Mail & Guardian
Mail & Guardian
Paddy Harper

Creator

Paddy Harper

Storyteller.

Wardship: ANC Gauteng chair Panyaza Lesufi (above) and KwaZulu-Natal ANC leaders are to get nannies. Photo: Luba Lesolle/Getty Images
ANC

Gauteng, KZN ANC leaders prepare for life under (political) adult supervision

Instead of focusing on trying not to lose the local government elections next year, the comrades are already eyeing who takes control of the party in 2027

  • Paddy Harper
4 min read
President Cyril Ramaphosa
ANC

Newly signed Expropriation Bill heading for court, cabinet clearing house

The EFF and MK party both believe the new law falls short of giving real muscle to land reform programmes

  • Paddy Harper
5 min read
Members of the ANC give testimony in Cape Town about human rights abuses committed during apartheid. (File photograph by Gallo Images/ Oryx Media Archive).
CYRIL RAMAPHOSA

Families of apartheid victims demand inquiry into suppression of TRC cases

The relatives want to know if the failure to prosecute was orchestrated to protect past and present political elites

  • Paddy Harper
14 min read
Forner ITB chairperson Jerome Ngwenya. Photo: Supplied
AIN PRIVATE CAPITAL

Ingonyama Trust Board opens criminal case against Jerome Ngwenya for theft

The ITB has also launched civil action to recover R30 million in funds allegedly stolen by the former chairperson and two others

  • Paddy Harper
7 min read
The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party has asked the electoral court to hear oral evidence in its application to have the results of last year’s national and provincial elections set aside. (Darren Stewart/Gallo Images)
AFRICAN TRANSFORMATION MOVEMENT

MK party wants to lead oral argument in its challenge to 29 May election result

Jacob Zuma’s party says oral evidence will assist the court in understanding its ‘technical’ argument

  • Paddy Harper
2 min read
Bulk-buying: Herman Mashaba’s signing of Forum 4 Service Delivery may bring him wins in 2026’s local government elections. Photo: X
ABANTU BATHO CONGRESS

The political transfer window is open, and Mashaba goes the full Motsepe

ActionSA has signed up the Forum 4 Service Delivery, the ANC considers wooing Mbuyiseni Ndlozi and the MK party is fishing for the Abantu Batho Congress

  • Paddy Harper
4 min read
The ANC will have to manage the fallout from last month’s decision by the South African Communist Party to contest next year’s elections alone, and its relations with its other alliance partners, labour federation Cosatu and the South African National Civic Organisation. (File photo)
ANC

ANC faces a tough 2025 as it tries to clean house ahead of local elections

It will also try to ease dealings with its partners in the government of national unity (GNU), in particular the DA, ahead of local government election campaigning

  • Paddy Harper
8 min read
Political mafias and ‘business’ became common, for example municipal contracts between former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede and the Delangokubona Business Forum. Photo: File
ASSET FORFEITURE UNIT

Attempt to ‘sabotage’ Zandile Gumede corruption case, says state witness

The forensic auditor has told parliament there is a conspiracy to ensure he does not testify in court

  • Paddy Harper
7 min read
The monarch suspended members of the board and its executives over the December holiday period and appointed a legal firm to take over its running. (Rajesh Jantilal/Getty)
ALBERT MNCWANGO

Parliament wants to meet Zulu king over Ingonyama Trust Board crisis

MPs want the monarch to ‘hold back’ in attempts to suspend board members and its executives

  • Paddy Harper
5 min read
Zuma’s desire to remain an ANC member can’t be going down all that well in the MK party, especially in the Kingdom, its stronghold and the source of its national political presence. (Photo by Per-Anders Pettersson/Getty Images)
ACE MAGASHULE

Fish swim, birds fly, Zuma litigates

Is Zuma trying to rain on Cyril’s January 8 parade, or is uBaba feeling politically homesick?

  • Paddy Harper
4 min read
MK party president, Jacob Zuma. (Busi Lethole)
29 MAY ELECTIONS

One year on, parallel leadership, financial battles threaten Zuma’s MK party in KwaZulu-Natal

Provincial convener Willies Mchunu says the party needs to start building its structures from scratch

  • Paddy Harper
11 min read
Leader of the Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) party and former South African president Jacob Zuma waves to supporters during the party’s first anniversary celebrations at the Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban on December 15, 2024. (Photo by RAJESH JANTILAL / AFP)
ANC

Zuma tells ANC to reverse his expulsion and reinstate him immediately — or else

The former president’s lawyers say Tony Yengeni is being “persecuted” for representing Zuma at his disciplinary hearing

  • Paddy Harper
4 min read
King Misuzulu KaZwelithini. (Photo by Gallo) Images/Darren Stewart)
IFP

ITB leaders back at work despite ‘suspension’ by Zulu king

The monarch’s lawyer tried to stop board executives from entering the Ingonyama Trust Board premises but failed

  • Paddy Harper
7 min read
Tony Yengeni.
ANC 113TH ANNIVERSARY

Fikile Mbalula cracks down on ANC ill-discipline with charges against Yengeni and Bapela

The ANC secretary general described Tony Yengeni as a ‘political Casanova’ and ‘very ill-disciplined’

  • Paddy Harper
3 min read
Messiah: Jacob Zuma wants all the black parties to vote for him, instead of themselves. Photo: Per-Anders Pettersson/Getty Images
ANC

Merry coalition Christmas, and a happy GNU year

Jacob Zuma is vibing Black Jesus as the year comes to a close

  • Paddy Harper
4 min read