Photo essay

A DAY OF THUNDER: DUDUZA

A tornado swept across Johannesburg’s East Rand on Sunday, striking those in its path without warning. By GREG NICHOLSON.

South Africa

GUESS WHO CAME TO THE NEW AGE BREAKFAST?

Leaders in managed democracies don’t generally allow themselves to appear in public in unmanaged situations. It’s undignified to actually have to answer questions that matter. We are not in one of those – a managed democracy, that is. But it’s a sign of how close we’re coming that President Jacob Zuma generally doesn’t allow himself to get too close to the people in unscripted situations nowadays (Mac, if you’re reading this, don’t panic, we’re going to be very nice about Mr Zuma in a moment). And you would have thought a breakfast hosted by The New Age newspaper and the SABC would be as close to Pyongyang-style politics as we would get. Strangely enough, you’d be wrong. By STEPHEN GROOTES.

ZUMA BARES HIS REAL THOUGHTS ON CORRUPTION CASES

President Jacob Zuma has offered us a glimpse into his thinking around corruption and taking out political opponents when he explained that acting against leaders implicated in malfeasance is a process, not a short, sharp execution. By CARIEN DU PLESSIS.

AUNG SANG SUU KYI TO SA: “PLEASE USE YOUR LIBERTY TO PROMOTE OURS”

It was something special to be present at the Skype link-up with Burmese pro-democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi on Monday afternoon. And in-between all the mutual flattery of South African struggle activists and Burmese activists congratulating each other on fighting – and continuing to fight – the good fight, there was a definite message: our government’s foreign policy should take a more proactive stance in condemning human-rights abuses around the world, and Burma in particular. Dirco, are you listening? By THERESA MALLINSON.

ZUMA: LAND CLAIMS COULD BE BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

Almost 13 years after the December 1998 cut-off date, those who still feel they have a claim to ancestral land, and who didn’t lodge their claims back then, could get to have another go, President Jacob Zuma said. Still, he reassures, we won’t be another Zimbabwe. CARIEN DU PLESSIS reports.

GWEN’S WOES MOUNT AS AUDITOR-GENERAL DETAILS PUBLIC WORKS SHAMBLES

After a brave but somewhat unconvincing media campaign that she was doing something about corruption, public works minister Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde has been told that the department she’s been leading for almost a year now is in disarray. By CARIEN DU PLESSIS.

Opinionistas

IVO VEGTER: IF THEY WANT RHINO HORN, LET’S SELL THEM SOME

The profit motive might be anathema to environmentalists, but they’ve had their chance. Decades of banning rhino-horn trade has cost us 97% of the black rhino population, a thousand-fold increase in the price of rhino horn, and poaching on a military scale. It’s time for tried and tested capitalist remedies. Farm the beastly things already.

Africa

LIBYAN LEADERS PROMISE NEW GOVERNMENT AFTER GADDAFI’S HOMETOWN IS CAPTURED

The battle for Gaddafi’s hometown Sirte continues to rage but Libya’s de facto rulers in the National Transitional Council (NTC) are ready to declare that the war has been won. The NTC is also set to announce the formation of a new government – with elections planned after eight months. By KHADIJA PATEL.

THE RESTORATION OF LIBYA’S REVOLUTIONARY JEW

David Gerbi is a Libyan Jew. There aren’t many of them. He returned from exile to fight the battle against Gaddafi, and now he’s on a personal mission to restore the long-deserted Tripoli synagogue. He wants to make sure his community is allowed to play a part in the new Libya. By SIMON ALLISON.

UNICEF NAMES PRUDENCE MABHENA AS ZIMBABWE GOODWILL AMBASSADOR

Inspirational Zimbabwean singer and songwriter Prudence Mabhena is now a rock star in her home country and abroad. But it was not always that way. Mistreated by her family because of her disability, she has been using her voice to speak for those most vulnerable. By OSIAME MOLEFE.

NIGER STILL REFUSES TO EXTRADITE SAADI GADDAFI

At the opening session of the Pan African Parliament in Midrand on Monday, Niger’s minister of foreign affairs, Mohamed Bazoum was adamant that his country would not accede to an extradition request for Muammar Gaddafi’s third son, Saadi. Libya’s National Transitional Council is eager to try Saadi on charges of corruption but Niger refuses to send him home to face the full wrath of Libya’s new rulers. By KHADIJA PATEL.

TAHRIR SQUARE AND MUBARAK’S ‘RESTRAINED REACTION’

It’s not easy to give any credit to the bad guys. That’s probably why Hosni Mubarak, for all his many sins, isn’t getting any recognition for departing office with (relatively speaking) a whimper rather than a bang. By SIMON ALLISON.

World

O’NEILL: SOUTH AFRICA’S INCLUSION IN BRICS SMACKS OF POLITICS

Speaking at The Economist magazine’s High-Growth Markets Summit in London last Friday, Goldman Sachs’ Jim O’Neill dropped something of a bombshell when told his influential audience “I don’t acknowledge the S in Brics. South Africa is not of the same economic magnitude of the other Brics.” Oops. Of all people, he should know. By J BROOKS SPECTOR.

IN THE NEXT 20 YEARS LEARN CHINESE AND BRUSH UP ON YOUR FRENCH

Contemplating American imperial overstretch has been a growth industry for years. Since the 1930s, the top challengers stepping into the ring have been Nazi Germany in tandem with imperial Japan, the post-war Soviet Union, Japan Inc, the rougher edges of the Islamic world, and now, most recently, the China of 8% GDP growth and privately operated but state-owned- enterprises. By J BROOKS SPECTOR.

Business

TIM COOK HAS BIG APPLE-SELLING SHOES TO FILL

Apple is due to unveil the iPhone 5 at its Cupertino campus on Tuesday, and the question uppermost on our minds is: Will the new CEO Tim Cook be able to match his predecessor Steve Jobs’ presentations and sales-pitch abilities? By SIPHO HLONGWANE.

NOMADIC LEADERSHIP – MAKING MONEY AND MEANING

Once it was regarded as the “soft stuff” of business, now meaning is becoming a real attraction for younger generations who want a “purposeful life” in work places. Meaning is becoming an unparalleled differentiator for companies like Apple who understand that reason for being gives people a cause in which to – and makes money. By MANDY DE WAAL and DAVE DUARTE.

Life, etc

iS THIS THE MOST PEACEFUL PERIOD IN HISTORY?

Stephen Pinker thinks so. The Harvard psychologist has just released his latest book, “The Better Angels of Our Nature”, in which he makes his claim that the 21st century has been the least violent era in human history. By REBECCA DAVIS.

NO MORE ‘MADEMOISELLE’, SAY FRENCH FEMINISTS

Last week feminist groups in France rolled out a proposal to drop the term “Mademoiselle” (Miss) for unmarried women. They say the label is sexist, outdated and condescending. By REBECCA DAVIS.

MATHS IN THE DOCK

It is common for forensic experts giving evidence in court to use mathematical formulae to show the probability of someone having committed a crime. But mathematicians are up in arms about the fact that a UK judge has now forbidden the application of statistical analysis to crime trials. By REBECCA DAVIS.

SAVING AFRICAN RHINOS, ANY POSSIBLE WAY

The South African government is taking a multidimensional approach to the rhino poaching crisis. After announcing a year ago it would conduct a study into the viability of legal trade in rhino horn, it is now holding bilateral talks with the government of Vietnam to share information. By SIPHO HLONGWANE.

NOBEL WEEK: MEDICINE PRIZEWINNER DIES BEFORE ANNOUNCEMENT; LITERATURE SPECULATION HEATS UP

It’s one day into the announcements of the 2011 prizes, and already the Nobel Committee of the Karolinska Institute in Sweden has had to face a difficult question – can it reverse a 1974 ruling that states no awards can be made posthumously? Meanwhile, with the literary announcement set for Thursday, 6 October, the bookies are open for business. By KEVIN BLOOM.

Sport

TIGER TUMBLES OUT OF GOLF’S TOP TIER

A tumbling Tiger Woods has dropped off the world’s elite top 50 list for the first time in nearly 15 years. By GOLF365.COM.

IRB NAMES REFEREES FOR QUARTERFINALS

The International Rugby Board has announced the group of match officials who will take charge of the Rugby World Cup 2011 knockouts. By PLANETRUGBY.COM.