The Weekend Wrap

Bela Bill questions and answers; remembering Pravin Gordhan; and the impact of microplastics on our brains—all in the weekend wrap.

Ferial Haffajee asked Theuns Eloff, the chairperson of the Trust for Afrikaans Education (Trust vir Afrikaans Onderwys), about his views on the controversial Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill, or Bela Bill, which President Ramaphosa is scheduled to sign on Friday.

By Ferial Haffajee

Pravin Gordhan’s 50 years of public service in South Africa took him from a young anti-apartheid activist to a determined taxman and finance minister, and eventually a central figure in the battle against State Capture, standing strong despite relentless challenges and attacks.

By Daily Maverick

Tuesday night’s debate between presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump had a clear winner — and it was not the former president.

By J Brooks Spector

The legal team representing more than 1,000 claimants in a class action related to the 2017/18 listeriosis outbreak claims that new ‘breakthrough’ evidence, uncovered this year, presents an ‘overwhelming’ case against food producer Tiger Brands. The team argues that the evidence points to Tiger Brands being fully responsible for the outbreak, which was primarily linked to contaminated polony. This video shares the personal stories of some of the families affected by the outbreak, highlighting the lasting and devastating impact it has had on their lives.

By Lerato Mutsila, Tamsin Metelerkamp and Thom Pierce

A group of intrepid hikers traverse 100km in five days along the windy coast, encountering far horizons and subtle beauty, and staying in neglected villages where the residents are clinging to life.

By Larry Dolley

Team SA arrived back in the country with only six medals – two golds and four bronze – after a week and a half of action.

By Keanan Hemmonsbey

Surveys suggest that coral cover around the tiny island of Mnemba has declined by nearly 90% over the last two decades owing to climate change and ‘overtourism’. A group of South African scientists are trying to reverse the trend.

By Tony Carnie

We don’t yet know the health effects of microplastics in the brain. But until we find out more, it’s best to limit our exposure to plastics where we can.

By Sarah Hellewell, Anastazja Gorecki and Charlotte Sofield

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is all over the place, but it’s still a lot of fun – for viewers, and everyone involved in the ensemble project.

By Noelle Adams

For the two of us, soon any inbred superior attitude would be clipped to the bone by an imperious elderly lady living on a vast country estate. The Duchess of Westminster was our last work placement before the South African army refused to grant Pierre further leave.

By Thérèse Fensham

After many failed attempts at dough-rolling, I made decent-looking, braided and ribboned koeksisters. I ended up with koeksisters that were soft, slightly crispy, sweet, and fragrant.

By Ray Mahlaka

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