Can the madness finally end?
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31 July 2025
/ The Wrap /
Hi there 🙋🏽♀️
A quick heads-up: From next week, The Wrap is taking a well-earned three-week break so our team can recharge and return with even sharper reporting. 💪🏾
This week, we look at how the world is finally recognising the reality in Gaza. Closer to home, there’s a revealing exposé on the deputy president, and Sushi King is officially off the menu – for now. One of South Africa’s top hitmakers is also facing a lawsuit.
Internationally, a strong earthquake rattled the Pacific, Ciara danced her way into Benin, and a pop star is dating a former prime minister. We’ll let you guess who.
Plus: MKP and Cyril go head-to-head at the ConCourt.
Now, let’s dive into these stories and more in this week’s wrap, brought to you by Verashni Pillay and the explain.co.za team. 😄
SA is racing to finalise a trade deal with the US before a 30% tariff kicks in tomorrow. Our revised offer includes R59bn in local investment into US industries, a 10-year gas import deal, and opening SA’s market to US poultry. The two countries signed an initial negotiation framework last week, but officials say talks are at an “impasse”, with domestic policies like BEE complicating matters. We’re not alone – few countries have secured deals as Trump’s latest deadline looms. ⏳
News24’s ongoing exposé on Deputy President Paul Mashatile keeps getting juicier. This week, they revealed his two sons quietly raked in R49 million via a fire safety tender for Gauteng hospitals. Despite resigning as company directors just before the bid was finalised, they continued running the show behind the scenes, according to former employees. Also, Mashatile’s finally fessed up to owning a R28.9-million CPT mansion, after years of denial. We can’t keep up with our dodgy DP!
Kenny Kunene’s out — for now. The Patriotic Alliance deputy president and Joburg’s flashy MMC for Transport resigned from both roles on Saturday. Kunene, who insists he’s innocent, was suspended by his party over alleged links to murder suspect Katiso Molefe. Taking his place as councillor is ex-DA MP Liam Jacobs, who previously defected to the PA. The MMC gig is up in the air, and the DA wants a full probe into all contracts signed under Kunene’s watch. 👀
UCT is finally pulling the plug on dodgy AI detection tools. The infamous Turnitin and its ilk have been flagging students just for writing too well or sounding a bit… different, causing unnecessary panic and suspicion. UCT’s decision to switch it off is a welcome move in rebuilding trust between students and lecturers. The bigger win? A growing push for universities to focus less on flawed software and more on real teaching, clear guidelines, and support over surveillance. 💪🏾
- Tyla has been hit with a lawsuit over Water royalties. Just days after being announced as a Global Citizen Festival performer with The Weeknd and Shakira in New York later this year, the Grammy winner is being sued. Two California-based collaborators say they were cut out of producer credits and royalties for her Grammy-winning hit Water – and now want recognition, plus a slice of the billion-stream pie. Water runs deep – and apparently, so does the drama. 😅
INTERNATIONAL
Wednesday’s earthquake off Russia’s eastern coast may be one of the most powerful ever recorded. 😮 The 8.8-magnitude quake is tied for the sixth strongest in history, and the most powerful since Japan’s 2011 disaster. Tsunami waves have since hit parts of Russia, Japan, and Hawaii. But thankfully, mass evacuations, early warnings and coastal regions on high alert meant no deaths were recorded, and minimal structural damage was reported. Still, the full impact may take days to unfold.
At least 43 people were killed during a church vigil in eastern DR Congo this week, including nine children. The massacre in Komanda was carried out by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an Islamic State affiliate that began in Uganda in the nineties and recently started stepping up attacks. With peace talks underway between the Congolese government and other rebel groups, experts warn the ADF is trying to reassert its presence, threatening to destabilise an already fragile region.
Lesotho is bracing for more US-inflicted pain. Trump’s plans to reimpose a steep 50% tariff on its exports this Friday, the highest for any country. This is in addition to deep aid cuts, which have hit an already suffering economy and healthcare system. Clothing factories like Tzicc, which used to supply major US retailers, have seen orders dry up. With growth forecast to plummet, many fear these tariffs could push Lesotho’s fragile economy closer to the edge.
Ciara’s got a new passport! 💁🏾♀️ The Grammy-winning singer just became a citizen of Benin under a new law offering nationality to descendants of enslaved Africans. She called it an honour, saying, “thank you Benin for opening your arms and your heart to me.” The move is part of Benin’s big push to reconnect with the African diaspora and boost cultural tourism.
Former Canadian PM Justin Trudeau and pop star-turned-space cadet Katy Perry were spotted dining in Montreal. Trudeau split from wife Sophie in 2023, while Perry recently ended things with actor Orlando Bloom. Restaurant staff say there was no hanky panky– but we’re still stunned. Meanwhile, 90s bombshell Pamela Anderson is reportedly dating action hero Liam Neeson, and are said to be “figuring things out.” Forget Barbie and Ken – it’s the era of surprising mashups and intergalactic love stories. 🚀
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Illustrative Image, from left to right: University of Cape Town campus. Credit: Mwgielink via Wikimedia Commons; Ciara at the 2019 American Music Awards red carpet. Credit: Mwgielink via Wikimedia Commons; Ciara. Credit: CosmopolitanUK via Wikimedia Commons; Tyla. Credit: @tyla/Instagram; Katy Perry. Credit: Liam Mendes via Wikimedia Commons; Justin Trudeau. Credit: PM Canada 23 Archives via Wikimedia Commons; Liam Jacobs. Credit: US Embassy South Africa/Flickr; DRC President Félix Tshisekedi. Credit: World Economic Forum/Flickr.
▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ The Big Stories
Global pressure mounts on Israel as Gaza starvation deepens
The horror unfolding in Gaza has reached a breaking point, with over 60,000 people killed since Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel. Now, with Israeli soldiers repeatedly opening fire on desperate Palestinians trying to reach food and children starving, a growing number of countries are finally saying: enough. If Israel won’t agree to a ceasefire and commit to a genuine two-state solution, Palestine must be recognised — now. 🇵🇸
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said this week Britain will formally recognise Palestine by September – unless Israel makes “substantive” moves toward peace. It’s a major shift from a traditional ally. Fourteen nations, including France and Spain, are also backing Palestinian statehood, with others like Canada and Australia now open to the idea. The West is finally waking up, and it’s about time: 147 out of 193 countries in the UN have long recognised Palestine – most in the Global South.
The push for Palestinian statehood — and the right to self-determination free from Israel’s control — has been blocked for decades, largely by Israel and powerful allies like the US. While Israel argues that unilateral recognition would reward terrorism, critics say it has long used stalled negotiations and expanding illegal settlements to undermine the creation of a viable Palestinian state.
Israel has slated the new recognition, but public opinion is shifting – nearly half of Brits now support recognising Palestine, and people are calling on their governments to take a stand.
And how could they not? The images coming out of Gaza are beyond words. Five-month-old Zainab Abu Halib died last week, weighing less than she did at birth. She is one of at least 85 children now confirmed to have died of starvation. Her family couldn’t access the formula she needed. The UN says the hunger crisis is the worst it’s seen this century.
Israel ordered a “total blockade” including international aid on the Gaza Strip when the war first started in October 2023, with some exceptions over time. In March this year, Israel again blocked all aid, saying it was to prevent the smuggling of weapons into the territory. Al Jazeera reports the Israeli military also often attacks life-saving aid convoys, saying “terrorists” are being targeted, without providing evidence. This has led to the UN and other aid agencies withdrawing staff at times.
Israel recently ‘compromised’ in the face of global outrage, allowing air dropping aid into the strip from Sunday this week. But aid workers say these drops are inefficient and unsafe – 11 were wounded when an air drop landed on tents housing the displaced.
What’s happening in Gaza is unconscionable. It’s past time to stand firmly on the side of justice.
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UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Credit: Number 10/Flickr
ConCourt drama: Can Cyril bench his own player?
Should President Cyril Ramaphosa put corruption-accused police minister Senzo Mchunu on special leave – or just fire him already?
That was the thorny question before the Constitutional Court. Last week, we told you the MK Party had dragged Ramaphosa to the apex court over his decision to merely suspend Mchunu, following bombshell claims by KZN police boss Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi of political interference in police investigations. This week, we got to hear their arguments.
The MKP says Ramaphosa has fired ministers before using his presidential prerogative – why not now?
MKP legal representative Dali Mpofu told the court yesterday the president’s excuse – that he’s waiting for the outcome of a commission of inquiry – just doesn’t fly. Mpofu argued that Ramaphosa has a track record of sometimes ignoring the outcomes of commissions. And, well… controversial as he is, he might have a point. Just this week, former chief justice Raymond Zondo said it pained him to swear in ministers who were implicated in the very state capture inquiry he led.
“It was like the president was saying, ‘I don’t care what you have found about these people. I think they are good enough to be promoted,’” Zondo said.
The ConCourt late on Thursday afternoon unanimously dismissed the MKP's challenge to Mchunu's special leave and the institution of the Madlanga Inquiry. The party can still launch their challenge in the High Court.
Regardless of this decision, Constitutional law expert Pierre de Vos says the MKP may have a point in part of their arguments, avoiding their usual conspiracy theories for once. While Firoz Cachalia is an excellent choice for acting police minister, if his appointment - due to start tomorrow - is later ruled invalid, every decision he made could also be invalid. That’s a whole mess nobody wants.
Meanwhile, the inquiry into Mkhwanazi’s claims – led by soon-to-retire deputy chief justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga – has officially kicked off, Madlanga announced on Monday. He added that the R147.9 million budget is “adequate.” We’d hope so!
And in classic headline-hunting fashion, EFF leader Julius Malema has invited Mkhwanazi to join the red party if he’s pushed out over all this. But with Mkhwanazi’s growing fanbase, we doubt he’ll be needing a political lifeline. Mchunu, though, may want to start dusting off his CV. 😆
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President Cyril Ramaphosa delivering the keynote address at the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Constitutional Court in South Africa. Credit: GovernmentZA/Flickr
Joburg’s green spaces at risk: COJ’s quiet move to sell public land alarms residents
The City of Johannesburg is facing backlash over alleged plans to sell parts of the Johannesburg Botanical Garden in Emmarentia, along with areas like Marks Park and the Pirates Sports Club, to private developers.
The goal? To make space for high-density housing and commercial buildings. These plans are expected to be discussed at a council meeting in August.
The proposal may also include other well-known recreational spots like the Field and Study Centre, Melrose Bowling Club, Killarney Country Club, and Zoo Lake, though nothing has been officially confirmed yet.
What’s upsetting many residents and sports clubs is that they only found out about this through a Johannesburg Property Company tender document. People who’ve helped maintain these spaces and built sports communities around them say they weren’t consulted and now feel blindsided.
Some Ward 88 residents became aware of the Marks Park development last month, which includes parts of the botanical garden. But according to Johannesburg Parks and Zoo spokesperson Jenny Moodley, the proposal was only meant to refer to Marks Park, and the garden was listed by mistake.
A public participation motion was supposed to be presented on 25 June, but it didn’t happen because council Speaker Nobuhle Mthembu was voted out that same day. On top of that, the motion had major issues like unclear property sizes, pricing, and confusion over whether the properties would be sold, leased, or transferred for housing.
Sports clubs say they’ve already been struggling with short-term leases, making it hard to upgrade or care for the facilities. Now, the proposed sale feels like the final blow.
These spaces offer a crucial green lung to the city, and are an integral part of its various communities. The sports complexes and facilities offer programmes for youth across rugby, baseball, and hockey, keeping kids out of trouble. These places bring thousands of people together every week. The planned developments would also put additional pressure on the already overburdened water supply and other failing infrastructure in those areas.
The DA’s spokesperson for economic development in Johannesburg says the matter still needs to go back to the Section 79 committees, the team that decides if a proposal should be heard by the council, which means, for now, everything remains uncertain.
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A portion of the Rose Gardens at the Johannesburg Botanical Garden. Credit: NJR ZA/Wikimedia Commons
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