--- title: "Trump’s Gaza AI; Eskom’s misleading statements; and navigating modern relationship challenges" type: "NewsArticle" publisher: "Daily Maverick" site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za" section: "Articles" canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-03-01-trumps-gaza-ai-eskoms-misleading-statements-and-navigating-modern-relationship-challenges/" published: "2025-03-01T00:00:00" lang: "en-ZA" word_count: 975 --- # Trump’s Gaza AI; Eskom’s misleading statements; and navigating modern relationship challenges Published 1 March 2025, 02:00 SAST ## Content ## The Weekend Wrap Trumps Gaza AI. Did Eskom mislead South Africans about load shedding risk? And navigating the complexities of modern relationships. ## [Madness in the water — Trump Gaza AI, Ramaphosa and the shadow of ethnic cleansing](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-02-27-trump-gaza-ai-ramaphosa-ethnic-cleansing/) With the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire due to end on 1 March, and negotiations stalled for the second phase, the world waits on tenterhooks to see what will happen next. At this most precarious of moments, President Donald Trump, assisted by AI, appears to be ramping up the threat of ethnic cleansing. Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa is holding the line on the rule of international law. By Kevin Bloom ## [Frans du Toit – how poverty, abuse and addiction shaped the serial rapist who almost killed Alison Botha](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-02-27-portrait-of-psychopath-serial-rapist-frans-du-toit/) Violent serial rapists Frans du Toit and Theuns Kruger are back behind bars after an unprecedented move by Minister of Correctional Services Pieter Groenewald to revoke their 2023 parole after serving 28 years. By Marianne Thamm ## The Weekend Wrap Trumps Gaza AI. Did Eskom mislead South Africans about load shedding risk? And navigating the complexities of modern relationships. ![trump gaza ai ramaphosa](https://i0.wp.com/www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/bloomtrumpstatue.jpg?fit=720%2C360&quality=89&ssl=1) ## [Madness in the water — Trump Gaza AI, Ramaphosa and the shadow of ethnic cleansing](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-02-27-trump-gaza-ai-ramaphosa-ethnic-cleansing/) With the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire due to end on 1 March, and negotiations stalled for the second phase, the world waits on tenterhooks to see what will happen next. At this most precarious of moments, President Donald Trump, assisted by AI, appears to be ramping up the threat of ethnic cleansing. Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa is holding the line on the rule of international law. By Kevin Bloom ![frans du toit rapist alison botha Theuns Kruger](https://i0.wp.com/www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/0.jpg?fit=720%2C360&quality=89&ssl=1) ## [Frans Kruger – how poverty, abuse and addiction shaped a serial rapist](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-02-19-guptas-what-guptas-state-security-agency-says-it-has-no-records-concerning-the-brothers/) Violent serial rapists Frans du Toit and Theuns Kruger are back behind bars after an unprecedented move by Minister of Correctional Services Pieter Groenewald to revoke their 2023 parole after serving 28 years. By Marianne Thamm ![Image](https://i0.wp.com/www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Opinion-Hoffman-NacacTW.jpg?fit=401%2C401&quality=89&ssl=1) ## [Instead of hiking VAT, let’s aggressively recover the trillions looted in State Capture](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2025-02-24-instead-of-hiking-vat-recover-trillions-looted-in-state-capture/) About R60-billion a year would have come in from the additional VAT in the aborted proposal to raise it by 2%. The loot of State Capture is estimated in trillions. By Paul Hoffman ## [Three possible ways to reduce state expenditure to avoid the VAT increase](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-02-24-three-possible-ways-to-reduce-state-expenditure-to-avoid-the-vat-increase/) Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana might want to take a hard look at the R90-billion annual Sacu payments that have turned from fiscal lifeline to a financial noose, while also reining in the bloated salaries of agency executives. The crucial issue is that somehow SA has to inculcate the idea into the seemingly impenetrable heads of the SA ruling class that the population of South Africa is just sick of their cavalier approach to wasting taxpayers’ money. By Tim Cohen ![after the bell](https://i0.wp.com/www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/ATB-tim-3-options.jpg?fit=720%2C360&quality=89&ssl=1) ## [How Russia is cosying up to SA to create an Antarctic BRICS+ bloc — one tiny toy icebreaker at a time](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-02-27-how-russia-is-cosying-up-to-sa-to-create-an-antarctic-brics-bloc-one-tiny-toy-icebreaker-at-a-time/) When Putin’s people were at an Antarctic fisheries meeting, helping Beijing shred a historic krill agreement, his top polar man was in Cape Town, wooing local researchers. The move appears to be part of Russia’s strategy to expand its South Pole influence. Does swing state South Africa care? By Tiara Walters ## [Data vs spin — did Eskom mislead South Africans about the load shedding risk?](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-02-26-datadid-eskom-mislead-south-africans-about-load-shedding-risk/) Experts say Eskom’s diesel use showed load shedding was coming before it hit, which directly contradicts Eskom’s optimistic public statements. By Ethan van Diemen ## [Intimacy, loneliness and connection — Navigating the complexities of modern relationships](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-02-27-dr-eve-on-navigating-the-complexities-of-modern-relationships/) Dr Eve, a family therapist, sex therapist and expert in intimacy trauma, brings years of experience and academic training to her therapy room. In this column, she offers a candid exploration of the deep-seated issues surrounding intimacy, loneliness and connection in today’s world. By Dr Eve ## [President Ramaphosa welcomes G20 delegates in Cape Town, and more from around the world](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-02-26-president-ramaphosa-welcomes-g20-delegates-in-cape-town-and-more-from-around-the-world/?) Moving, tragic, surprising, inspiring, terrifying, shocking… This is a selection of images from our planet, over the past weekend. By Maverick Life Editors ![Image](https://i0.wp.com/www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/ED_548297-scaled.jpg?fit=720%2C480&quality=89&ssl=1) ## [Tomb of Egyptian pharaoh is first found in Luxor since Tutankhamun – here’s how we know who lay inside](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-02-24-tomb-of-egyptian-pharaoh-is-first-found-in-luxor-since-tutankhamun-heres-how-we-know-who-lay-inside/) The discovery of Thutmose II’s original burial site is one of Egypt’s last missing royal tombs. By Claire Isabella Gilmour ## [Who should represent South Africa in Washington? Daily Maverick readers share their views](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-02-27-who-should-represent-sa-in-washington-daily-maverick-readers-weigh-in/) With Agoa and aid funding at stake, Daily Maverick readers share their views on who should engage the Trump administration. By Daily Maverick ![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/) ## [The blurred lines between Drive to Survive and actual Formula One](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-02-27-the-blurred-lines-between-drive-to-survive-and-actual-formula-one/) Formula One has two season launches these days – one for the hit TV series Drive to Survive and another for the actual racing.Tori Stowe takes Daily Maverick on a meandering tour of the myriad Nolukhanyo Grows home garden projects in Bathurst, Eastern Cape, to see which have grown roots of their own. At Maynardville, under the stars and under the guiding hand of a sage director, The Tempest is a sui generis Shakespearean oddity that is more than the sum of its parts. By Craig Ray ## [‘The power of food’ — Ladles of Love tackles nutrition in early childhood development centres](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-02-26-food-ladles-of-love-tackles-nutrition-in-early-childhood-development-centres/) Nonprofit organisation Ladles of Love is tackling food insecurity in the early childhood development sector by providing balanced food parcels to early learning centres in the Western Cape, Northern Cape and Gauteng. By Tamsin Metelerkamp ## [The Tomato Diaries: lessons, savings, and one last recipe before the veggie farewell](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-02-28-the-tomato-diaries-lessons-savings-and-one-last-recipe-before-the-veggie-farewell/) After a month-long tomato-filled adventure (and a brief stint as a vegetarian), there were some surprising lessons learnt about the fruit (yes, tomatoes are technically a fruit). Here’s one final tomato-laden recipe: flavourful stuffed tomatoes. By Ray Mahlaka [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/)