Daily Maverick

Cape Town homeowners who do not qualify for income-linked rebates are paying municipal bills that have significantly outpaced inflation and salary increases over the past decade as a result of spiralling property valuations and a wave of fixed charges that did not exist 10 years ago. Daily Maverick’s Rebecca Davis explains. Reporting by: Rebecca Davis Edited by: Anda Tolibadi Filmed by: Joel Seboa Produced by: Emilie Gambade Creative lead: Malibongwe Tyilo Sub-edited by: Kevin Flynn Read more: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/artic... https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/artic... https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/artic... Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider. https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverick You can find us on Instagram here: On TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@dailymavericksa Or on Twitter here: https://x.com/dailymaverick Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

South African couple Melany and Peet Viljoen revelled in the limelight. Melany featured on the reality TV show The Real Housewives of Pretoria. And Viljoen styled himself as a legal eagle. But all wasn’t as it seemed. The couple perpetuated the lie that there is a ‘white genocide’ in South Africa, with Afrikaners being violently targeted. So they moved to the US, where they were arrested on shoplifting charges. Daily Maverick’s Caryn Dolley explains. Reporting by: Caryn Dolley Edited by: Joel Seboa Filmed by: Joel Seboa Produced by: Emilie Gambade Creative lead: Malibongwe Tyilo Sub-edited by: Kevin Flynn Read more: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-03-12-the-viljoens-from-real-housewives-fame-in-sa-to-us-shoplifting-bubbly/ Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider. https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverick Subscribe to Daily Maverick YouTube channel. @dailymaverickchannel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Daily Maverick’s Associate Editor Ferial Haffajee puts the hard questions to Cape Town's Executive Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, on inequality, the DA leadership race, and what a functional city actually means. Hosted by: Ferial Haffajee Guest: Mayor of Cape Town Geordin Hill-Lewis Edited by: Joel Seboa Produced by: Emilie Gambade & Joel Seboa Original Theme Music & Design by: Bernard Kotze You can listen to the podcast everywhere, including Spotify! Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider. https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverick Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Two competing narratives have emerged since KwaZulu-Natal police chief Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi alleged in July 2025 that a cartel had penetrated South Africa’s criminal justice system, politics, and private security. Either he is exposing a national crisis, or he is deflecting from his own alleged misconduct. Daily Maverick's Caryn Dolley explains. Reporting by: Caryn Dolley Edited by: Joel Seboa Filmed by: Joel Seboa Produced by: Emilie Gambade Sub-edited by: Ian Wolstenholme Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider. https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverick Subscribe to Daily Maverick YouTube channel. @dailymaverickchannel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

South Africa is in the grip of an infrastructure supercycle, but it isn’t roads or rails. It is the rise of the AI Factory, windowless fortresses consuming small cities worth of power. Reporting by: Lindsey Schutters & Tony Carnie Edited by: Anda Tolibadi Filmed by: Joel Seboa Produced by: Emilie Gambade Creative Lead by: Malibongwe Tyilo Sub-edited by: Kevin Flynn Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider. https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverick Subscribe to Daily Maverick YouTube channel. @dailymaverickchannel Read more: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/artic... https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/artic... Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this solo episode of The Readiness Report, Redi Tlhabi discusses newly appointed US Ambassador to South Africa, Leo Brent Bozell III, and the recent rebuke from Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola. Drawing on her own experience of living abroad, from the United States to London, she offers four “tips” on what it means to enter a new society as a guest, why understanding local sensitivities matters, and how diplomacy can unravel when those lessons are ignored. Listen in! This episode was made possible thanks to The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom: https://www.freiheit.org/sub-saharan-africa You can listen to the Let’s Talk Human Rights podcast here: https://open.spotify.com/show/59LYbrnDnmsupzBh9Sb9dH?si=9ea830a251094765 Hosted by: Redi Tlhabi Edited by: Joel Seboa Produced by: Emilie Gambade & Joel Seboa Original Theme Music & Design by: Bernard Kotze You can listen to the podcast everywhere, including Spotify! Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider. https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverick You can find us on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/dailymaverick/ On TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@dailymavericksa Or on Twitter here: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article_tag/x/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this video, Scorpio investigative journalist Pieter-Louis Myburgh unpacks documents pointing to an alleged slush fund linked to Brian Molefe during his tenure at Transnet and Eskom — and what they suggest about money, influence and State Capture. Daily Maverick reached out to Molefe for comment, but he did not respond. Reggie Maponya said she did not wish to comment. Reporting by: Pieter-Louis Myburgh Filmed by: Joel Seboa Edited by: Malibongwe Tyilo Produced by: Emilie Gambade Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider: https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverick You can find us on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/dailymaverick/ On TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@dailymavericksa Or on Twitter here: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article_tag/x/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As tensions sharpen between Iran, Israel and the United States, Redi Tlhabi and veteran journalist Phillip van Niekerk unpack the strikes, the denials and the shifting nuclear narrative. From the collapse of the Obama-era deal dismantled by Donald Trump to the long-running warnings of Benjamin Netanyahu, they examine how we arrived at this moment and whether bombing a nation can ever be sold as liberation. This episode was made possible thanks to The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom: https://www.freiheit.org/sub-saharan-africa You can listen to the Let’s Talk Human Rights podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLu00m-l7ea9IBJGB-21RBwXVEhmDeCY2N Hosted by: Redi Tlhabi Guest: Journalist and political analyst Phillip van Niekerk Edited by: Joel Seboa Produced by: Emilie Gambade & Joel Seboa Original Theme Music & Design by: Bernard Kotze You can listen to the podcast everywhere, including Spotify! Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider.https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverick You can find us on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/dailymaverick/ On TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@dailymavericksa Or on Twitter here: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article_tag/x/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of The Readiness Report, Redi Tlhabi sits down with economist and director of Inani Strategies Xhanti Payi to unpack what the national budget really means for ordinary families. From food prices and interest rates to service delivery and the decision to hold back further VAT increases, the conversation cuts through the policy jargon to focus on our realities. Join the conversation, let us know what you think in the comments below! This episode was made possible thanks to The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom: https://www.freiheit.org/sub-saharan-africa You can listen to the Let’s Talk Human Rights podcast here: https://open.spotify.com/show/59LYbrnDnmsupzBh9Sb9dH?si=9ea830a251094765 And here: https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/lets-talk-human-rights/id1532706038 Hosted by: Redi Tlhabi Guest: Economist and Director of Inani Strategies Xhanti Payi Edited by: Joel Seboa Produced by: Emilie Gambade & Joel Seboa Original Theme Music & Design by: Bernard Kotze You can listen to the podcast everywhere, including Spotify! Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider. https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverick You can find us on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/dailymaverick/ On TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@dailymavericksa Or on Twitter here: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article_tag/x/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In a wide-ranging interview, Daily Maverick’s Ferial Haffajee sits down with Herman Mashaba, president of ActionSA and mayoral candidate for Johannesburg, to probe his plans for a city in crisis. From the deepening water shortages and collapsing infrastructure to his hardline stance on undocumented immigrants, Mashaba lays out an agenda rooted in enforcement and administrative overhaul. Hosted by: Ferial Haffajee Guest: President of ActionSA, Herman Mashaba Edited by: Joel Seboa Produced by: Emilie Gambade & Joel Seboa Original Theme Music & Design by: Bernard Kotze You can listen to the podcast everywhere, including Spotify! Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider. https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverick You can find us on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/dailymaverick/ On TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@dailymavericksa Or on Twitter here: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article_tag/x/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In 2022, Indian authorities uncovered R4.3-billion worth of cocaine and methamphetamine concealed in two consignments of fresh fruit shipped from South Africa. A suspect, who denies any wrongdoing, now faces criminal charges in India. In South Africa, however, no one appears to have been held accountable for what amounts to a major narco-trafficking operation. Daily Maverick’s Caryn Dolley reports. Reporting by: Caryn Dolley Edited by: Joel Seboa Filmed by: Joel Seboa Produced by: Emilie Gambade Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider. https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverick Subscribe to Daily Maverick YouTube channel. @dailymaverickchannel Read more: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-12-10-sa-features-prominently-in-criminal-networks-trafficking-drugs-in-fresh-fruit-after-raids-in-europe-uk/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Power Chat, Daily Maverick’s Tiara Walters speaks with Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Willie Aucamp about the devastating floods that tore through Kruger National Park. With bridges washed away, camps submerged and key routes severed, Aucamp outlines a phased recovery plan and defends the park’s emergency response. But beyond the logistics, the conversation turns personal: for Aucamp, Kruger is more than a conservation asset — it is a refuge and a national symbol he says he will always fight to protect. Hosted by: Tiara Walters Guest: Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Willie Aucamp Edited by: Joel Seboa Produced by: Emilie Gambade & Joel Seboa Original Theme Music & Design by: Bernard Kotze You can listen to the podcast everywhere, including Spotify! Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider. https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverick You can find us on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/dailymaverick/ On TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@dailymavericksa Or on Twitter here: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article_tag/x/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On The Readiness Report, Redi Tlhabi reflects on the fighting spirit of Jesse Jackson and the warning embedded in his life’s work: democracy weakens when citizens grow tired. With elections looming and institutions under strain, this is a call to courage, participation, and refusing to normalise injustice. This episode was made possible thanks to The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom: https://www.freiheit.org/sub-saharan-africa You can listen to the Let’s Talk Human Rights podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLu00m-l7ea9IBJGB-21RBwXVEhmDeCY2N Hosted by: Redi Tlhabi Edited by: Joel Seboa Produced by: Emilie Gambade & Joel Seboa Original Theme Music & Design by: Bernard Kotze You can listen to the podcast everywhere, including Spotify! Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider. https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverick You can find us on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/dailymaverick/ On TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@dailymavericksa Or on Twitter here: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article_tag/x/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

US Justice Department records detail Jeffrey Epstein’s links to South Africa, including references to business contacts and efforts to recruit South Africans staff and models. There is no indication that the business figures named were involved in wrongdoing. The files place South Africa within Epstein’s broader international network. Daily Maverick senior journalist Rebecca Davis explains.Reporting by: Rebecca DavisEdited by: Anda TolibadiFilmed by: Joel SeboaProduced by: Emilie GambadeCreative lead by: Malibongwe TyiloSupport journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider. https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverickYou can find us on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/dailymaverick/On TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@dailymavericksaOr on Twitter here: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article_tag/x/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After months of warnings that South Africa would be punished by the United States over its foreign policy, Washington has taken a different course. President Donald Trump has signed a short extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) through 31 December 2026, applied retroactively. In this episode, Redi Tlhabi and chief economist, author and a member of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Economic Advisory Council, Wandile Sihlobo talk about why South Africa remains in AGOA, what the limited extension signals about US trade policy, and why the outcome contrasts sharply with earlier predictions of exclusion.This episode was made possible thanks to The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom: https://www.freiheit.org/sub-saharan-africaHosted by: Redi TlhabiGuest: Wandile SihloboEdited by: Joel SeboaProduced by: Emilie Gambade & Joel SeboaOriginal Theme Music & Design by: Bernard KotzeYou can listen to the podcast everywhere, including Spotify!Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider. https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverickYou can find us on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/dailymaverick/ On TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@dailymavericksaOr on Twitter here: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article_tag/x/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.