Unembargoed: February 22 to 28

Eskom: Army and police on standby

The utility fears sabotage if Nersa doesn’t grant a price hike, which may lead to retrenchments

Pollution kills as power plants fail

Despite admitting that pollutants from its plants are killing people, a cash-strapped Eskom says it cannot afford to comply with environmental laws

Slice of life: Fear not the mighty lion

And if you’re not afraid of such a dangerous predator, is there anything you should really be scared of?

Zondo commission switches to state capture at Eskom

This week marked a new chapter in the mandate of the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture, as it turned its focus to allegations of corruption relating to Eskom.

Prosecutor red-flagged Bosasa probe

Lawrence Mrwebi has distanced himself from the plot to stymie the investigation into the company

Jiba ‘felt betrayed by own institution’

Embattled deputy national director of public prosecutions Nomgcobo Jiba told the Mokgoro inquiry that she felt betrayed by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) when she was prosecuted for fraud and perjury

Private schools come to Soweto

Two independent schools in Soweto remove the need for a long commute to a high-quality education

Impimpi accusations are ‘reckless’

The Cope leader’s claim that the president informed on him during apartheid has been described as ‘politically bankrupt’

A necessary bitter aloe to swallow

Tito Mboweni’s budget could pit the ANC against significant members of its constituency

Gang-affected Cape Flats residents shoot down Armed Forces Day

Thousands of people crowded Muizenberg’s Sunrise beach this week to see the South African National Defence Force showcase its firepower. While those on the beach watched the fireworks-like display of rockets, guns and attack helicopters in awe, others were less than impressed with this year’s Armed Forces Day activities.

B id to queer SA’s political arena

There’s a move to equip LGBTIQ people with skills to become leaders and decision-makers

How state funds are sliced up

At R375-billion, education is the fastest-growing expense on the government’s bill

Mboweni’s ‘lipstick’ budget ‘abandons’ workers and the poor

Opposition parties have described Finance Minister’s Tito Mboweni’s budget as an election speech meant to prop up the ANC.

Health:

Safer sex on demand – for men

Men who have sex with men can now safely use the HIV prevention pill before and after sex, instead of every day.

HIV is my unwanted pregnancy

The day after I turned 19, I was diagnosed with HIV.
In just five months, this is what happened next

What to do about our unemployed doctors

It’s official.
Austerity budgets may be here to stay. Here’s how South Africa should be working with what it’s got to provide healthcare

Africa:

Lesotho’s godfather bows out

Pakalitha Mosisili has been the pre-eminent power broker for decades. What will the Mountain Kingdom look like without him?

A simple truth about Nigeria

Conspiracies are rife and people are quick to accuse one another but the answer is sometimes obvious

No, Africa doesn’t need more strongmen

The evidence is conclusive: over and over again, democrats trump dictators

Business:

Eskom cliffhanger has SA on edge

Will Moody’s, won’t Moody’s? The country’s wellbeing depends on a viable turnabout plan

Resurrected taxman cometh

Tito Mboweni is plugging the revenue collection holes created by the former commissioner

SMEs and public work programmes given billions to boost employment

Small business, specifically the Enterprise Development Agency, was allocated R480-million by Finance Minister Tito Mboweni in his budget this week.

State job cuts rev up unions

Analysts believe Moody’s will welcome the government’s intention to reduce the public sector wage bill

Revenue collection a balancing act

Increases in indirect taxes such as adjustments to the fuel levy and increases on excise taxes on alcohol and tobacco products will raise R1.2-billion

Tax rebates cost the state 4% of GDP

The state could raise a lot more money by limiting them but it would come at a socioeconomic cost

The triumph of Trumpeconomics

The budget serves the interests of the rich and powerful and punts crumbs for the poor as meaningful advances

Discovery gets up doctors’ noses

Surgical specialists are concerned that day hospitals won’t suit their own or patients’ needs

Comment & Analysis:

The ‘prosperity gospel’ means exploitation

By ignoring the causes of poverty and injustice, prosperity churches doom people to destitution

Editorial: New dollar may be too late for Zim

‘In practice, bond notes have rarely traded at 1:1 with the US dollar. On the black market, the rate can be as high as 4:1’

Editorial: ANC’s tiny step on abuse

‘The ANC surely has sufficient experience of patriarchy, male domination and toxic masculinity to know it has to tackle sexual harassment’

Letters to the editor: February 22 to 28

Our readers write in about land reforms, Israel and Brazil’s meat industry

Budget notes from the bathroom

Run your home like a country and you’ll soon learn how to hold the government accountable

Coloured execs battle to get to the top

Research suggests that a complex crisis of identity is at the heart of the problem

Rights violated ahead of poll in Mozambique

The lead-up to the election has been characterised by disturbing developments in Cabo Delgado province in the north

African reporters need smart money

In many African countries, a dirty secret of journalism is that reporters earn most of their income from payments by their sources

Betrayal adds to apartheid trauma

People sacrificed to achieve liberation but they continue to suffer from poverty and exclusion

SADC, learn from Algeria how to bring peace and stability

Algeria places a particular premium on the policy of deradicalisation by quelling violent extremism

Manifesto 2019: DA will scrap Hawks

South Africans need an effective unit that will tackle corruption and the party promises this

Pedal power with the people

Cycling to work is healthy, cuts carbon emissions and is for everyone, rich or poor

Fifth column: A frightful night in False Bay

‘I don’t feel safer knowing our military can blow algae to bits’

Roll out the red carpet for SA’s indigenous languages

Earlier this year in Paris, Unesco hosted the official global launch of 2019 as the Year of Indigenous Languages.

Are elite former white schools ‘the best’?

In terms of both finances and learning outcomes, it’s important to look beyond prestige

What’s love got to do with learning?

Everything, in fact, if we’re going to fix South Africa’s broken education system

Friday:

The Weekend Guide

For good vibes and an arts fix, don’t miss this.

Poor form betrays the revolution

A fresh look at the Fees Must Fall student movement sadly fails to fulfil its promise

In Tito’s Rwanda: Beneath the surface

Zukiswa Wanner explores Rwanda’s ongoing attempts toward equal dignity.

Makeup’s about-face

A negative stance toward makeup fails to acknowledge it as an everyday, wearable artform that gives its users the agency to reimagine themselves.

Kay Faith is rigging the Cape sound

The hip-hop producer has hit a rich seam of talent — and the country needs to take note

Mdingi isn’t your hype beast

Three years into a globally appraised luxury fashion business this designer is investing in honesty and environmental integrity

Worming into the guts of the unseen

The exhibition ‘Options’ is a search by artist Nolan Oswald Dennis for humanity