10 October 2024

/ The Wrap /

Hi there 🙋🏽‍♀️

Guess who’s back? We’ve missed giving you all the news that matters. This week, South Africa lost a man of faith, Pastor Ray McCauley, who died at 75. We send our condolences to his family and congregation. Speaking of faith, Elon Musk wants to help the blind to see. Also, Tshwane has a new mayor, but how long will it last this time? South Africa’s largest trade union embarked on a strike against Mzansi’s economic woes, and SA’s disgraced former public protector suffered a major court loss. It’s also been a year since the war in Gaza began, and we recap the dramatic events since. Meanwhile, P Diddy’s arrest might signal the beginning of an accountability movement in the music industry.

So, let's dive into your weekly update of empowering and easy-to-understand news, brought to you by Verashni Pillay and the explain.co.za team. 😄

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OUR TAKE: How Busisiwe Mkhwebane made a fool of herself. Again.

Imagine being fired from your job for doing it terribly, then expecting a R10 million rand tip? Well, that’s exactly what disgraced former public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane tried doing before the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria dismissed her bid on Wednesday. 

Before her, other public protectors received a gratuity fee to thank them for their service. But because she was unceremoniously removed from office, Mkhwebane was not offered one as she was impeached before finishing her term as public protector. 

She filed an urgent application in March challenging the decision. After some legal back and forth, Judge Omphemetse Mooki delivered the ruling yesterday, noting it was"absurd" for an employer to pay a gratuity to an employee who "left the office in disgrace."

Mkhwebane, as usual, suggested that this was a plot against her. 🙄

This isn’t the only item making news for Mkhwebane, though, who is now a member of parliament for the EFF. She’s been caught up in a race-fuelled attack against South Africans of Indian descent. 

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court of Appeal struck off the roll, with costs, her attempts to overturn a lower court’s decision not to remove the chair of the historic impeachment inquiry against her. This woman loves going to court. Mkhwebane accused Judge Visvanathan Ponnan of “noticeable arrogance and dismissiveness throughout the proceedings”. She tweeted that her struggles involved “key figures, predominantly of Indian descent” who had positioned themselves as her “persecutors.” The tweet is still up.

“These individuals include Pravin Gordhan, Bawa (Evidence Leader), Adhikarie (Chief Legal Adviser of Parliament), Hassan Ebrahim (so-called expert witness), Ivan Pillay (Witness), and Fatima Ebrahim (Legal Adviser of Parliament),” said Mkhwebane. Her comments have, rightfully, angered many, and she offered a lukewarm apology. The South African Human Rights Commission issued a statement condemning her remarks.

At the end of the day, Mkhwebane is a desperate has-been who resorts to bizarre social media rants when she doesn’t get her way. Maybe we'd take her seriously if she had done a better job as public protector, instead of being a lackey for Jacob Zuma.

BIG STORY: Another mayor for Tshwane as Action SA’s Moya takes over 

Tshwane officially has its fourth mayor in just three years: ActionSA’s Dr Nasiphi Moya was elected on Wednesday. 

The shuffle has less to do with whether former mayor Cilliers Brink was good at the job and more about politricking between the ANC, DA, and Action SA. 

Tshwane’s political instability dates back to the 2016 local government elections in which no party won an outright majority. This situation repeated itself in the last local election in 2021. The city has since been cursed with a hung municipality, which has led to opportunistic power grabs by parties as alliances shift.

In the latest instalment of this ongoing drama, the DA’s Brink was ousted last week through yet another attempted motion of no confidence. It was successful this time, thanks to the ANC getting Herman Mashaba’s Action SA onside, despite Mashaba's swearing to NEVER work with the ANC. 🙄

The ANC apparently was locked in talks with Action SA about who would wear the mayoral chains on Tuesday night. The deal seems part of a broader plan for the two parties to share leadership in Gauteng. If you’re wondering how the ANC can work with the DA at a national level on the government of national unity (GNU) but treat them like enemies on the local level, same. 🤷🏾‍♂️ 

The deal likely involves a power-sharing arrangement where smaller parties like the EFF and other minority players will be given positions in the mayoral committee. Again, this flies in the face of the GNU, which the EFF and Action SA are not part of.

The DA is less than thrilled but can only play the “we’re leaving the GNU” card once.

So, what’s next? With Moya taking the mayoral seat, she’ll have much on her plate. Tshwane’s finances have been a mess, with the city struggling to pay debts, including those of Eskom and Rand Water. Last year's municipal workers' strike only added to the chaos, and residents—especially in less-affluent areas—have been demanding better service delivery.

Good luck to Moya… if she can hold on to the seat for long. 

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New Tshwane Mayor, Nasiphi Moya Photo: Action4SA, X

Elon Musk is at it again, this time setting his sights on curing blindness with his brain-chip startup, Neuralink. On September 17, Neuralink announced that its latest experimental device, Blindsight, received the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) coveted “breakthrough device” designation. This little gadget aims to give people who have lost both eyes—and their optic nerve—the ability to see again. Not only that, but Musk claims it could eventually provide vision even better than natural eyesight, allowing people to “see” in infrared or ultraviolet light. Move over, Tony Stark. 

It’s important to remember that this technology is still in its infancy. The FDA’s breakthrough designation sounds fancy, but it mainly fast-tracks the development process—it’s not an automatic stamp of success. So, for now, Neuralink’s grand vision remains just that—a vision. The device still needs to prove itself in clinical trials, which will be a long road, much like other brain-computer interface (BCI) projects that came before it.

Neuralink is certainly not the only player in the BCI game. Billions of dollars in investment has been funneled into companies working on brain implants for years, hoping to give paralysed patients the ability to control computers or restore limited vision to blind individuals. But the results so far have been, well, pixelated at best.

BCIs, like Blindsight, work by stimulating neurons in the visual cortex with electrodes. The problem? Neurons don’t function like pixels on a screen, and recreating natural vision is far more complex than just connecting some wires. Imagine trying to paint a detailed landscape using only a few blobs of colour. Neuralink may be increasing the density of those electrodes, but we’re still a long way from recreating anything close to natural vision.

The ethical questions are just as fuzzy. What happens if the technology fails or the company goes under, leaving patients with obsolete implants in their brains? Plus, how far should we go in enhancing human abilities? The future of BCIs like Neuralink’s remains promising, but let’s hold off on ordering our infrared contact lenses just yet.

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Elon Musk interviewed by Chris Anderson at TED2017 - The Future You, April 24-28, 2017, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Photo: Bret Hartman / TED Flickr

On Monday, Cosatu flexed its protest muscles, leading a nationwide strike against South Africa’s worsening economic crisis. The strike, coinciding with the International Day for Decent Work, saw workers flooding the streets across Cape Town and Johannesburg, making their voices heard outside Parliament and the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.

The union federation represents over 1.8 million workers and is demanding an end to retrenchments, unfair wages, and the skyrocketing cost of living. The big issues on the table? Government job cuts, Eskom’s proposed 36% tariff hike for 2025 (yikes 😮) and the ever-rising price of basic goods like food.

Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) is not impressed. They’ve called Cosatu out for using a 2017 strike certificate (that’s like dusting off an old hall pass) and are pushing for reforms that limit strike certificates to 12 months. They say these protests are squeezing an already struggling economy. Cosatu, however, argues their actions are necessary to tackle South Africa's unemployment and inequality.

On top of economic grievances, the protestors are also fighting corruption, gender-based violence, and the overall mismanagement that has led to SA’s economic malaise. Over half of South African workers earn under R5,530 a month, and inflation is draining those wages faster than your battery back during stage 6 loadshedding.

This is the second time Cosatu has hit the streets this year, continuing its long-standing criticism of government policies. However, Cosatu’s power and influence have weakened over the years as the organised labour movement in South Africa has fractured. The left believes increased government spending would bail out the economy and protect its members, most government employees, from austerity measures. The more pro-market government policies the ANC introduced under former President Thabo Mbeki emphasised economic growth and privatisation over government-led job creation and development. 

SA’s economy is showing slow signs of improvement, though, strengthening by 0.4% in the second quarter (April–June) of 2024, according to Stats SA. August marked 150 consecutive days of no loadshedding, while the GNU has improved market sentiment. Let’s hope all equals economic gains for ordinary workers - soon.

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Cosatu members striking. Photo: Cosatu Today, X

It looks like SA is getting a royal double feature this year!  

Prince Harry has already wrapped up his solo Southern African tour, and his estranged brother, Prince William, will soon be hot on his heels. 

Come November, Cape Town will roll out the red carpet as Prince William heads to the Mother City to host the 2024 Earthshot Prize Awards, a global environmental initiative he founded to discover solutions for the planet’s most pressing challenges. This marks the first time the event will be held in Africa.

The big question on everyone’s lips: will Britain’s most popular royal, Catherine, Princess of Wales (aka Kate Middleton) be joining him? After a year of health struggles and bad photoshopping drama, it may be a reach.

Meanwhile, Prince Harry's more low-key visit to Southern Africa kicked things off with a trip to his charity Sentebale in Lesotho, which he co-founded in 2006 to support vulnerable children living with HIV/Aids. Harry, ever the relatable royal, spent time around a campfire chatting with local youth. It’s the people prince vibe some royal watchers have missed since he controversially stepped down from royal duties in 2020, moving to California with his wife, Meghan Markle. He seems to be missing it, too, if his many quasi-royal engagements worldwide lately are anything to go by. 

He then popped over to Johannesburg for more charitable work. While his visit was light on drama, one thing was clear—no Meghan. With the Duchess of Sussex and their kids staying back in California, rumours swirled. Were there privacy or safety concerns? 

The shadow of Harry and Meghan’s 2019 royal tour of South Africa still looms large. Back then, there were even whispers about them moving here for a quieter life. Spoiler alert: it didn’t happen. Meanwhile, #VoetsekMeghan trended on X in 2022 when the former royal made controversial comments about our beloved Mzansi. 

As William gears up for his glittering event and Harry heads home, South Africa can sit back and enjoy this double royal drama. 

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Prince Harry speaks during the 2016 Invictus Games Symposium on Invisible Wounds in Orlando, Fla., May 8, 2016. Photo: EJ Hersom

By now, you’ve already heard the news of the arrest of rap mogul Sean Combs, aka Diddy. Or Puff Daddy. Or P Diddy. Or scumbag… whatever you know him as. 

Combs was arrested on 16 September 2024 and charged with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and transportation to engage in prostitution.

The artist and businessman founded Bad Boy Records, one of the most influential hip-hop labels in the world, featuring artists like Notorious B.I.G. 

The fall of the house of Diddy began last year in November when his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura sued the rap mogul. The lawsuit detailed a years-long abusive relationship, even mentioning instances when Combs would be violent towards Ventura. The matter was eventually settled out of court, but the floodgates were opened: other victims started coming forward. 

In the lead-up to his 16 September arrest, several new lawsuits were filed against him, detailing allegations of sexual abuse, violence, and drug-fueled parties​ known as ‘Freak Offs’. 

Combs has now been charged with a shocking list of offences, including sex trafficking by force and coercion over decades. He, of course, denies all the allegations. Combs was denied bail as judges felt he could interfere with the investigation or threaten witnesses, given his influence and power. 

Rumours circulate about a list of attendees of these alleged freak-offs, which is said to include some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry, but so far, no such list has been released to the public.

With the arrest of Combs, is the music industry having its #MeToo moment? 

As we remove one more artist from our Spotify playlists, hopefully the fall of someone as powerful as Combs will see the music industry stop protecting predators. And that’s music to our ears.

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Photo: Daniel Incandela, Flickr

Monday this week marked one year since Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, sparking a conflict that has since expanded into a deadly regional war. What began with Hamas militants killing over 1,200 Israelis and abducting 251 people has escalated into a broad, multi-front confrontation, drawing in powerful players like Hezbollah and Iran. 

Here’s a recap as we mark the first anniversary of this devastating conflict.

On 7 October 2023, militants crossed into Israel from Gaza, attacking civilians and military targets. In response, Israel launched airstrikes and imposed a full siege on Gaza, cutting off food, water, and electricity to its 2 million residents. As the humanitarian crisis unfolded, Israel increased its military actions with a ground invasion by the end of October, targeting Hamas' extensive tunnel network, known as the "Gaza metro."

By late 2023, the conflict had spread beyond Israel and Gaza. Hezbollah, based in Lebanon, began launching rockets into northern Israel, while Yemen’s Houthi movement fired missiles and disrupted shipping in the Red Sea. Israel responded with airstrikes, extending the war’s reach. Tensions escalated further in April 2024 when Iran retaliated after an Israeli airstrike on its consulate in Damascus, firing 300 missiles at Israel.

During this period, the humanitarian toll has been staggering. In Gaza, over 41,000 people have died, and more than 90,000 have been injured. Lebanon has also been heavily affected, with over 1,400 civilians killed in Israeli strikes targeting Hezbollah, and 1.2 million people are now displaced.

International efforts to broker peace have been largely unsuccessful. A brief truce in November 2023 saw the release of 105 Israeli hostages and the exchange of 240 Palestinian prisoners, but fighting resumed after just ten days. In January 2024, South Africa filed a case with the International Court of Justice, accusing Israel of war crimes, which is still being reviewed. The number of countries that have joined the case has reached 13, including Mexico, Egypt, and Spain. 

As the conflict enters its second year, the cost to lives is overwhelming, but so too is the call for peace from around the globe. While the path forward remains uncertain, we can only hope that renewed efforts for dialogue and international pressure will lead to lasting solutions. 

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A person holding a Free Palestine poster. Photo: Brett Sayles, Pexels

The Springbok Women came heartbreakingly close to a victory in their WXV2 clash against Australia on Saturday at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town, losing 33-26 in the final minutes. 

The performance against a powerhouse women’s team like Australia highlights the incredible progress the Bok Women have made. “I’m so, so proud of them, we have played Australia three times in the past and never managed to score a try against them,we scored four today and were held up for a fifth,” said coach Swys de Bruin after the match.

Mens Springbok Captain Siya Kolisi, ever the nation’s sporting unifier, cheered on his team's female counterparts from the sidelines while wearing their jersey. "We all play and represent our country, and they deserve the same support we get every single weekend,” he said. Hear hear! 

In another milestone, Libbie Janse van Rensburg made history as the first Bok Women’s player to reach 200 international points just ahead of the WXV2 kick-off in Cape Town. But her ambitions stretch far beyond the field. "I would like to stay in women’s rugby after I am done playing," she shared, adding that she hopes to inspire girls. "There is so much I can do off the field to grow the game in South Africa, whether it’s in the union or even stepping into refereeing." 

Looking ahead, the final round of matches will take place over the weekend, and with Scotland and Australia facing off, a victory over Italy could still propel South Africa to the top of the standings.

In other, um, springboks news, last week, the Kingswood Golf Estate in George, WC, announced the birth of a “one-in-a-million” black springbok calf among the herd it keeps on the grounds! The colouring of the newborn results from a rare genetic mutation that causes melanism, meaning that an animal such as a leopard, wolf or springbok, which normally appears in a variety of colours, is completely black. The news prompted our ever-hilarious social media commentators to thank Rassie Erasmus for the wonderful work he’s done in transforming the Springboks. 😄🦌

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 The Springbok Women's Team. Photo: SA Women's Rugby, X

That’s it from us at The Wrap, a product of explain.co.za – simple news summaries for busy people.

The Wrap is sponsored by explain’s agency division. We specialise in content marketing for purpose-driven organisations, often with a pan-African reach. Mail info@explain.co.za for a quote. 

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Till next time, goodbye from the team. ✌️