On Tuesday, Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane spoke at the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), outlining her view of the province’s future prospects and problems; its challenges and chances; highlighting her “Vision 2055” for the province. The premier’s audience was in her corner right from the start – considering that it was a gathering of people committed to the province’s success, urging her on in her optimism. Nonetheless, despite all this good feeling, it is also clear many of Gauteng Province’s biggest, most fundamental challenges may well remain effectively beyond the power of the premier’s government to alter fundamentally – at least in the short to medium term. Instead, national, regional and global circumstances are more likely to dictate the province’s success. By J BROOKS SPECTOR.

South Africans pay some of the most expensive rates in the world for cellphone and data charges. Now a civil society group is taking on the big cellphone companies. The Right2Know organisation says that exorbitant cellphone charges are barring many South Africans from accessing their basic right to communicate – and that companies like MTN and Vodacom are needlessly exploiting the South African public. By REBECCA DAVIS.

The Democratic Alliance led media through a Soweto hostel on Wednesday to highlight the water and sanitation issues in the area. Little has been done to improve the plight of residents, for whom the most basic service, sanitation, is an everyday struggle. After years of failed promises from the ANC, there is little hope another party would improve the situation. Still, the DA gave it a shot. By JESSICA EATON, BHEKI C SIMELANE & GREG NICOLSON.

When it rains, it pours, especially if you’re an Australian in England. The Aussies had their match against New Zealand washed out on Wednesday and had to settle for shared points, despite the fact that they looked like they might just clinch a win. Add this to the fact that David Warner was dropped over a bar brawl with Joe Root on Sunday night, and it’s not a good time to be Australian. BY ANTOINETTE MULLER.

David Warner is all over the headlines, once again for all the wrong reasons. An incident with an England player saw the opening batsman dropped from the Australian team for their match against New Zealand on Wednesday. There’ll be jokes aplenty, but one can only hope that along with a severe punishment, somebody is having a quiet word with him. By ANTOINETTE MULLER.

A round-up of the day’s news from South Africa.

Nine months ago, former ANC Youth League president Julius Malema faded off the political radar, only sporadically appearing in the news during his court appearances and the auctioning of his properties to pay his debts. Now he has re-invented himself as a freedom fighter outside the ANC, and is embarking on the en vogue countrywide tour to “consult” supporters on the best way to achieve economic freedom. So Malema wants to form a political party, but wants to build popular support for it first. And while he is severely damaged by his corruption charges and in the political wilderness now, it is worth remembering that so was one Jacob Zuma a few years ago. By RANJENI MUNUSAMY.

The National Development Plan was meant to be the best thing since Julius Malema’s expulsion from the ANC – except, of course, if you ask Cosatu. Still, it appears to be a source of quarrels within the government itself. By KHADIJA PATEL and GREG NICOLSON.

As the nation awaits news of its Madiba, an inevitable debate has sprung up around the coverage of his stay in hospital. It's being claimed that it's ghoulish to sit outside an institution, waiting for someone to die. It was also suggested that it somehow lessens the dignity of the former president. As with most debates around the media, it's actually a debate about our society, and what is acceptable and what is not. I'm a reporter, a journalist, a radio presenter and a current affairs addict. So I have an opinion. And if we are going to have this debate, allow me to humbly give the case of the news media. Or at least, my version of that case. By STEPHEN GROOTES, writing, unashamedly, with an agenda.

India claimed its second successive win of the Champions Trophy as it beat the West Indies by eight wickets on Tuesday. The win means India is the first team to qualify for the semi-finals and Pakistan is knocked out. India is looking like the team to watch. BY ANTOINETTE MULLER.

Misbah-ul-Haq is Pakistan’s trump player, and in the face of adversity, he has stood out - yet he was still booed at the post-match presentation after his side’s defeat against South Africa on Monday. He took the criticism in his stride, although it must be unbearably frustrating to be in his position. BY ANTOINETTE MULLER.

Hashim Amla on Monday proved once again that he is one of the best players of the current generation. His knock against Pakistan, while ending with a brief lapse in concentration, was sublime - and after a few blips, he looks back in perfect nick. By ANTOINETTE MULLER.

A round-up of the day’s news from South Africa.

The Proteas went from “what on earth are they doing?” to “please keep doing that!” in the space of just a few days, as they beat Pakistan by 67 runs in Birmingham on Monday. Lonwabo Tostsobe was particularly impressive and stood out as the fine leader of a depleted attack. ANTOINETTE MULLER reports from Birmingham.

Shipping is one of the fastest growing sources of pollution in the world. But some research units and companies are waking up to the fact that the ships which plough the world’s oceans every day, carrying goods between continents, may also be ideally placed to carry out research into the planet’s changing climate. REBECCA DAVIS had a look at one such ship, Maersk’s Lars Maersk, which docked in Cape Town on Monday.

An extraordinary summit of the Southern African Development Community originally scheduled for last weekend to deliberate on matters related to the Zimbabwean election was postponed. Rumour holds that it was Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe who refused to attend. With no new date set for the summit, the jury’s out on whether SADC can play good cop for elections to take place without too much ado. By KHADIJA PATEL.

Seven of the ANC Youth League’s provincial structures and over half of its regions are without elected leaders after the League’s national task team met this weekend. The organisation is “a shadow of its former self” and its national executive committee was disbanded earlier this year. The slogans will stay the same while everything else is set to change. By GREG NICOLSON.

A round-up of the day’s news from South Africa.

The Ministry of Health is often cited as one of the government departments where effective leadership in recent years has made a real, positive impact. But in a public discussion on Sunday evening in Cape Town, a number of South African health experts made it clear that South Africa’s successful tradition of health activism still had a vital role to play in order to protect hard-fought rights. By REBECCA DAVIS.

From the writer's childhood, Mandela drifted in and out of his life, first as the polite gardener next door, later as a political prisoner, and finally as the iconic leader he would grow into. GREG MARINOVICH reviews the lifelong stamp of a legend.

On Friday, the DA announced it was giving a million rands to the Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance, to ensure that it now has enough money to go ahead with its legal bid to stop the tolling of Gauteng's highways. It's been warmly welcomed by OUTA, received a back-handed compliment from Cosatu, and met with thunderous silence from the ANC. It is now official: tolling is an election issue. And the Alliance will have to re-think its own faultlines, again. By STEPHEN GROOTES.

No game lends itself to more double standards and creative interpretation than cricket. Denesh Ramdin has been charged by the ICC for being “contrary to the spirit of the game”, a ridiculous notion which is little other than a smokescreen. BY ANTOINETTE MULLER.

It’s a tough time to be a leader of the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL). The national task team appointed to rebuild the league after Julius Malema and Co’s meteoric fall met this weekend and looks set to disband a number of provincial leaderships. Things always get worse before they get better, and right now the ANCYL is leaderless, broke, and hardly functioning. By GREG NICOLSON.

A handful of debutants made exciting starts to their international careers, but it was evergreen veteran Bryan Habana who stole their thunder, and Bok coach Heyneke Meyer’s admiration, with another sparkling performance in the green and gold jersey. And if the Springboks can capitalise on the momentum gained from this win, Scotland will have their backs up against the wall in Mbombela on Saturday. By KEN BORLAND.

New Zealand and Sri Lanka squared off in what started as an understated affair but ended up being one of the most enticing clashes of the Champions Trophy. A fine effort in bowling all round ensured that the action never let up and that the competition was still resoundingly exciting even four days in. BY ANTOINETTE MULLER.

A round-up of the day’s news from South Africa.

The defending Champions Trophy title-holders got their campaign off to a horrible start as they lost to England by 48 runs on Saturday in Birmingham. Australian skipper George Bailey said the result quite possibly “flattered” them and that it should have been a much bigger defeat. England looked a changed team with their bowlers in near-perfect touch. ANTOINETTE MULLER reports from Edgbaston.

Government has condemned the recent spike in violence against foreign nationals in South Africa, insisting the attacks are motivated by crime and not xenophobia. By KHADIJA PATEL.

The West Indies beat Pakistan by two wickets at the Oval on Friday. The match had everything, from rain interruptions to a delicate chase, as the Champions Trophy continued to entice and provide at least some sort of motive for one-day cricket’s continued existence. BY ANTOINETTE MULLER.

South Africa suffered yet another blow in their Champions Trophy campaign as Morné Morkel was ruled out with a quad strain on Friday. He’ll be replaced by Chris Morris – somebody many feel should have been there from the start. By ANTOINETTE MULLER.

Former South African president Nelson Mandela was in a "serious but stable" condition after being taken to hospital early on Saturday with a recurring lung infection, the government said in a statement.

The stage has been set for another strike on the North West platinum belt, this time at Lonmin, the very scene of August 2012’s bloody Marikana massacre that claimed 34 lives. After Lonmin and majority union AMCU were unable to reach consensus on a recognition agreement, the strike looks like a natural next step. By MANDY DE WAAL and THAPELO LEKGOWA.

Reports of Satanism linked to gruesome crimes in South Africa beggar belief, but does it exist to the extent suggested by media, where does it come from and how does it fit into the broader narrative of South Africa? By GREG NICOLSON.

Mamphela Ramphele must have been bottling up her slowly growing anger for years; biding her time; biting her tongue; waiting for her moment. After her much-heralded pre-launch in February, she returns to talk to the media, just weeks before her brainchild, Agang, is to become reality. The question, though, remains: is this to be her moment? By J BROOKS SPECTOR.

Thousands of Africa’s best and best-connected students have been lured to Chinese universities with free degrees, luxurious accommodation and generous monthly allowances. Thousands more will follow in what is an immense and sustained attempt to repair China’s reputation and expand its sphere of influence. In a Daily Maverick special feature, SIMON ALLISON goes to Beijing to examine the scholarship programme first-hand – and figure out if it’s going to work.

The Springboks will almost certainly emerge victorious over Italy in their Test at King’s Park in Durban on Saturday, but the way they achieve that triumph is what most people will be interested in. By KEN BORLAND.

Thursday’s opening Champions Trophy clash had everything a good one-day match needs to make for enticing viewing. India came out tops in a few areas, but there are some positives for the Proteas - although, with the bodies on the treatment table mounting, they’ll have little time to mull over it. By ANTOINETTE MULLER.

South Africa started its Champions Trophy campaign with a 26-run loss against India. It was a day where nothing seemed to go the Proteas’ way. They can take heart from a select few batting performances, though, despite an almighty collapse which very nearly resembled the c-word. BY ANTOINETTE MULLER.

A round-up of the day’s news from South Africa.

A spat between the African National Congress and Democratic Alliance over the latter’s advertising campaign on cellular airtime vouchers is but an indication of the intensive electoral battles coming as the two parties fight for control of South Africa’s richest province. The ANC leadership in Gauteng is on the back foot after being in the losing camp at the Mangaung conference but still believe they can increase their percentage of votes in the province. The DA wants to take control of Gauteng, its strongest area of support after the Western Cape. Depending how the chips fall in both parties, it could be a showdown between Candidate Maimane and Candidate Mashatile for premiership of SA’s most powerful province. By RANJENI MUNUSAMY.

As a political instrument, what my toddler commonly refers to as poo has a certain quality to it. It's easy to manipulate, readily available, slightly pongy, and really, really hard to throw back. There are certain drawbacks though. You have to handle it yourself, or get someone else to do it for you. While it washes off quickly, it's obvious if you've been using it, and there's a distinct lowering of the tone whenever you touch it. But such are our politicians that there's very little prospect of this week's scatological Olympics in the Western Cape being the last such event in our electoral calender. And, as much as it pains us to report, it's not the first time lavatorial content has been used in such a way either. But it is clear now that if we thought the last elections were bad, the next ones are going to actually be much worse. By STEPHEN GROOTES.

This year’s Encounters Documentary Film Festival, which kicks off today, has been whittled down from its previous 17 days to 10. As always, not all the films on offer will be guaranteed delights, but the programme continues to offer varied treats to a South African audience usually a bit starved of the chance to view quality documentaries on the big screen. REBECCA DAVIS previews some of the films to look out for.

Recent news reports say the British and French governments have concluded that chemical analysis of samples obtained from Syrian sources confirm the use of sarin gas (a powerful nerve toxin agent) in the fighting in Syria. CBS News (as well as other media) reported, “France said Tuesday it has confirmed that the nerve gas sarin was used ‘multiple times and in a localized way’ in Syria, including at least once by the regime. It was the most specific claim by any Western power about chemical weapons attacks in the 27-month-old conflict. Britain later said that tests it conducted on samples taken from Syria also were positive for sarin.” This may – but only may – be the thing that changes the fundamental dimensions of the Syrian conflict. By J BROOKS SPECTOR.

Coach Heyneke Meyer knows that he needs to add more attacking spark in year two of his tenure with the national team, and the two new caps chosen for the Test against Italy in Durban on Saturday could be the first steps in that process. By KEN BORLAND.

Is the electric car really a viable alternative to the growing number of hybrid cars – or even to an emerging generation of small-engined, highly sophisticated and ultra-frugal petrol-powered models? BMW thinks so – and it built more than a thousand ActiveE prototypes to prove the point. DEON SCHOEMAN drives the Bavarian stealth machine.

After five years in the making, Given Mkhari’s Power FM held its media launch in Johannesburg on Wednesday, ahead of its on-air debut on 18 June. The Gauteng station promised to change the country forever, offering a new platform for individuals to be themselves and participate in the country’s future. The critics think it will work, if the execution matches the formula. By JESSICA EATON & GREG NICOLSON.

Government insists the scenes of looting and violence against foreign nationals in Diepsloot last week were acts of criminality and not inspired by xenophobia. Yet the experience of foreign nationals in South Africa is certainly not untouched by xenophobic sentiment. KHADIJA PATEL spoke to a Somali woman who is one of the owners of the Diepsloot store where two Zimbabweans were killed last week.

By handing down stiff prison sentences to international NGO workers, Egypt has only succeeded in angering civil society and making the new government look alarmingly like the old. Which is a pity, because the problem underlying this debacle – the overt politicisation of international civil society – is a real one. By SIMON ALLISON.

South Africa and India open the Champions Trophy in Cardiff on Thursday, in a match which should yield some rewards for the fast bowlers. Conditions are expected to be clear, and if Dale Steyn fails to pass a fitness test, it will be up to the Proteas’ rookies to lead the way. BY ANTOINETTE MULLER.

A round-up of the day’s news from South Africa.