08 August 2024

/ The Wrap /

Hi there 🙋🏽‍♀️

Tomorrow, South Africa will observe Women’s Day. In 1956, 20,000 South African women of all races and backgrounds fought against repressive apartheid-era pass laws. We thank these courageous heroines for their efforts and celebrate the freedoms that have come with it… like Helen Zille’s freedom to comment on the GNU this week, which has upset the ANC. 😆

The women of 1956 may be dismayed to learn of the racism that still persists at schools. We thought the kids were alright. What went wrong? There’s also some sad drama on the Miss SA front, with days to go to the pageant. On a lighter, more pleasant-smelling note, there’s a perfume for dogs that costs an arm and a leg, and Team SA continues impressing at the Olympics, which end on Sunday.

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: GNU experiences growing pains

DA Federal Chairperson Helen Zille may be good at many things, but tact is not one of them. 

Auntie Helen said that the Government of National Unity (GNU) was just a DA-ANC coalition government at a discussion held by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom last week. Ouch. 

“A government of national unity brings all the parties together that would include the EFF and MK Party, which it did not. But it still gave the president the fig leaf he needed to bring in all sorts of smaller parties to say, ‘I’m not in a coalition with the DA’,” she said. 

We mean, she’s not wrong, but the GNU was a delicate political sell and ripping away said fig leaf hardly serves anyone. 

Zille’s comments raised the ire of many GNU members, including ANC deputy secretary general Nomvula Mokonyane, who said Zille and the DA were and remain “guests of the ANC” - which isn’t exactly true as the ANC has lost its majority. Sports, arts and culture minister Gayton McKenzie tweeted a response (as usual) saying: “We will still be standing as the GNU; your inability to be part of anything whereby you don’t exclusively call the shots is senile.”

Zille stood firm. Speaking on Radio 702 on Tuesday morning, she said the DA calls it a “hybrid model” but has no problem calling it a GNU. So why didn’t she just keep doing so?? 🤦‍♀️

Meanwhile, an anonymous report emerged that some of the ANC’s ministers complained opposition ministers were “making them look bad” when it comes to communication. The mostly younger DA ministers have been incredibly savvy in their media communication, including frequent updates via social media. Meanwhile, some ANC ministers were reportedly too scared to even speak to the media. 😅 The ANC has denied the claims. 

Whether it’s true or not, columnist Barney Mthombeni said that a bit of competition is good. “It could be the shot in the arm the ANC sorely needs and could be an antidote to the lethargy that has brought the country to such a pretty pass,” he said.

So, while the government gets to work, the issues between partners remain. This is to be expected with any partnership, whether a GNU or a coalition. We do wish someone could rein Auntie Helen in, though. She’s doing too much.

BIG STORY: Simbine’s fourth place Olympics heartbreak, eyes now on relay redemption 

Sunday night was a rollercoaster of emotions for South African sprinting fans. Akani Simbine, our star sprinter, once again found himself in the most heart-wrenching position at the Olympic finals—fourth place. In the 100m final on Sunday night, Simbine clocked an astonishing 9.82 seconds, breaking his own national record. Yet, it wasn’t quite enough to earn him that elusive Olympic medal. 

Despite the disappointment, Simbine's performance was nothing short of spectacular. His time of 9.82 seconds would have secured a medal in the previous two Olympic Games. This was his third consecutive Olympic final, making him the first South African to achieve such a feat. “I may not be getting the medals, but … I’m changing how sprinting is seen in South Africa and motivating a lot of kids,” he said afterwards. 

But don't count him out of medal contention just yet. The 30-year-old is set to compete in the 4x100m relay final tomorrow at 7:45 pm alongside Shaun Maswanganyi, Bradley Nkoana and Bayanda Walaza, who replaces an injured  Benjamin Richardson. 

Wayde van Niekerk, our golden boy from Rio 2016, is finding these Games a bit of a struggle. He managed to scrape into the 200m semifinals, but just barely, with a pedestrian time of 20.42 seconds – the slowest among the 18 qualifiers. Whether he’ll be fit and fast enough to contribute to the 4x400m relay remains uncertain. 

And then there’s the heartbreak of Prudence Sekgodiso in the women’s 800m final. The rising star fell back to eighth place in the final straight, finishing with a time of 1:58.79. It was a valiant effort but far from her personal best of 1:57.26, which would have been enough to snag a medal.

Meanwhile, our hopes in the field events rest on javelin thrower Jo-Ane van Dyk and high jumper Brian Raats, who have both made it to the finals of their respective events, which will take place on Saturday evening. 

But the pressure is now squarely on the relay teams. The men’s 4x100m and 4x400m relays are Team SA’s last realistic chances to bring home a medal in track and field. Team SA has qualified for the 4x100m final taking place tomorrow evening. As for the 4x400m, Van Niekerk himself is unsure if he’ll be able to contribute in tomorrow's qualifiers, given his current form and a lingering injury.

So, as the nation crosses its fingers and maybe says a little prayer, all eyes will be on the track in the coming days. And who knows? Maybe there’s still some lightning left in those South African legs.

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Photo: Akani Simbine by Roger Sedres, TeamSA Website

In a dramatic turn of events, Miss South Africa contestant Chidimma Adetshina announced on Thursday that she would withdraw from the competition “for the safety and wellbeing of my family and I".

Her withdrawal follows an investigation into her citizenship by Home Affairs that revealed Adetshina's mother might have committed identity theft.

Adetshina has been under enormous and unfair pressure, thanks to her father being Nigerian and her mother from Mozambique. Chidimma herself was born in South Africa. The attacks on the 23-year-old have been constant, revealing just how deep the ugly xenophobic sentiment runs in our country. Notoriously anti-immigrant politicians like Herman Mashaba and Gayton McKenzie have jumped into the fray. 

It all led to the Home Affairs investigation into her citizenship after a request from the pageant’s organisers.

Adetshina's mother allegedly used another person's identity to secure citizenship and South African documents. Departmental spokesperson Siya Qoza said that the investigation is still ongoing and that they are working to verify all details before taking further legal action. The findings have been referred to the relevant authorities for a comprehensive review.

Adetshina would have been one of nine finalists who will vie for the crown in a live event at the SunBet Arena on Saturday. Unfortunately, she has lost that opportunity thanks to something well beyond her control: her parents' actions and origins.

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Photo: Chidimma Adetshina, Instagram

It seems like every week, we're asking, "Who's the Joburg mayor?" Now the ANC has announced that a new mayor will be stepping into office by the end of the week. 

Al Jama-ah’s Kabelo Gwamanda took office in May last year, making him the eighth mayor in two years.

The tiny party holds just three seats in the municipal council, and Gwamanda’s appointment by the ANC, EFF, and minority parties was more about keeping the DA out in the hung metro, while the ANC held backroom power. 

The top three parties in Joburg after the 2021 local government election results were:

• ANC: 33.60% 

• DA: 26.14% 

• ActionSA 16.05%

Gwamanda's tenure has been fraught with corruption allegations, service delivery issues, and a contentious new R200 electricity surcharge. Pressure has mounted for his departure, and it seems the ANC has turned its back on what was effectively their puppet mayor. 

During the ANC national executive committee meetings this week,  President Cyril Ramaphosa blamed the party's electoral losses on the “dysfunction” of metros, including Johannesburg, and as has become typical, announced a task team to tackle the problem. 

It is thought that the finance MMC Dada Morero (of the ANC) will replace Gwamanda. He previously held the mayoral position for 25 days in 2022. Now that's what we call a cameo! 

A key player in Joburg politics is ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba, who served as mayor for the DA from 2016 to 2019. After an acrimonious split with the blue party, he founded ActionSA. While Mashaba once swore to never work with the ANC, his party will vote with the ANC to replace the current mayor if it gets the speaker positions in both Johannesburg and Tshwane, a crucial oversight and accountability role. 

The ANC has baulked at ActionSA’s demands and is considering working with the EFF and even FF Plus. The DA, meanwhile, continues to reject any coalition that includes the ANC and EFF while also opposing ActionSA's strategy of making deals with these parties.

As Gwamanda's departure looms, Johannesburg awaits to see if a new mayor will bring the stability it desperately needs or just add another chapter to its political turmoil.

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Photo: @KabeloGwamanda, X

You know how some countries love issuing warnings about tourists coming to South Africa? Well, this past week, the tables turned on the United Kingdom, and for good reason! Riots broke out in several cities in the UK and Belfast, Ireland, this past week, prompting multiple countries to issue travel warnings for their citizens in those countries. The police have arrested over 300 people in these racist riots, which began after three young girls were murdered in Southport in the north of England on 29 July. 

So far, Nigeria, Malaysia, Australia, Indonesia, the UAE, and India have advised citizens to stay away from the riots, which have been worse in cities outside of London. South Africa has not yet issued such a notice.

These rioters clearly are targeting visibly black or brown people as well as immigrants and asylum seekers. There have been several recorded instances of rioters setting fire to hotels housing asylum seekers, while libraries and shops have also been ransacked and destroyed. 

On Sunday, the UK prime minister Keir Starmer, said: “This is not protest. It is organised, violent thuggery and it has no place on our streets or online.” 

According to media reports, the riots were prompted by far-right groups spreading misinformation online about the killings in Southport, which were committed by a UK-born man of Rwandan heritage, who has since been arrested. These groups then organised anti-immigrant marches across the country, which quickly turned into violent clashes. 

While Starmer has called an emergency meeting of the country’s security services, parliament remains in recession. What has been encouraging is that counterprotests have been organised in many cities, with UK citizens showing up to show the rioters that violence and hatred have no place in their society. 

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Photo: Vitalina, Pexels

If Dolce & Gabbana are to be believed, the days of our beloved doggies smelling bad could be well and truly behind us.

The luxury brand has released Fefè, an alcohol-free “mist for dogs”. The mist, named after Domenico Dolce’s beloved dog Fefé has notes of ylang-ylang, musk, and sandalwood and will set you back a pretty penny: €99 or a whopping R2000. 😱

The perfume is described as “delicate, authentic and irresistible” and is apparently “crafted for a playful beauty routine”.

According to the fashion house, the fragrance is Safe Pet Cosmetics certified and “approved by vets”.

However, not all vets agree with the use of Fefè. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) has warned that the scent could mess with dogs’ legendary sense of smell and could be unpleasant to them. Senior scientific officer at the UK organisation, Alice Potter, said that dogs rely on their sense of smell to communicate with their environment and others. “Sometimes dogs can be anthropomorphised, and the lines can become blurred between what dogs like and what we, as humans, think they’ll like,” said Potter. 

Fefè is part of a burgeoning global pet grooming market estimated to grow to almost $500 billion (or R9 trillion) by 2030.

In South Africa, the cost of owning a pet can be astronomical.  Dog grooming can cost between 300 and 800, depending on the size of your good boy (or girl). Vet bills alone can cost between R50 - R2500. Yay for pet insurance!

While Fefè might be too rich for you, the best you can do for your fur baby is make sure they get regular baths, vet visits and all the treats in the world. They don’t need our idea of ‘luxury’.

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Photo: Goochie Poochie, Pexels

Pretoria High School for Girls is facing an ongoing racism row. 

Last week, a disciplinary probe by the School Governing Body (SGB) cleared 12 white girls (who were suspended on 24 July) of wrongdoing after statements made in a “whites-only” WhatsApp group emerged. 

Several black pupils, speaking anonymously to Daily Maverick, revealed they had seen messages from the group suggesting they wanted “special treatment” and should “get over apartheid.” One message reportedly read, “having Afros and dying hair” was something black students got away with.

However, the SGB found inconsistencies in the testimonies against them and a lack of solid evidence, ultimately deciding the girls were not guilty of violence, bullying, or disruptive behaviour.

Now a black pupil has been suspended after another video featuring her comments about white pupils went viral on X, which included a vague threat about her white peers “feeling the wrath” on Freedom Day.

The Gauteng Department of Education confirmed the suspension but has not yet set a date for the disciplinary hearing. 

Anti-racism expert Teresa Oakley-Smith noted the school “has a really bad environment regarding race. After the hair controversy in 2016, suggestions were made to improve race relations, but it seems nothing substantial was done".

Principal Phillipa Erasmus was placed on a three-month precautionary suspension on 30 July for failing to act on the allegations brought to her attention in 2023. The Gauteng Department of Education is launching an independent investigation to determine whether a culture of racism exists at the school. 

Pinelands High School in Cape Town is also embroiled in a scandal after a shocking mock "slave auction" video. Several black students were seen in a caged area while their classmates, who are coloured, pretended to auction them off.

The school has suspended several of the students involved and announced an ongoing investigation. "Our school has long grappled with the injustices of the past," they said in a letter. That much, it seems, can sadly be said for many of SA’s schools.

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Photo: Pretoria High School for Girls sign, Wikimedia Commons

The Paris Olympic Games have been marred by controversy, from a “shocking” opening ceremony to reports of pollution in the River Seine. Among the controversies is the situation surrounding Algerian boxer Imane Khelif. Known for her powerful punches, Khelif faced backlash after defeating Italy’s Angela Carini in just 46 seconds. This quick victory led to a storm of bigoted comments online, with right-wing figures like Elon Musk and J.K. Rowling leading the charge, accusing her of cheating and competing in the wrong gender category.

Khelif, a woman who has consistently participated in international competitions like the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships, suddenly found herself under scrutiny. Her troubles began in 2023 when the International Boxing Association (IBA) claimed she failed an eligibility test. Their president, Umar Kremlev, stated a DNA test showed she has XY chromosomes and elevated testosterone levels. Khelif disputed these findings in court but had to drop the case due to financial constraints.

Despite the IBA’s ban, Khelif is competing in the Olympics because the International Olympic Committee (IOC) stripped the notoriously corrupt IBA of its Olympic status. The IOC’s Paris Boxing Unit now oversees the matches. The IOC declared that Khelif meets all eligibility criteria for the Olympics, confirming she was born female and has always identified and competed as a woman.

Khelif's online bullying hasn’t ceased, but she continues to receive significant support, especially from her native Algeria. Her story highlights the ongoing challenges faced by female athletes who do not conform to traditional gender norms. This echoes the experiences of South African runner Caster Semenya, who was barred from the 2020 Olympics for failing similar eligibility tests and refused to take testosterone blockers, citing human rights violations. Other athletes, like Namibia’s Christine Mboma and Beatrice Masilingi, faced similar bans.

Khelif’s journey, which includes a fight for gold against China’s Yang Liu on Friday, underscores the need for better protection for athletes against bullying and discrimination. Influential figures like Rowling should be more responsible in their comments, as their ignorance fuels harmful narratives. The conversation around protecting women's sports should focus on supporting athletes rather than subjecting them to public harassment.

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Photo: Imane Khelif, Wikimedia Commons

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. ✌️