Mail & Guardian
Mail & Guardian
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS
Bakerton Community Hall voting station
ELECTIONS

Shorter queues, high satisfaction — but voter trust in IEC slips

An HSRC survey reveals South African voters experienced shorter queues and were satisfied with the 2026 municipal…

  • Sheree Bega
5 min read
In suspense: ANC deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane at the party booth at the IEC results centre. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy
ELECTIONS

ANC may need a blue lifeline in Joburg

As election results point to a tight race in Johannesburg, the ANC may be pushed toward an uneasy coalition with the…

  • Lunga Mzangwe
7 min read
Elections: More than three decades into democracy, many voters approached polling stations with a simple question: who can fix the potholes, keep the taps running and keep the lights on. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy
ELECTIONS

A historic election for South Africa

Fed up with widespread service delivery failures and unstable municipal coalitions, millions of South Africans took…

  • Marlan Padayachee
6 min read
Voter turnout: The 2026 local government elections marked a recovery in voter turnout after the record low of 2021. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy
ELECTIONS

15.9 million voters reshape local politics as coalitions loom

Voter turnout rebounded to 15.9 million in the 2026 local government elections, driven by middle-class frustration…

  • Nkateko Joseph Mabasa
7 min read
ELECTIONS

The mystery EFF voter in Orania strikes again

The Economic Freedom Fighters have once again secured a single vote in the conservative Afrikaner town of Orania…

  • Amahle Banda
2 min read
Frustration: There’s a growing disillusionment among young people who have become increasingly sceptical of the political promises made to them.
ELECTIONS

‘They have forgotten us’

In Tembisa, community members grapple with voter fatigue, persistent service delivery failures, and shifting…

  • Lesego Chepape
6 min read
Turnaround sought: An elderly Sophiatown resident says only “Gogo”, referring to DA leader Helen Zille, could return the crime-and-grimeridden neighbourhood to its former glory. Photo: DA
ELECTIONS

Sophiatown’s patience is wearing thin

Frustrated by mounting crime, dry taps, and uncollected rubbish, Sophiatown residents headed to the polls demanding…

  • Sheree Bega
3 min read
ELECTIONS

Editorial: Why you needed to vote

As power and water outages struck Gauteng on election day, widespread voter apathy served only to protect the…

  • M&G Media
2 min read
Transfer of power: Every ballot cast at local government level is a renewal of the compact set out in the Preamble to our Constitution. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy
ELECTIONS

Beyond the X lies a constitutional promise

Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka examines the constitutional mandate of local government, calling on coalition…

  • Kholeka Gcaleka
7 min read
In the Northern Cape, for the DA to bring the ANC below the 50% mark the governing party would need to lose more than 14% at the polls. (Skyler Reid/M&G)
ELECTIONS

DA wins back uMngeni by an increased majority, makes inroads in key KZN municipalities

The Democratic Alliance has secured a decisive victory in KwaZulu-Natal's uMngeni local municipality, retaining…

  • Sandile Motha
2 min read
Voting: Democracy requires citizens to remain engaged between elections. Residents can attend ward meetings and public consultations, scrutinise integrated development plans and budgets, use complaint mechanisms, question councillors and participate in local initiatives. Photo: City of Johannesburg
ELECTIONS

The vote was never the whole of freedom

Following local government elections, South Africa faces the critical task of translating the vote into municipal…

  • Hilton Fisher
7 min read
Hoping for change: First-time voter Timarie Grobler and her mother, Annemarie, after casting her vote in Kempton Park. Photo: Brian Sokutu
ELECTIONS

My first vote, my future

First-time voter Timarie Grobler cast her ballot in Kempton Park hoping for jobs, unity, and better infrastructure,…

  • Brian Sokutu
4 min read
Duty to voters: Geordin Hill-Lewis has defended his proposed changes to the party’s Government of National Unity deployment list. Photo: Supplied
ELECTIONS

DA keeps mayoral options open as coalition talks loom

The Democratic Alliance is keeping its options open regarding mayoral chains in key metros like Johannesburg and…

  • Lunga Mzangwe
3 min read
MUST READRecommended by us at the M&G
Questionable conduct: EFF leader Julius Malema has denied that his statements unfairly maligned and undermined the credibility of the judges and the judiciary. Photo: EFF
POLITICS

Helen Suzman Foundation wants Malema out of JSC

The Helen Suzman Foundation's legal bid to remove EFF leader Julius Malema from the Judicial Service Commission is…

  • Loyiso Sidimba
6 min read
Sanction: Retired judge Mahomed Navsa has recommended that council initiate a process leading to advocate Mark Oppenheimer’s disqualification and that David Ansara be suspended for six months. Photo: UCT
HIGHER EDUCATION

UCT weighs sanctions over ‘Islamist control’ claims

The University of Cape Town is considering disciplinary action against council members Mark Oppenheimer and David…

  • Hasina Kathrada
5 min read
AGRICULTURE

Gates Foundation faces reckoning over AGRA

The UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food has backed calls by African faith leaders for the Gates Foundation to…

  • Sheree Bega
8 min read
Upcoming: On 27 November, The Brother Moves On marks 13 years since debut album, A New Myth, with a concert at Untitled Basement in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. Photos: Kagisano Seupe
MUSIC

‘There’s no such thing as apolitical music’: Siyabonga Mthembu on democracy, citizenship and Ngeke!

The Brother Moves On frontman Siyabonga Mthembu discusses why all music is political, the complexities of South…

  • Kibo Ngowi
7 min read
The signing of the peace agreements between the FARC and the Colombian government. Photo: Juantenaphoto

Nelson Mandela’s challenge to a world divided by conflict

This November marks the 10th anniversary of the 2016 Colombian Peace Agreement, which our government reached with…

  • Juan Manuel Santos
4 min read
Investment: Two developments in the North Coast show where the big money is going — Zimbali Lakes, pictured, and Sibaya Coastal City. Photo: Supplied
PROPERTY

Betting billions on KZN’s North

Once considered a quiet coastal escape, KwaZulu-Natal’s North Coast is seeing billions in property investments.…

  • Ash Müller
7 min read
Sustainably sourced wood for timber, paper and cellulose products is core to a functioning bioeconomy. (Photo: Mondi South Africa)
ENVIRONMENTAL CRIME

UN backs negotiations on global protocol to tackle environmental crime

UN member states have approved negotiations on a new global protocol under UNTOC to target organized environmental…

  • Sheree Bega
4 min read
WILDLIFE TRAFFICKING

Parrot egg smuggler ordered to pay for wildlife rescue

A Thai national caught smuggling protected parrot eggs out of South Africa has been convicted and ordered to pay…

  • Sheree Bega
1 min read
THIS WEEK'S CARTOON

BROUGHT TO YOU BY CARLOS

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Friday
H.B. Barnum was in South Africa for the first time for the Our Origin Festival, held at Kromdraai Impact Hub in Krugersdorp from 16 to 18 October.
JAZZ

‘There are no barriers in the music’: The Savoy Ellingtons and H.B. Barnum

Legendary arranger H.B. Barnum and The Savoy Ellingtons reflect on their debut South African performance at the…

  • M&G Online reporter
8 min read
Upcoming: On 27 November, The Brother Moves On marks 13 years since debut album, A New Myth, with a concert at Untitled Basement in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. Photos: Kagisano Seupe
MUSIC

‘There’s no such thing as apolitical music’: Siyabonga Mthembu on democracy, citizenship and Ngeke!

The Brother Moves On frontman Siyabonga Mthembu discusses why all music is political, the complexities of South…

  • Kibo Ngowi
7 min read
Stylish: According to Bonolo Mashilo, fashion is about more than fabric, stitching and the finished garment. Photos: Hlulani Mukhari
FASHION

B Mashilo is redefining the perfect fit

Ten years after starting in her parents' garage, designer Bonolo Mashilo of B Mashilo Designs is transforming the…

  • Lesego Chepape
7 min read
Slow-burner: Mahershala Ali’s Latif is a single father to teenage daughter Fatiha, 10-year-old Qadir and newborn Aziza.
FILM REVIEWS

Mahershala Ali wrestles with faith and violence

Mahershala Ali delivers a captivating performance in Bassam Tariq's slow-burn thriller Your Mother Your Mother Your…

  • Kibo Ngowi
5 min read
Classic: Mono T has released a remix package of the iconic track, bringing together a new generation of producers to reimagine a song that has remained an important part of South African dance music. Photos: Supplied
MUSIC

Mono T brings ‘Bashanyana’ back to the dance floor

Producer Mono T reflects on the lasting legacy of his 2010 dance anthem 'Bashanyana' with DJ Maphorisa, as he…

  • Lesego Chepape
5 min read
Immersed in culture: At the heart of Mantsoe’s dance is the Koba technique. It integrates his dance-making ethos rooted in the spiritual traditions of his ubungoma heritage and African indigenous dance with martial arts and contemporary movement. Photos: University of Johannesburg, arts and culture department
DANCE

Dreamscapes of memory and self-discovery

Acclaimed choreographer Vincent Mantsoe blends 30 years of spiritual heritage and movement in his surrealist dance…

  • Kgomotso Moncho Maripane
5 min read
Musical influence: Singer-songwriter Nhoza describes her sound as traditional fusion. Photo: Supplied
ARTS AND CULTURE

Gig Guide:Hluma Film Festival in PMB, Nhoza releases Umthandazo and NCX showcases emerging artists

Discover this week's arts and culture highlights, featuring Nhoza's new single 'Umthandazo', the Hluma Film Festival…

  • Lesego Chepape
3 min read
Reflection: The single, Ndembathe Nkosi, is a reminder of the protection Lindokuhle Mgedezi has sought through the difficult moments of his career. The album appears to be an attempt to understand those moments and the person who has emerged from them. Photo: Supplied
MUSIC

Mlindo The Vocalist finds strength in faith

Mlindo The Vocalist reflects on his career struggles, spiritual growth, and his new gospel collaboration with Duduza…

  • Lesego Chepape
6 min read
Imran Hamdulay, Tazwill Spogter, Jordan-Lee Albertyn.
FILM

Imran Hamdulay pieces together another family story

Following the acclaimed international run of 'The Heart is a Muscle', South African filmmaker Imran Hamdulay returns…

  • Riley Hlatshwayo
7 min read
Vengeance: Anaia and Racine are wrestling with questions of generational trauma and whether cycles of violence can ever be broken.
FILM REVIEWS

Why I couldn’t stop thinking about ‘Is God Is’

Aleshea Harris's adaptation of Is God Is offers an ambitious, visually striking allegory on generational trauma,…

  • Kibo Ngowi
6 min read
ZIMBABWE

The tragedies that shaped Mugabe

An excerpt from ‘Robert Mugabe: The Black Victorian’ details the painful personal tragedies that marked Robert…

  • Percy Zvomuya
8 min read
BOOKS

Liberation is not a blank cheque

A review of 'Why Liberation Movements Fail', edited by Greg Mills and Ray Hartley, exploring why Africa's celebrated…

  • Marlan Padayachee
5 min read
Scenes from 'Black Gold'. Image: Supplied/Instagram
ENTERTAINMENT

‘Black Gold’ finds a second life on Netflix

After being pulled from the air when BET Africa left DStv, hit South African drama series Black Gold has found new…

  • Staff Writer
2 min read
Design: The With offers an opportunity to build on the relationship between design, hospitality and the everyday experience of living well. Photos: Supplied
DESIGN

Weylandts’ The With brings a new bar to Cape Town’s Design Week

Interiors brand Weylandts is expanding into hospitality with The With, an experiential new bar opening on Castle…

  • Lesego Chepape
3 min read
Against the grain: Central to Marcus Solomon’s radical philosophy is the view that children are not empty slates — they are co-creators of knowledge and agents of change. Photo: Kelvin Vollenhoven
CHILDRENS RIGHTS

What if we treated children as agents of change?

A review of Marcus Solomon's history of the South African Children's Movement demonstrates why recognising children…

  • Ivor Baatjes
6 min read
Behind the beat: Mkhonzeni Professor Langa’s music drew from familiar places, relationships and experiences, often exaggerating them for effect. Photos: Supplied
MUSIC

Professor is still telling our stories

Kwaito legend Professor reflects on over a decade in the music industry, his latest single 'Iskoqokoqo', and the…

  • Lesego Chepape
7 min read
Fashion: Elie Saab brings consistency and craftsmanship into garments produced for a broader retail market. Photos: Isra Hoosen
FASHION

Elie Saab brings evening glamour to H&M

Lebanese designer Elie Saab brings his signature sculpted silhouettes and embellished eveningwear to H&M, debuting…

  • Hasina Kathrada
3 min read
Miss SA Semi-Finalists. Image: Supplied/Instagram
ENTERTAINMENT

Miss South Africa 2026 finale tickets on sale as Ndlovu Youth Choir and JAZZWRLD join line-up

Tickets are now on sale for the Miss South Africa 2026 finale at the Sandton Convention Centre, featuring live…

  • Lesego Chepape
1 min read
Kruger Shalati. Image: Supplied/Instagram
TRAVEL

Kruger Shalati: The Train on the Bridge retains two Michelin Keys, putting people at the heart of its success

Kruger Shalati: The Train on the Bridge has retained its prestigious two Michelin Keys, highlighting world-class…

  • Lesego Chepape
2 min read
Sunnier forecast: Langa Mavuso’s album Therapy was written in the wake of his partner’s death. Now, a year later, he releases Therapy: The Other Side, his progress report. Photos: Supplied
MUSIC

Langa Mavuso is on the other side of grief

Marking a decade in music, award-winning singer Langa Mavuso releases ‘Therapy: The Other Side’, shifting from…

  • Kibo Ngowi
7 min read