South Africa

THEMB’ELIHLE: A BREAKDOWN OF INGREDIENTS FOR A SERVICE-DELIVERY RIOT

The residents of Themb’elihle, now in their fourth day of protests, have one simple demand: electricity. Beneath that, though, lies a complex mix of politics and agendas, criminality and xenophobia. By PHILLIP DE WET.

THE EVIDENCE TO NAIL ZUMA WAS THERE: US EMBASSY CABLE

The evidence to successfully prosecute ANC President Jacob Zuma was always there, according to a US Embassy cable leaked by WikiLeaks. By SIPHO HLONGWANE.

ANCYL HAS BEEN BUDDIES WITH MOTLANTHE FOR A LONG TIME – WIKILEAKS

If a US Embassy cable leaked by WikiLeaks is anything to go by, the ANC Youth League’s love for Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe is no new thing. They’ve been buddies since Motlanthe’s days as a “caretaker president”. By SIPHO HLONGWANE.

BACKYARDERS VS DE LILLE: A TUSSLE OVER THE SHAPE OF PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY

Government has a paternalistic approach to dealing with the poor. That’s according to some of the organisations behind the backyarders movement. They also say that the government speaks to the poor as though they are invalids and does not engage them in decision-making that affects them. OSIAME MOLEFE scratches the surface in the first of a series of articles on the country’s so-called poor and marginalised.

WESTERN CAPE CRACKDOWN ON CHILD MAINTENANCE DEFAULTERS

The Western Cape department of justice is the latest government arm to use “name and shame” tactics to get results – in this case on child maintenance defaulters. But is naming and shaming actually legitimate? By REBECCA DAVIS.

JULIUS MALEMA, A FREEDOM OF SPEECH REVOLUTIONARY?

Next week Julius Malema’s hate speech trial will climax when Judge Colin Lamont hands down his ruling on whether he should be allowed to sing “Dubula Ibhunu”. Over the past weekend National Prosecuting Authority head Menzi Simelane said it was time to put legislation in place to stop people being racist. But in the middle of all of this is the Equality Act. And the parts of it that are currently used to stop hate speech may in fact, be unconstitutional. Really. By STEPHEN GROOTES.

Opinionistas

CHRIS VICK: A BRAVE NEW MOTSOALEDI WORLD

Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has called on South Africans to get more exercise and live a healthy lifestyle. He’s also declared war on just about everything that affects your health – alcohol advertising, salt levels in food, mothers who don’t breastfeed, the bad attitude of doctors and nurses. As he proudly told a World health Organisation conference this week, “If saving our people earns us a title of being a nanny [state], I very much welcome that title.” This is what the news reports from the near future could look like if Motsoaledi has his way.

CARIEN DU PLESSIS: MOEGENG: HOW TO MAKE A REVOLUTION WITH WHAT’S COMING

Quick, what do Koos van der Merwe and Gwede Mantashe have in common? Jolly tummies, long political careers – and they both know how to use “counter-revolutionary” and “judge” in the same setence.

Africa

COSATU LEADER ARRESTED IN SWAZILAND

As anti-government protesters in Swaziland embark on a global week of action, Cosatu’s deputy president, Zingiswa Losi, has been arrested during the demonstrations. By THERESA MALLINSON.

MUTHARIKE ANNOUNCES A WHOLE NEW CABINET AS OPPOSITION GETS IMPATIENT

President Bingu wa Mutharika finally got around to naming a new cabinet after running the country by himself for three weeks. But opposition to his rule continues to grow – and, as if to prove it, the president’s party was wholeheartedly rejected in a crucial by-election. By SIMON ALLISON.

ACT II IN UGANDA VS THE GAYS

Nobody appears to be paying much attention to the fact that Uganda’s infamous anti-gay bill is on the table once more. According to activist group Behind The Mask, the chairman of Uganda’s legal and parliamentary affairs committee has announced that the Anti-Homosexuality Bill would be debated on Wednesday again. By REBECCA DAVIS.

FOOTBALL AND EGYPT’S HOOLIGAN REVOLUTIONARIES

As they ripped up stadium seats and showered police with urine, it was hard to remember that the hooligan supporters of Egypt’s top football clubs were on the frontlines of the revolution. But after besting police in running street fights, it was easy to see to why they remain one of the transitional government’s biggest headaches. By SIMON ALLISON.

THE TUAREG PEOPEL AND THE MYSTERY OF THE NIGER CONVOY

Niger’s foreign minister insists that while several people, of varying importance, arrived in Niger in a heavily armed convoy on Tuesday, neither Gaddafi nor any of his sons were among the passengers. Asked whether Gaddafi was welcome in Niger, the minister said that decision was up to the president but added: “Gaddafi in Niger could cause some problems”. Niger is certainly too close to Libya for any future government of Libya to feel free of the shackles of Gaddafi but in Niger itself, Gaddafi’s wheeling and dealing with the nomadic Tuareg people could prove especially challenging. By KHADIJA PATEL and SIMON ALLISON.

World

GUARDIAN JOURNALIST QUESTIONED BY POLICE OVER PHONE-HACKING LEAKS

In the latest bizarre development in the News Corp sideshow, a Guardian journalist has been quizzed by police investigating information leaks about their investigation of phone hacking. Or something like that. By REBECCA DAVIS.

BLACK IS BACK – IN THE SLAMMER, THAT IS

Conrad Black, aka Lord Black of Crossharbour, aka Inmate #18330424, is back in federal prison in the US. Like News Corp’s Rupert Murdoch, he is a media baron who has fallen mightily from grace. Unlike Murdoch, he has done time. And he’s about to do more. By RICHARD POPLAK.

Business

NUM, ANGLOPLAT REACH WAGE DEAL. NO PRESSURE TO OTHER MINING HOUSES.

AngloPlatinum and the national union of mineworkers have reached a wage deal, and other platinum miners are in earnest talks with the unions to either end or avert strikes. By SIPHO HLONGWANE.

AT&T, DEUTSCHE TELEKOM, US GOVERNMENT SCRAP OVER T-MOBILE

AT&T wants to buy T-Mobile. Deutsche Bank wants to sell it. Straightforward, no? No. The buyer might have to pay the seller if the deal falls through. And it might, because the US government is suspicious of AT&T’s desire to merge. By SIPHO HLONGWANE.

GIGABA: TRANSNET AND ESKOM ARE FINE AS IS

Malusi Gigaba’s response to private investors asking to take over some state-owned enterprises was a firm “no”. The state is expanding, not narrowing, its public-enterprise project. By SIPHO HLONGWANE.

THE COOL BANKER, MICHAEL JORDAAN

First National Bank has emerged as the new face of cool business in South Africa. It’s an extraordinary feat, given that the industry is mostly defined by its conservatism. SIPHO HLONGWANE speaks to CEO Michael Jordaan about the bank’s gospel of innovation and other strategies for success.

HOW PETER CARVEL LOST WEIGHT. GOT A LIFE. FOUND A CAREER. THANKS TO THE INTERNET.

In 2006 Peter Carvell had just landed back in SA after spending a couple of years in the UK doing the study, work and experience life kinda thing. When he landed there was no cushy job waiting for him, and like most young people he had to start finding work for himself in a tough market. From there it went downhill all the way. Until he discovered YouTube. By MANDY DE WAAL.

Life, etc

REALITY TV’S NEW LOW: BIG BROTHER IS DEPORTING YOU

As reality TV scrapes the barrel, the Netherlands broadcast a quiz show last week called “Weg van Nederlands”. Its unique selling point? The five contestants were all student refugees whose asylum applications have already been refused. By THERESA MALLINSON.

NEW NASA PHOTOS LEAVE SCIENTISTS OVER THE MOON

The latest pictures taken by Nasa’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter of the Apollo 12, 14, and 17 moon landings should give the moon-landing denialists pause for thought. These images, taken from a mere 25km away, are detailed enough to show the tracks that astronauts, and their lunar rovers, left on the moon. By THERESA MALLINSON.

MERCEDES-BENZ CLS 63 AMG: A CAR OF CONTRADICTIONS

The Mercedes-Benz CLS has always been a car of contradictions. Here’s a big four-door sedan that likes to pretend it’s a sleek coupe?. It oozes fat-cat luxury, yet wants to be an athlete too. Mercedes says its new-generation CLS is much better than the first in every respect – and that should be true of the AMG muscle car version. DEON SCHOEMAN slips behind the wheel to find out.

Sport

AUSTRALIA VS SRI LANKA, SECOND TEST PREVIEW

if there was one act which fully declared Australia’s new-found confidence, it was Michael Clarke confirming their XI two days prior to the start of the second test in Pallekele. TRISTAN HOLME previews the match.