Mail & Guardian - Africa's Best Read

State rejects pyramid-schemer’s plea: ‘I stole the money, and plead guilty’

The state has rejected fraudster Roderick Cole-Edwards’ guilty plea for R11.6-million pyramid-scheme theft

khaya koko

Hot topic: Is crypto’s climate cost higher than its value?

The plight of the ‘missing middle’ is no joke, Nzimande

More ethnically diverse bone marrow donors needed to save lives

Q&A Sessions: Marcia Mayaba —Driven to open doors for women

Marcia Mayaba has been in the motor industry for 24 years, donning hats that include receptionist, driver, fuel attendant, dealer principal and now chief...

Politics

ANC’s rotten apples on the chopping block

Now that the NEC has finalised its step-aside guidelines for those facing corruption charges, a swathe of officials will struggle to cling to their positions

Why handwriting is still important in the age of tech

Africa

Debt crisis may be good for Africa

Africa

Analysts expecting another attack ‘in the next few months’ in northern Mozambique

Friday

Somi’s Holy Room breaks the sounds of silence

#coronavirus in sa latest

Visit our coronavirus hub for the latest updates

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Three signs that now is a good time to invest in yourself and your career

Thought leader

Data science needs input from women

Diversity in terms of race, class, gender, sexuality and ability is critical to the field’s advancement.

paballo chauke

Khaya Sithole: The real weapons of mass destruction

khaya sithole

The sports world is failing to protect the human rights of women athletes

nokukhanya farise & tanveer jeewa

Telemedicine is a quick cure for Africa’s healthcare ailments

fejiro chinye nwoko & naomi momodu

Special: Executive Education

In association with:

Want to thrive post-pandemic? Then invest in your people

Working with the pandemic involves upskilling staff, encouraging new ways of thinking and equipping people with the tools that will keep them and their companies agile, engaged and adapting

How executive education can change your life

Your salary and your confidence in your work will increase

Covid-19 is changing business courses for the better

‘The true meaning of business isn’t profit; it’s about creating prosperity by unlocking value’

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Africa

Frelimo gambled everything on gas – and lost

Mozambique’s ruling party thought gas would secure a wealthy future, but that dream faded and finally was shattered by attacks that sent energy giant Total packing

Foregone conclusions: Why bother with elections in countries like Uganda and Tanzania?

Even when only one result is possible, elections can tell us a lot about what’s really going on

Getting the story in Somalia can be a deadly affair for journalists

Abdallae Ahmed Mumin recalls being shot at and threatened in the line of duty. He escaped with his life, but not all his peers were so lucky.

Business

New cyber scam targets property sales

Suspects appear in court on charges of fraud and forgery to intercept payments for title deed transfers and associated legal fees

Why motorists are paying more for petrol

Steep fuel price hikes are the result of higher levies, which came into effect this week, as well as a turbulent international oil market

Why the cash of the future will be digital and decentralised

Technology used in cryptocurrency will overhaul the banking sector and cater for the unbanked

Politics

Ramaphosa instructs dissolved Free State PEC to compromise

President Ramaphosa has instructed the former Free State PEC to back off from appealing the court judgement dissolving it and instead form a compromise leadership.

Sisulu and Dlodlo punted to be on their way out

Because President Cyril Ramaphosa won the step-aside order in the ANC’s national executive committee, a cabinet reshuffle looms, with Sisulu and Dlodlo’s names on comrades’ lips

Cape Town mayoral candidate is a two-horse race, say party leaders

The DA’s factional battles will take centre stage when the party selects a new mayoral candidate for the city of Cape Town

Environment

SA will miss UN’s clean water targets

Mismanagement, pollution and a water deficit exacerbated by climate change are to blame

Powerships ‘a climate threat’

Calling all creatives: Biodiversity needs a global advertising campaign

Are our initiation rituals getting too hot to handle?

M&G Live

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A practical perspective on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)

Unpacking the 2021 SoNA

Arts & Culture

Bubblegum icon Condry Ziqubu returns

Several of the South African music industry veteran’s classic tracks have been re-issued by Afrosynth Records

lindiwe mngxitama

Pass Over: Waiting for nothing less than a shift

The Portfolio: Breeze Yoko

Don’t Miss: Our selection of events and shows to indulge in over the Easter break

Education

Five KZN campuses closed after prospective students ‘invade’

The Durban University of Technology (DUT) on Wednesday closed its five KwaZulu-Natal campuses until further notice after scores of prospective students descended on its...

New VC at WSU aims to restore tarnished jewel

Professor Rushiella Songca has ambitious plans to improve the performance of the institution

Debt drives students to despair

Thousands of students, who owe billions of rands in outstanding fees to universities, can’t get their qualification certificates and so can’t get jobs

Sport

Bavuma’s burden and the dearth of Black batsmen

Temba Bavuma’s uncle, who watched the Proteas captain develop into the successful cricketer that he is, explains what makes him a good leader and what is going wrong in nurturing Black talent

Chris Morris, morality and the missing CSA millions

The overlooked allrounder fetched almost R33 million in India while CSA and domestic cricket struggle financially. And players could feel the pinch even more with proposed changes to the game

Brad Binder sets sights on top five in MotoGP

The KTM rider wants to be among the top riders in the world in 2021

World

Killing in the name of blasphemy

Pakistan’s harsh laws against religious profanity are being abused to settle personal and political scores, leading to an alarming rise in convictions and even murder

Trump rages at Covid experts who criticised him

The bitter outburst came after Fauci told CNN how shocked he had been when Trump last April called for states to "liberate" themselves as experts pleaded with Americans to obey shutdown orders