03 July 2025

/ The Wrap /

Hi there 🙋🏽‍♀️

Brace yourselves, Mzansi, another cold front is on the way. But you know what’s warming us up? The Springboks by winning on the field, and investigative journalists by exposing corruption. 

Meanwhile, the MK Party is descending even further into factional battles, the GNU is looking a little shaky as usual, plus we explain Donald Trump’s so-called “Big, Beautiful Bill” and why it’s a bit of a big mess. 😆

We also unpack how AI landed a team of lawyers in trouble, reminding us that ChatGPT is many things, but it’s not particularly accurate. Internationally, Beyoncé had a mid-concert scare, but much to her hive’s relief, Queen B is safe. Over the pond, a punk-rap duo proved their anti-establishment chops with their comments on the Israel-Gaza conflict.

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. 😄

Format:

🔊 Voice note by Verashni

📰 Text: Keep scrolling

▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ Briefs

NATIONAL

1. Starting today, SA is bracing for a severe winter storm. Buckle up! The SA Weather Service has issued multiple alerts, including a yellow level 4 warning for disruptive rain in the Western Cape. Cold fronts will bring widespread rain, winds up to 80km/h, snow over high peaks, and waves up to 5.5m. 😦 The Western and Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State, and southern KZN are expected to be hit hardest.
    

2. Joburg may be a mess, but investigative journalists are changing that. A News24 series exposing multiple failings at City Power has prompted a larger investigation. On Tuesday, City Power chairperson Makhosini Kharodi announced the entity’s board would be probing allegations of mismanagement, unqualified personnel, internal control weaknesses, and the appointment of City Power CEO Tshifularo Mashava's family members. 🙌🏾
    

3. Ekurhuleni’s senior auditor, Mpho Mafole, was shot and killed while driving in Kempton Park on Monday. The motives of the murder are currently unknown, with no evidence pointing to ties with Mafole’s professional duties. However, the incident follows other shootings of officials in this municipality who held key positions. Police are investigating. Read more about SA’s political assassinations in our take here.
    

4. The Springboks launched their 2025 season with a commanding 54-7 victory over France’s Barbarians. Cheslin Kolbe and debutant Vincent Tshituka shone at the warm-up match in Cape Town last weekend, with the team scoring eight tries. Next, the Boks face Italy in the Castle Lager Incoming Series, with their first test match of the season on Saturday in Pretoria. With Siya Kolisi sidelined due to injury, Jesse Kriel leads the squad as they gear up for August’s Rugby Championship.
    

5. AI-generated court papers have landed another South African legal team in hot water. Lawyers for Northbound Processing unwittingly cited two fake cases in a bid to secure a refining licence. They’ve been reported to the Legal Practice Council. It’s not the first time. Earlier this year, lawyers from a Pietermaritzburg-based law firm were caught out doing something similar. Reminder: ChatGPT can seem impressive, but it’s your job to check it’s not confidently making things up, as it sometimes does.

INTERNATIONAL: 

1. Iran halted all cooperation with UN’s nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, yesterday. This follows US and Israeli shock strikes on key facilities, and suspends inspections of its nuclear sites. The IAEA noted before the attacks that there was no proof Iran was building a weapon, though they did offer a rare rebuke on Iran’s lack of complete transparency. Iran’s decision has sparked heated debates, with some criticising Western aggression.
    

2. Sean “Diddy” Combs was acquitted of racketeering and sex trafficking charges in New York yesterday. The infamous rapper dodged a potential life sentence. However, the jury convicted Diddy on two counts of transportation for prostitution. Each count is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, with sentencing set for October. Bail was denied thanks to Combs’ history of violence. The verdict ignited fierce online debates, with some supporters pouring baby oil outside the courthouse in reference to trial details. 🤮
    

3. Punk-rap duo Bob Vylan chanted “death to the IDF” and “free Palestine” mid-set. The BBC drew heat for not cutting away during the performance last weekend at the famous Glastonbury festival, though they later pulled the performance from iPlayer. UK police are investigating a case of hate speech, while the band’s US visas were yanked, axing their tour. Dropped by other music festivals plus their agency, the band is standing firm, with front man Bobby Vylan declaring, “I said what I said”. Now that’s punk.
    

4. Beyoncé fans panicked when a prop piece at a concert put the singer in danger. Her flying red convertible tilted mid-air as she performed “16 Carriages” in her hometown of Houston, Texas. Surprisingly calm, she stopped singing and said, “Stop. Stop, stop, stop,” while gripping a safety cable. Back onstage, she told fans, “If ever I fall, I know y’all would catch me.” She’s not wrong!
    

5. The heartbreaking cancellation of a kids' show has raised larger questions. The Tiny Chef Show announced the news via a heartbreaking animated video of the green chef bursting into tears. The clip went viral, sparking a wave of grief from both longtime and new fans. A crowdfunding campaign has raised over R2 million to date, and concerns are mounting about the rise of AI slop and decline of quality content like this.
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   Illustrative Image, from left to right: Thunderstorm clouds. Credit: dexmac/Pixabay; Siya Kolisi and Vincent Tshituka. Credit: @vincent_tshituka/Instagram; City Power CEO, Tshifularo Mashava. Credit: @TshifuMashava/X; Mpho Mafole. Credit: Facebook; Bob Vylan. Credit: @bobbyvylan/Instagram; Sean "Diddy" Combs. Credit: Cannes Lions Learnings/Wikimedia Commons; Beyoncé. Credit: @beyonce/Instagram.

▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █  The Big Stories

MK Party: Factions, firings, and family feuds

Can the MK Party keep it together for longer than a month? The new Parliament kids are again tearing each other apart, with new rival factions openly clashing.

On one side: party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela and Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, daughter of party leader Jacob Zuma. On the other: deputy president John Hlophe and chief whip Colleen Makhubele.

This week, Hlophe dropped a bombshell: he "fired" Ndhlela from the parliamentary whippery – essentially the team that enforces party discipline. The reason? Alleged misconduct, arrogance, and undermining party unity. Hlophe even wrote to Zuma complaining about Duduzile’s “chaotic” behaviour in meetings. He should be careful: The last person to clash with Dudu, Floyd Shivambu, was shown the door pretty quickly. 

Meanwhile, Ndhlela isn’t going quietly. He claims he never saw the removal letter, and that Hlophe himself told him his signature was being “abused”. Cue: more confusion and political drama.

It’s a messy twist, considering all three – Duduzile, Ndhlela, and Hlophe – were once allies in booting out former secretary-general Floyd Shivambu. Barely a few weeks later, the alliance has shattered.

All this tops months of drama for the party, which made a strong election showing in their first election last year. But instead of building momentum, it’s descending into infighting, with public spats that raise questions about leadership and unity. Zuma has yet to respond publicly, but given his way of doing things, we’ll know whose side he’s on when the MK’s ever-present axe falls on its next victim. 
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Jacob Zuma and MK party members. Credit: uMkhonto WeSizwe Party (Official)/X

Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” is turning into a big, messy battle

Donald Trump promised he wouldn’t balloon America’s debt if re-elected. But his much-hyped “Big Beautiful Bill” — his first major policy push in his second term — is doing just that… and then some.

The bill proposes sweeping tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations, while gutting support for food stamps and Medicaid, which helps low-income Americans access healthcare. The result? A windfall for billionaires, while tens of millions of struggling families brace for cuts. And to make it all “work,” the US government will need to borrow even more — adding an estimated $3.3 trillion to the national debt. That’s on top of a debt load already over 120% of GDP (SA sits at around 75%).

Even Elon Musk has repeatedly come out against the bill, sparking another online spat this week with Trump, who accused him of only caring because electric vehicle subsidies are being slashed. Trump added that Musk would have to go “back home to South Africa” — which had many South Africans replying: “No thanks.” 😆

The bill’s journey through Congress has been rocky. It passed in the House in May, then squeaked through the Senate on Tuesday with VP JD Vance breaking the tie. Today it’s back in the House for final sign-off. A few Republican holdouts remain, and previously, some House reps admitted they didn’t even read the 800+ page bill. If any changes are made, it goes back to the Senate — where even one GOP defection could kill it.

Trump wants it on his desk by tomorrow, to coincide with US Independence Day — because, of course, he does. His team insists it delivers “tax relief for all”, but independent reports say it overwhelmingly benefits the richest Americans, and could leave up to 12 million people without health coverage.

Polls show the bill is deeply unpopular with the public. Come 4th of July, Trump may get his fireworks moment — but for many Americans, the only thing exploding is their healthcare, safety nets and any illusions of fiscal restraint.
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Donald Trump speaking with supporters at a campaign rally at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona in 2016. Credit: Gage Skidmore/Flickr

Whitfield firing exposes ever-growing GNU cracks

Last week, we told you President Cyril Ramaphosa fired Trade and Industry Deputy Minister Andrew Whitfield – a DA member – for taking an unauthorised trip to the US.

The fallout since has added additional tensions within the Government of National Unity (GNU).

The DA responded with a 48-hour ultimatum: if Ramaphosa could fire Whitfield, he should also fire ANC ministers facing serious allegations. These include Thembi Simelane (VBS scandal), David Mahlobo (State Capture) and Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane, implicated in the Seta drama.

The DA argued Whitfield had requested permission for his trip and followed up repeatedly, receiving no reply. He later sent a letter of apology.

Ramaphosa confirmed the sacking was his prerogative, adding that Whitfield himself had anticipated being fired. He said Whitfield’s "perfunctory" apology showed he knew he'd breached protocol.

After the deadline passed, the DA announced it would withdraw from August’s planned National Dialogue and vote against budgets of “corruption-accused” ministers. It also laid criminal charges against Nkabane for misleading Parliament.

“This wasn’t just an indiscretion,” said DA federal chair Helen Zille. “Misleading Parliament is fraud, which is a criminal contravention.”

Analysts say the incident suggests ANC factions are asserting dominance in the GNU, testing how much pushback they’ll get from the DA. And the answer seems: not much. The DA didn’t even threaten to walk from the GNU over this particular fight. 

Still, the incident has added unnecessary strain to the GNU. 

As we wrote this week, the latest drama is just the ANC shooting itself in the foot over a non-issue, and both sides can learn a thing or two from Zorhan Mamdani, the 33-year-old Democrat running for mayor of New York. 

Read more here.
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Andrew Whitfield. Credit: Andrew Whitfield MP/Facebook

The latest BELA Act guidelines are out. Here’s what you need to know.

The Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act has been making waves, and now, with new guidelines out from Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube, we’re starting to see how it’ll shape our schools. Released two weeks ago, these guidelines focus on how provinces should implement certain aspects of the Act, particularly regarding school admissions and language policies.

Here’s what you need to know: Grade R is now compulsory, and home schooling rules have been updated. The guidelines also tackle the hot topic of language at schools, saying that every school must consider its community’s needs, classroom space and nearby school options, with learners’ best interests at the forefront.

Some groups worried previously that Afrikaans might be sidelined, but the guidelines actually promote multilingualism.

We’re still waiting for the formal regulations to be made official, so for now, these guidelines are informative but not legally binding.

That has proved to be a point of contention, though, with teacher unions wondering if the DA-aligned minister is delaying things for political reasons. The DA opposed the bill when it was before parliament. 

SA’s biggest teachers’ union, SA Democratic Teachers Union, slammed the idea of guidelines as a “political gimmick”. They’ve urged members who serve on school governing bodies to ignore the guidelines. The National Professional Teachers' Organisation of South Africa welcomed the clarity on admissions but criticised the rushed consultation process and lack of legal weight, also pushing for finalised regulations. 

Both unions say the act empowers the minister to craft regulations, not guidelines.

The EFF has called for immediate implementation, saying delays are “politically motivated”.  

explain spoke with Legal researcher Emihle Majikija from SECTION27, who says the guidelines are helpful as they provide practical ways for schools to set fair policies. However, she’s concerned about under-resourced schools and whether they can truly deliver on this vision without additional support.

At the heart of the BELA Act guidelines is a push for fairness, inclusivity, and safer schools. Let’s just hope the minister and all stakeholders involved iron out the kinks and finalise the bill's implementation soon. 

Read the full article here.
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Basic education minister Siviwe Gwarube. Credit: GovernmentZA/Flickr

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. ✌️