable Mrs Naledi Pandor, Other Ministers and Deputy Ministers present, The Director-General of the Department of more…
By Black Diamonds on May 11, 2015
Eleamor Roosevelt, Elle Luna, leadership, MDC, Politics, Zanu PF, Zimbabwe
Inspiration

Eleanor Roosevelt was quite a person. She was the longest serving First Lady of the United States of America. In contrast to most other presidential spouses, she was active in politics both during her husband’s four terms in office and way after he had died. For instance, she was the first Chair Person of the more…
By Black Diamonds on May 6, 2015
leadership, leadership models, Servant Leadership
Lifestyle

By Obert Mandimutsira In 1970, Robert K. Greenleaf published an Essay entitled The Servant as Leader. In that seminal piece, he wrote: “The servant leader is servant first…It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different more…
By Black Diamonds on October 1, 2014
leadership, Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe action
Polemic

Daniel Goleman of Emotional Intelligence fame has one of the better definitions of leadership “not coercion but the art of persuading people to work towards a common goal.” This is something that Morgan Tsvangirai has woefully failed at. The fact that the MDC has split more times than a ballet dancer is ample proof of more…