ANC bigwig’s state capture sentence, Lekota’s legacy and earthly pleasures

From Parliament to prison — Vincent Smith receives seven-year sentence for Bosasa corruption

By Nonkululeko Njilo. Vincent Smith, once a powerful ANC MP and parliamentary committee chairperson, is headed to prison while comrades accused of similar offences walk free. Read more

How Mosiuoa Lekota challenged the ANC’s rule and changed the course of SA’s democracy

By Stephen Grootes. While Mosiuoa Lekota, who died on Wednesday, will be rightly remembered for his role in the United Democratic Front and his fight against apartheid, there is a danger that his subsequent — and equally vital — contributions to our democracy will be overshadowed. Read more

Selebi’s folly: Never an intention to charge Thabo Mbeki for TRC crimes, inquiry hears

By Marianne Thamm. Testimony at the Khampepe inquiry into delayed Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) prosecutions indicates that former national police chief Jackie Selebi was set up by old-guard security police. Read more

Cape route becomes shipping lifeline as Middle East crisis disrupts trade, spikes costs

By Ed Stoddard. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz is causing significant delays and rising costs in global shipping, affecting supply chains and production schedules worldwide. SA retailers, including Shoprite, are already experiencing disruptions, with essential goods stuck in transit and inflation concerns escalating due to rising oil prices. Read more

Four years, same 18 schools: The recurring maths of Gauteng’s school infrastructure

By Takudzwa Pongweni. As learners in Tembisa and Kempton Park finally enter classrooms two months late, Daily Maverick looks at how many education promises have gone unanswered. Read more

Farewell to Soli Philander, a relentless observer of South African life

By Herman Lategan. Soli Philander, Cape Town’s versatile actor, comedian, and passionate activist, has died from cancer. He bravely fought for human rights, fearlessly voicing his views on progressive politics and social justice, leaving an indelible mark. Read more

Cycle Tour categorised as a ‘rolling disaster’ — but one that inspires Cape Town

By Craig Ray. The 48th staging of the Cape Town Cycle Tour – the 109km loop around the Mother City on 8 March – continues the tradition of innovation in 2026. Read more

Showmax is dead — here’s the maths that killed it

By Lindsey Schutters. The widely circulated Canal+ corporate statement was four careful paragraphs of saying almost nothing. The numbers, though, tell a story of a streaming experiment that burnt billions. Read more

An Iliad: War’s horror and heroism in Alan Committie’s take on Homer’s epic

By Keith Bain. Unstuffy, primal, urgent and deeply compelling, the one-man play is an evocative modern-day, colloquial spin on the ancient bard’s epic account of the Trojan War, shot through with an overriding sense of humanity’s tragic inability to shake off its lust for the violence, carnage and chaos inflicted by military action. Read more

From pot-au-feu to other earthly pleasures

By Marita van der Vyver. She shares the experience of tasting what is considered to be the foundation of French cuisine, pot-au-feu, revealing its connections to art and literature. Read more

Yellow angels: Table Mountain’s firefighting helicopters

By Don Pinnock. In Cape Town you know there’s a fire before you see or smell it. The thud thud of the big old Huey helicopters trailing buckets is a sure sign that somewhere the mountain’s burning. Read more