--- title: "Stilfontein must not be another Marikana; how home affairs glitched someone stateless; and the tale of the tea thief" type: "NewsArticle" publisher: "Daily Maverick" site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za" section: "Articles" canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-01-18-stilfontein-must-not-be-another-marikana-how-home-affairs-glitched-someone-stateless-and-non-existent-and-the-tale-of-the-tea-thief/" published: "2025-01-18T00:00:00" lang: "en-ZA" word_count: 970 --- # Stilfontein must not be another Marikana; how home affairs glitched someone stateless; and the tale of the tea thief Published 18 January 2025, 02:00 SAST ## Content ## The Weekend Wrap Stilfontein must not be another Marikana. How home affairs glitched someone stateless and non-existent. And the tale of the tea thief. ## [Stilfontein must not be another Marikana, President Ramaphosa](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-01-15-stilfontein-must-not-be-another-marikana-president-ramaphosa/) Official communiqués have reduced the Stilfontein dead and emaciated to children of a lesser God, as if the State’s representatives neither know nor care that the Buffelsfontein mine was built on the sweat of migrant workers, many from neighbouring countries. By Ferial Haffajee ## [Dear DA and City of Cape Town: Please stop the bullying tactics](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-01-16-dear-da-and-city-of-cape-town-please-stop-the-bullying-tactics/) The DA-governed City of Cape Town and the Democratic Alliance itself need to be held to the standards of accountability they set for others. By Rebecca Davis ## The Weekend Wrap Stilfontein must not be another Marikana. How home affairs glitched someone stateless and non-existent. And the tale of the tea thief. ![Buffelsfontein siege](https://i0.wp.com/www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/12742147-e1736974485975.jpg?fit=720%2C424&quality=89&ssl=1) ## [Stilfontein must not be another Marikana, President Ramaphosa](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-01-15-stilfontein-must-not-be-another-marikana-president-ramaphosa/) Official communiqués have reduced the Stilfontein dead and emaciated to children of a lesser God, as if the State’s representatives neither know nor care that the Buffelsfontein mine was built on the sweat of migrant workers, many from neighbouring countries. By Ferial Haffajee ![city of cape town accountability](https://i0.wp.com/www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/becs-dabullying-scaled.jpg?fit=720%2C360&quality=89&ssl=1) ## [Dear DA and City of Cape Town: Please stop the bullying tactics](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-01-16-dear-da-and-city-of-cape-town-please-stop-the-bullying-tactics/) The DA-governed City of Cape Town and the Democratic Alliance itself need to be held to the standards of accountability they set for others. By Rebecca Davis ![murdered queeny](https://i0.wp.com/www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/YELLOW-10.jpg?fit=720%2C401&quality=89&ssl=1) ## [Murdered in Worcester – ‘gangster informant’ who claimed Madonsela was target of hit](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-01-14-murdered-worcester-gangster-informant-madonsela-target-hit/) An ‘informant,’ who went by the name of Queeny Madikizela Malema has been murdered. Her past includes suspicions of rogue state activity, a claim that Jacob Zuma once freed her from jail, and involvement in apparent smear campaigns tied to Western Cape policing and politics. By Caryn Dolley ## [How home affairs rendered me stateless and non-existent through a software malfunction](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2025-01-13-how-home-affairs-rendered-me-stateless-and-non-existent-through-a-software-malfunction/) A routine visit to the Department of Home Affairs to apply for a new identity document turned into an Orwellian apparent loss of statehood for the writer. By Yves Vanderhaeghen ## [Real-life villains abound as LA burns, but sadly, there’s no Hollywood hero to save the day](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-01-14-real-life-villains-abound-as-la-burns-but-sadly-theres-no-hollywood-hero-to-save-the-day/) Los Angeles’ cataclysm was seemingly foretold by the hundreds of disaster films cranked out by Hollywood — save that this one is the real deal. But instead of politicians uniting to support the city’s citizens, they are blaming one another for how the disaster has been dealt with. By J Brooks Spector ## [How home affairs rendered me stateless and non-existent through a software malfunction](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2025-01-13-how-home-affairs-rendered-me-stateless-and-non-existent-through-a-software-malfunction/) A routine visit to the Department of Home Affairs to apply for a new identity document turned into an Orwellian apparent loss of statehood for the writer. By Yves Vanderhaeghen ## [The story of the wonderful Mr Mtati and the 100% pass rate for maths](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-01-17-inspirational-teaching-sees-walmer-high-school-matrics-celebrate-100-pass-rate-in-maths/) At Walmer High School, a no-fee township school in Gqeberha, very few of the more than 2,000 learners wanted to do pure maths until a new teacher, Songezo Mtati, who was only 26 years old, came to class — with a plan. As matric results were released on Monday, 13 January 2025, he wrote on social media: ‘Finally I managed to get 100% in MATHEMATICS. I’ve been fighting for this. Thanks to you all, Class of 2024.’ By Estelle Ellis ![Image](https://i0.wp.com/www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/IMG_7366.jpg?fit=720%2C991&quality=89&ssl=1) ![Image](https://i0.wp.com/www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/IMG_7391.jpg?fit=629%2C1000&quality=89&ssl=1) ![Image](https://i0.wp.com/www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/IMG_7394.jpg?fit=710%2C1000&quality=89&ssl=1) ## [‘This feels unreal’: SA’s top matriculants celebrated for resilience and defying the odds](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-01-13-this-feels-unreal-sas-top-matriculants-celebrated-for-resilience-and-defying-the-odds/) As the Class of 2024 patiently awaits the official release of the matric results, the nation’s top achievers joined Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube and Deputy Minister Dr Reginah Mhaule at the MTN Innovation Centre in Johannesburg for a celebratory breakfast for the top 39 matriculants. By Lerato Mutsila ## [Jurgen Klopp will be ‘Dr Football’ in his new role at global giant Red Bull](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-01-15-jurgen-klopp-soccer-new-role-red-bull/) Jurgen Klopp has described his new role as ‘Dr Football’ with Red Bull, although it’s unclear what cures he will administer. By Craig Ray ## [Conscious breathing can reduce anxiety and depression – tips for how to do it](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-01-15-conscious-breathing-can-reduce-anxiety-and-depression-tips-for-how-to-do-it/) Breathwork is an ancient practice to calm the mind and improve physical health. By Christiane Brems ![Image](https://i0.wp.com/www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2023_04_24_CROSSWORDS-GIF-TEST3-1.gif?fit=400%2C217&ssl=1) ## [Daily Mini Crossword Quickie](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/mini-crosswords/) [Play here.](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/mini-crosswords/) ## [Karoo Characters — Celebrating more than two decades of Heartland storytelling and road-trip adventure](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-01-16-karoo-characters-celebrating-two-decades-of-road-trip-adventure/) To celebrate Julienne du Toit and Chris Marais’s two decades-plus in the lovely, crazy, challenging Karoo, let’s meet some of the posse of creative, mostly positive, mostly eccentric characters. By Chris Marais ## [The tea thief](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-01-13-the-tea-thief-2/) It had taken Robert Fortune years of extensive planning and three months of arduous travel by boat, sedan chair and on foot disguised as a mandarin. His aim was to reach the black tea hills in the fabled Wuyi Mountains of China and steal tea. By Don Pinnock ## [The tea thief](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-01-13-the-tea-thief-2/) It had taken Robert Fortune years of extensive planning and three months of arduous travel by boat, sedan chair and on foot disguised as a mandarin. His aim was to reach the black tea hills in the fabled Wuyi Mountains of China and steal tea. By Don Pinnock ## [The tea thief](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-01-13-the-tea-thief-2/) It had taken Robert Fortune years of extensive planning and three months of arduous travel by boat, sedan chair and on foot disguised as a mandarin. His aim was to reach the black tea hills in the fabled Wuyi Mountains of China and steal tea. By Don Pinnock ## [The A to Z of thrifty food shopping](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-01-10-the-a-to-z-of-thrifty-food-shopping/) I write for real people, ordinary people, people who need a bit of help in getting by. Here are my 26 tips (one for each letter of the alphabet) for getting by on a minuscule budget – and even on no budget at all. Yes, even J, K, Q, X, Y and Z… By Tony Jackman [Subscribe to First Thing](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/edit-my-profile/) to receive the Weekend Wrap in your inbox every Sunday morning. If you value the work our journalists do and want to support Daily Maverick, consider becoming a Maverick Insider. [Support DM](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/insider/)