Cat Matlala’s R360m tender; Ramaphosa & Lamola’s big weekend; and a Trevor Manuel power chat

Inside Cat Matlala’s R360m police tender that ‘shouldn’t have been awarded’

By Caryn Dolley and Suné Payne. The police service’s bid evaluation process is open to ‘abuse and manipulation’. This emerged in Parliament, where the focus was on a tender awarded to organised crime accused Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala’s company. Read more.

Ramaphosa and Lamola’s big weekend

By Stephen Grootes. As Donald Trump skips the G20, President Cyril Ramaphosa could turn the absence of the US into a diplomatic triumph, positioning himself and his protégé Ronald Lamola as having global relevance. Read more

Redi Tlhabi and Mark Heywood: Confronting power, inequality, and the price of injustice

By Redi Tlhabi. In this powerful episode of The Readiness Report, award-winning journalist Redi Tlhabi sits down with human rights activist Mark Heywood for an unflinching conversation about power, inequality and accountability — from the incredible election of Zohran Mamdani as mayor of New York to South Africa’s deepening crises of corruption and malnutrition. This is a candid, urgent exchange about what it means to lead, and to care, in a fractured world. Read more.

Behind the scenes of the mysterious arrival of planeloads of Palestinians into SA

By Rebecca Davis. In the past three weeks, two chartered flights carrying Palestinians fleeing Gaza have landed at Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport. What followed was a conundrum for South African authorities. Read more.

It's nearly December, time to party like the Road Accident Fund

By Stephen Grootes. In one of those wonderful details that really explains what is going on here, it seems the RAF spent R40,000 on what was labelled ‘executive drinks’. Read more.

Elephants vs big trees: new study maps out South Africa’s conservation dilemma

By Don Pinnock. A protected area alongside the Kruger National Park is experiencing high elephant densities and significant tree loss. What’s to be done? Read more.

Lipstick on a pothole: Joburg’s G20 glow-up sparks pride — and fury

By Ferial Haffajee. Joburg is glamming up its streets before the G20. Daily Maverick Joburg bureau leader Ferial Haffajee asked readers, ‘Are you like me on this: I’ll take it, even if it’s cynical politics? Or does the G20 pimp-my-city make you see red?’ Read their responses.

A new deal for African debt? Trevor Manuel makes the case

By Ferial Haffajee. As G20 leaders gather in Johannesburg, former Finance Minister Trevor Manuel joins Ferial Haffajee on Power Chat, to unpack a bold new set of proposals aimed at refinancing Africa’s mounting debt. From tapping the IMF’s soaring gold reserves to deploying special drawing rights, Manuel explains why the moment demands structural action rather than diplomatic rhetoric. Read more.

SA studio wins top animation prize for bringing prehistoric Karoo waterhole to life

By Estelle Ellis. Fancy Horse Studios has become the first South African studio to receive global recognition for its groundbreaking palaeontological storytelling in the Karoo Origins Fossil exhibit in Graaff-Reinet. Read more.

Now You See Me: Now You Don’t has a South African Uys up its sleeve

By Noelle Adams. Mirroring the disappearing and reappearing act of its lead characters, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t brings back the high-style ‘magicians staging heists’ movie franchise – now with some extra appeal for South African viewers. Read more.

Running fanatic Julian Karp prepares for a record 1,000th official marathon

By Yanga Sibembe. Social runner Julian Karp is targeting the Soweto Marathon as the stage for his historic 1,000th marathon. He made his debut in the sport back in 1990. Read more.

Chasing Michelin stars is costly — is it worth the effort?

By Russel Wasserfall. International flights are full, Cape Town groans at the seams in season. This begs a question or two: Do we need the Michelin Guide in South Africa? What for? Who benefits, and at what cost? Read more.