Mail & Guardian
Mail & Guardian
Thabo Motshweni

Creator

Thabo Motshweni

Thabo Motshweni is a master’s candidate in the sociology department at the University of Johannesburg

Food poisoning results in illness and, in some cases, death. Among the causes is the underground economy of fake goods. Photo: File

Food poisoning: How an organisation is stepping In to protect people

Twenty-three children have died and nearly 900 people have fallen ill from food poisoning but the Bakery & Food Technology Incubator is fighting back by testing food and…

The centralisation of biometric and demographic data in Kenya feeds into a global system where African data is commodified, analysed and leveraged by external actors.

New colonialism: The digital ID dilemma in Kenya

The centralisation of biometric and demographic data could empower citizens — or it could be commodified by external actors

On AI itself, Pope Leo calls for technological projects that protect what he describes as the grandeur of humanity. He warns against reducing people to measurable outputs, predictive profiles or behavioural categories.

The mirage of AI: South Africa’s reality check on the tech ‘utopia’

Automation, driven by artificial intelligence, threatens jobs for low-skilled and semi-skilled workers and these groups are also subjected to higher interest rates and…

The G20 is a forum of the largest economies in the world who meet regularly to discuss the most pressing issues facing the global economy. (Photo: Brenton Geach/Gallo Images/Getty Image)

G20 Summit: A question of global power and influence

The G20 is meant to be a more inclusive space, but the selective participation of global powers suggests that the same patterns of exclusion persist

The township economy is a vital, parallel sector estimated to be worth around R900 billion annually.  (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

The township economy: Will Cyril’s R500 million make a difference?

Without a transparent and participatory process, initiatives such as this risks becoming another example of state-led paternalism that disempowers the people it seeks to uplift

The proliferation of illegal credit providers is not just a regulatory failure but a symptom of the broader inequalities entrenched in the country’s financial system

South Africa’s credit crisis: The fight against predatory lending

The proliferation of illegal credit providers is not just a regulatory failure but a symptom of the broader inequalities entrenched in the country’s financial system

Unemployed men inJohannesburg wait on a street corner for work for part-time work. Photo: Naashon Zalk/Bloomberg/Getty Images

South Africa’s economy: Talk is not enough to drive real change

Past summits on the economy have led to hopeful rhetoric but little meaningful action. The longer this paralysis continues, the more damaging it becomes

Two-pot system: Immediate benefits must be weighed up against long-term security

As South Africans decide whether to withdraw a portion of their retirement savings, it’s important that they fully grasp the potential costs involved

City Power reports that only 11% of Alexandra’s residents pay for electricity. (Fani Mahuntsi/Gallo Images via Getty Images)

The complex issue of illegal electricity connections

The disconnect-reconnect cycle in townships is a reminder that giving people legal, affordable access to power goes beyond technical solutions

South Africa is widely recognised as the most unequal society in the world, with a startling 71% of the country’s wealth concentrated in the hands of a mere 10% elite

Will a tax on the rich solve the problem of extreme inequality in South Africa?

Comprehensive reforms are required, including dismantling the neoliberal economic framework

As South Africa steps into a new chapter with the Climate Change Act, it is crucial to question the depth of its commitment and the substance of its promises. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

South Africa’s Climate Change Act a band-aid solution for a gaping wound?

Is there the political will to implement it effectively or is it a smokescreen intended to placate local and global stakeholders while maintaining the status quo?

Paul Mashatile said that the issues between ANC Gauteng chair Panyaza Lesufi and the DA’s Helen Zille would be resolved at some point. (File photo)

GNU: South Africa’s new social contract goes beyond political parties

Citizens have a role in building the country based on shared values and aspirations, and must hold the unity government to account

File photo by Waldo Swiegers/Getty Images.

South Africa’s energy policy prioritises profit over people

The government’s support for coal-fired power and reluctance to transition to renewable energy undermines potential for economic expansion and job creation in the renewable…

Sanral has issued a tender for contractors to take over its e-toll system.

Big Brother’s plans to watch you via the e-toll system

Is monetising data from surveilling individuals more important than ensuring they enjoy the right to privacy?

Waste pickers lament nondelivery of karikis by Enviro Mobi

Blockchain tech gives waste pickers the opportunity to enter the formal economy

Guidelines aim to integrate the more than 60 000 people who collect waste from the bins of households and businesses into the formal economy