Mail & Guardian
Mail & Guardian
govan whittleslatest news & developments
Govan Whittles is the presenter of Govan Ontbloot.

Beyond the script: Govan Whittles on vulnerability, curiosity and truth

In Govan Ontbloot, Whittles leaves judgment behind to share meals, conversations and vulnerability with communities often excluded from South Africa’s narrative

A national cannabis master plan has been developed, with the department of trade and industry tasked with its implementation and administration

Police can smoke out dagga farmers

​Agriculture minister Senzeni Zokwana has told Eastern Cape cannabis farmers not to expect protection from his department

File photo by Maciej Moskwa/NurPhoto

More irrigation, less migration

The effect of climate change in Africa’s semi-arid countries is driving young people out of rural areas into cities

The South African Police Union (Sapu) has called on national police commissioner General Khehla Sitole to act decisively after his deputy, Lieutenant General Bonang Mgwenya, was arrested in connection with the R191-million “blue-lights tender”.

Police commissioner tells cops to let the stoners blaze

In a directive seen by the M&G, police are advised to immediately cease the arrest of people found in possession of cannabis

Gareth Prince’s beard is now grey and his dreadlocks much tighter and longer than 20 years ago, when he first approached the courts to decriminalise cannabis. (Renata Larroyd/M&G)

Gareth Prince is still burning to be a lawyer

During his first court appearance Prince learnt that ‘the disrespect and disgust for our indigenous people and our practices were quite apparent’

(Image via Sydney Morning Herald)

EFF spurns DA, woos ANC

The ruling party and Economic Freedom Fighters may cosy up after metro battles leave the Democratic Alliance bloodied

Starbucks’ expansion runs out of steam in South Africa
 (Photo Archive)

Initiation Bill trips over Contralesa

Amakhosi say they have not been consulted and have been insulted because women are involved

The acceptance of the Bill was put to a vote, which led to 83 votes no, 194 votes yes and no abstentions. The Bill will be sent to the National Council of Provinces for concurrence (David Harrison/M&G)

Anxiety grows over party funding Bill

​Civil society groups fear President Cyril Ramaphosa is being lobbied about not signing the Political Party Funding Bill until after the 2019 election

Cosatu boss Sdumo Dlamini and his deputy Zingiswa Losi (right) are both in the running to be elected president of the federation at its elective congress next month. (Lucky Maibi/Gallo Images)

Cosatu’s boss loses favour to his deputy

The NUM and Nehawu are leading Zingiswa Losi’s campaign to replace S’dumo Dlamini

‘We want children to imagine themselves differently and to engage in dialogue that is essential to their health and wellbeing.’

We’ll pay Eskom, not municipality

Businesses are hard hit by blackouts because local government owes the power utility billions of rand

Art History: Thebe Magugu presented his latest collection at South African Fashion Week last week. Photo: Alet Pretorius/ Gallo Images

Threats of war conclude WC land hearings

Panel at Western Cape land hearings receive conflicting ownership accounts and threats to defend land violently

Khetekile Nonyawo is the headman of Jonga village, but he has to resort to digging trenches for R150 a day to eke out a living. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

Rich land, poor villagers

Coffee Bay’s pristine seaside land is home to some of SA’s most popular holiday resorts and remains in the hands of the Bomvana and Pondo tribes

The Eastern Cape hearings started with the hall packed to capacity, with about a hundred people still waiting outside. (Delwyn Verasamy)

AbaThembu king wants his own Ingonyama Trust

The first day of the land hearings in the Eastern Cape opened with a submission calling to replicate KwaZulu-Natal’s traditional land trust

Trane

Life goes on in bloody gangland

The drugs, the bodies, the violence – it’s hard to comprehend how people live in Ocean View

Muzaniel Abrahams and his family camp outside Steenvilla social housing apartments after being evicted from the complex about a month ago.

Evictees’ lives turned inside out

Winter arrived with force in Cape Town this week, and for some the driving rain adds to the suffering that comes with being evicted

NUM members protest against Eskom’s 0% wage increase proposal.

Angry NUM members vow to boo Cyril over Eskom woes

NUM members also intended to voice their anger at Energy Minister Jeff Radebe, who was meant to address the conference but instead travelled overseas

Zimbabwe’s newly appointed Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa.

Toughen up party funding Bill, NGOs say

Secret donations may soon be a thing of the past if civil society groups get their way in Parliament

The DA’s relationship with its most significant coalition partner is in tatters

Matatiele holds key to Bay politics

An ANC ally came to the DA’s rescue when its single councillor in Nelson Mandela Bay voted in favour of mayor Athol Trollip’s budget.

On Monday Zwelinzima Vavi

Unionist accused of stealing R600 000 of workers’ money

The general secretary of a Saftu-affiliated union is being investigated for corruption

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) denies that there was anything exceptional about January’s payment run. But many people have complained to #PayTheGrants and Black Sash.

Sassa strike won’t disrupt grants payouts, says public servants union

The strike is planned from June 11 and will take place on days when there are no pay outs