All articles in this week's M&G are free to read
The department says it’s not retrenching, but treasury has the money for severance packages
Businesses are hard hit by blackouts because local government owes the power utility billions of rand
The residents of Harrismith’s Intabazwe township argue about which cuts are more frequent: electricity or water.
Despite government denials, insiders say treasury made the suggestion in a Cabinet meeting
‘It was a moment when you realise you only literally have this. The next moment isn’t guaranteed. At all.’
The author was probing new leads after linking apartheid-era ministers to a paedophile ring
Some political parties “know the status quo is going to change so, if they can hold off until after the election, the better for themâ€
The election of a ‘unity’ provincial leadership … had created a level of stability that had not existed in 2016
Poor planning, increased financial losses and depleting gas feedstock cited as reasons
They have the skills to farm successfully but need financing from banks and post-settlement support from the state
Among the plans are increased funds for black farmers and agri-processing to create jobs
The public protector has clashed with the police minister over providing witnesses with protection
Two more people have been killed in a fresh wave of shootings in Durban’s Glebelands Hostel.
A report highlights inconsistencies that demand that the police should scrutinise their actions
To understand the miracle of correcting a botched circumcision, just speak to one of
the survivors
The NUM and Nehawu are leading Zingiswa Losi’s campaign to replace S’dumo Dlamini
Pandemonium reigned at the board of the Community Schemes Ombud Service. What would these officials tell the minister?
Wentworth residents have told the high court in Durban that it was the police, acting on the instruction of Engen, and not them who caused the violence during a demonstration
They promise the earth and never deliver, but sometimes the world’s leaders give us the sun, the moon and the stars
The Galaxy S9 Note has huge storage capacity, a robust battery, a versatile stylus, a hot camera and really comes into its own as a pocket PC
In the week that President Cyril Ramaphosa launched his initiative to provide schools with safe sanitation, it has emerged that the department of basic education is appealing a high court order that sets deadlines for them to fix school infrastructure, including toilets.
HEALTH:
When we got our independence, we did not ask ourselves what kind of ethics this new country needed. South Africa’s health ombud reflects on his first big case
It’s been almost three years since former Gauteng health MEC Qedani Mahlangu announced her intention to remove about 2000 psychiatric patients from state-funded private hospital care.
AFRICA:
Samir Amin was a fearless scholar whose ideas will long outlive him
SADC’s endorsement of the Zimbabwe polls is bad news for Congolese elections in December
A new podcast series is looking at the beautiful stories coming out of the continent
Disillusioned, exhausted Nigerian troops battling a surge in Boko Haram attacks have reached breaking point and hundreds of soldiers protested at an airport in Borno State.
BUSINESS:
Rand jitters questions the state’s ability to provide an economic stimulus and to continue to bail out parastatals
Shutting down mobile and internet services is also costing several African countries millions of dollars
The tactics of the Tanzanian government are still a far cry from the old-school, die-hard tactics in some other countries, where the government simply shuts down social media, or even the internet, entirely.
That’s what’s on offer but it does require that you can think out of the box and work well with others
As investors move away from risky emerging markets, the highly traded rand is caught up in the contagion
COMMENT & ANALYSIS:
Mark Minnie was 12 years old in 1972 when he was raped by 17-year-old twins, Bryce and Mickey. They lived in the same neighbourhood.
‘Although the timing of the Turkish crisis was unpredictable, the warning signs have been there for months’
‘If Mashaba was intending to out himself as a disciple of the orange bloat filling the US presidency, he did extremely well’
‘Class, in other words, is much more than just one aspect of the social complex,’ writes one of our readers
Joy! Atlético slammed Real Madrid. But then came a real orgy of violence – Marikana
‘Nazi Germany and apartheid South Africa dwell in my mind as I try to understand our histories, our now and our possible futures’
Apartheid’s ministers must account for their crimes and we also need to confront them
We have been omnivores probably since the time of Lucy, our closest ancestor
‘Product range’, as any sociologist can tell you, is the term for when a company repackages goods with new colours, logos and names
What is needed is to increase women’s economic participation and contribution to the national output
Needless confrontations are pitting young people against those who try to take education forward
Bongani Mayosi was killed because he wanted to promote an atmosphere of dialogue
FRIDAY:
The #TotalShutdown demands have deadlines. The first demand? A strong message from the president that gender violence against women is pervasive and that it cannot be tolerated.
Mme Sobukwe is remembered for her courage in the face of the brutal apartheid regime, which ruptured her family by isolating and imprisoning her husband until his death in 1978.
The Land Will Decide by Setlamorago Mashilo, The Chocolate Festival, Manyano by Mmabatho Montsho, iXesha! by Jabulani Dhlamini
Emotive performances and a willingness to share were his enduring qualities, writes Kwanele Sosibo
For too long their contribution has been ignored but the evidence of their role is there to be seen
A debut exhibition focuses on women bowed down by the weight of life but united by their faith
The artist, in her first international show, also uses the ground to map out the directions people take
Nthikeng Mohlele has recast JM Coetzee’s character to explore the changed cultural environment
The author unravels a history of Zimbabwe that’s been twisted for centuries and continues today
African women, denied access to the labour market, turned to a traditional skill to provide for their families
SPORT:
Julen Lopetegui has big boots to fill, Messi hopes big signings will pay off and Atlético snaps at top two’s heels
Michy Batshuayi, William Carvalho, Thibaut Courtois, Arturo Vidal, Malcom, Thomas Lemar.
Using video and other software to track all aspects of player performance is a global norm — and it’s time Mzansi followed suit
El-Hadary has been a permanent fixture in any success Egypt has had in almost three decades
We are ever hopeful that one of the underdogs will rise up and claim the ultimate glory
The season has kicked off well but more victories are needed to keep the momentum
