Welcome to the only South Africanised weekly cryptic crossword. Clue of the week: 8 Gees is very important before event starts (4)

The Beninese legend discusses the inspiration behind her latest album HOPE!!, honouring her mother while continuing a decades-long journey of musical exploration and connection

The ANC has been served with court papers by branches seeking to halt the conference, which was officially set for Wednesday

Named Decorex Designer of the Year, LRNCE embodies a broader movement redefining African design through slowness, imperfection, and deeply collaborative craft practices

TMPD deputy chief Dhlamini denied favouring a security company owned by Sergeant Fannie Nkosi’s brother Bheki Nkosi

When workers are divided by political loyalty to competing parties, they cannot effectively unite against employers during wage negotiations

A civil society organisation has opened a new criminal complaint against senior prosecutor Andrea Johnson, alleging a conflict of interest in a recruitment process in which her husband was a candidate.

As we commemorate Workers Day 2026, and 32 years into democracy, it is time for us to reflect on the rights of workers and confront unemployment

The latest Drop Report confirms a troubling reality: South Africa’s water and wastewater systems are continuing to deteriorate. Compared with previous assessments, the decline in drinking water quality compliance and wastewater treatment performance is no longer marginal, it is systemic.  This sustained regression points to structural failure rather than technical surprise. Yet public debate often […]

South Africans deserve better. They deserve a public service that works, that listens and that cares. They deserve assurance, not uncertainty that when an issue is reported, it will be resolved. They deserve a government that understands that behind every service request is a human story

The Lego blocks have done what a thousand NGO reports cannot do. They have made it clear that the emperor is butt naked.

Having declared a victory over absolute poverty at the start of the decade, Beijing did not simply declare the mission accomplished and move on

The National Freedom Party has granted KwaZulu-Natal MEC Mbali Shinga an opportunity to appeal her expulsion, a move that could stabilise the fragile provincial coalition government

The success of land reform will not be measured by the amount of land transferred, but by how that land improves livelihoods, creates jobs and supports inclusive economic growth

Across Africa, political communication is rapidly moving online. Advocacy groups and public institutions now rely heavily on digital platforms to reach voters. Social media advertising, sponsored search results, and targeted display campaigns allow political messages to spread quickly across borders and demographics. Recent elections across the continent have highlighted how digital platforms influence public debate. […]

Across Africa, the rapid expansion of digital infrastructure is transforming how businesses operate. From Lagos to Nairobi and Cape Town, companies are embracing remote work and cloud-based collaboration at unprecedented levels. The shift is being driven by expanding internet connectivity, the rise of tech startups, and increasing demand for flexible work environments across the continent. […]

The MK Party leader accused the ANC of “gatekeeping” the history of those who fought for freedom, including members of uMkhonto weSizwe (MK), the ANC’s former armed wing

On 27 April we should remember not only the dancing, but the funerals, the compromises and the unfinished work of liberation

The US-Israel war on Iran is sending shockwaves through global energy, food and financial systems, exposing deep structural vulnerabilities in the world economy, according to the WRI

On Freedom Day, South Africa should reckon with the man who documented what unfreedom looked like — and what it cost

The Mail & Guardian Digital Edition - 30 April 2026

An entrepreneur has accused the Industrial Development Corporation of rigid recovery practices that ignore the impact of Covid-19, as calls grow for an inquiry into its treatment of struggling black-owned businesses

Internationally celebrated dancer Mamela Nyamza returns home with two powerful productions interrogating identity, colonial legacies and belonging through bold, deconstructed movement

The country presents a clear illustration of how a weak social foundation constrains industrial development and reinforces structural inefficiencies but we can change that

Berita’s Workers’ Day performance becomes a powerful meditation on migration, memory and xenophobia in a nation built through labour, movement and forgotten solidarities

South Africa is positioning itself as a key player in the global race for critical minerals but new research and warnings suggest those closest to extraction might lose out, echoing long-standing inequalities in the mining sector

Recently, a proposed amendment announced by the Tshiamiso Trust — set up to disburse compensation — now threatens to shut out even more former mine-workers with the disease from compensation they were promised after a successful class action

A new Africa nature transition roadmap shows improved grazing, fire management and farming could unlock major carbon reductions while strengthening food security and livelihoods

In a country where leadership fears dissent and where the spoils system defends itself through intimidation and force, patronage is often mistaken for patriotism. It is therefore necessary to clarify the distinction

The war in Sudan, which has escalated into a major humanitarian crisis, has largely been overshadowed by global political and military developments in Europe, the Americas, and West Asia (the Middle East).

From Doringbaai to Port Nolloth, West Coast communities are pushing back against mining and offshore oil and gas expansion. Residents, activists and fishers say consultation processes fail local people while environmental degradation and economic inequality continue to deepen

The UN faces a pivotal moment. To stay relevant and advance human rights, reform must move beyond basic housekeeping. It should be based on fairness, inclusivity, and efficiency

The Communists don't feature as a force of any kind in opinion polls and when it has tried its luck in local by-elections it has been routed, at times struggling to get even a handful of votes. All indications are that it will have zero impact in the local elections

Mkhwanazi appeared alongside Ekurhuleni city manager Kagiso Lerutla, who allegedly paid R400 000 for him to arrange for a civilian, Thabang Tsotetsi, to impersonate him in court in an excessive speeding case

When Benin national Kémi Séba appeared in a South African court earlier this week, it may have seemed like an isolated legal moment, another controversial activist facing scrutiny far from home. But that reading misses the bigger picture. His presence here is not accidental; it is a reflection of a deeper, more consequential struggle unfolding […]

The Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria will start to cut its grant support to South Africa in just two years, with its final grant ending in eight years. Some experts are worried the government isn’t doing enough to plan for it

From policy U-turns and elite impunity to poverty, violence and the silencing of whistleblowers, South Africa’s democratic dividend is being squandered

President Cyril Ramaphosa says South Africa’s democracy must be measured by its ability to deliver real, material improvements in people’s lives

The communications and digital technologies minister said the department would take the matter seriously and implement consequence management for those responsible for drafting and quality assurance

The US-Israel war on Iran is sending shockwaves through global energy, food and financial systems, exposing deep structural vulnerabilities in the world economy, according to the WRI

With millions of South Africans unemployed — particularly young people — employers wield enormous power. The message is clear: “If you don’t accept these conditions, there are hundreds waiting to take your place”

We are proud of how far Cosatu has come since it was launched 40 years ago in Durban and the role it has played in ending apartheid, securing our constitutional democracy, uplifting workers and enshrining their rights into law

On Workers’ Day 2026, the typical white worker still stands far above the typical black African worker in a labour market built through conquest, land theft and racial rule

Author Moshitadi Lehlomela confronts childhood trauma in Healing the Mother Wound

Section 9 of the Constitution and section 6 of the Employment Equity Act (EEA) prohibit unfair discrimination on a wide range of grounds, including race, gender, religion and culture

Your essential dose of art and culture

Our high unemployment rate is not incidental. It is the outcome of decisions taken, priorities set and in some cases, the absence of decisive action across institutions responsible for shaping economic and labour market outcomes

Bellarmine Chatunga to be deported while his co-accused, Tobias Matonhodze, has been sentenced to three years’ imprisonment

South Africa’s experience is not unique. Across Africa and beyond, progressive forces have historically united, often overcoming ideological and organisational differences to achieve common national objectives

More than a year after the fatal Malawi Defence Force plane crash that killed Saulos Chilima, lawmakers have ordered forensic exhumations amid lingering questions over the official findings

New Lifestudio™ projectors, EcoTank printers, and the Creative Corner platform empower users to unlock their potential, from immersive home entertainment to sustainable business growth. Epson, a global technology leader, has unveiled a comprehensive suite of solutions designed to empower the dynamic lifestyles of modern consumers and small to mid-sized businesses. The launch introduces the new […]

Three officials — TMPD deputy chief Umashi Dhlamini, Sergeant Fanie Nkosi and CFO Gareth Mnisi — have been implicated in orchestrating approval of a list of security companies for a R2.9 billion contract

Dual membership was sustainable only while the ANC and SACP shared a single electoral vehicle. Once the SACP declared intent to contest elections independently, dual membership mutated from alliance glue into a conflict of interest

South Africa cannot allow Cape Town’s postcard image to hide its political underbelly

Across Africa, the rapid growth of digital connectivity is reshaping economies, industries, and everyday life. From mobile banking in Kenya to tech startups in Nigeria and South Africa’s expanding digital media sector, internet access has become central to the continent’s economic development. As governments and businesses invest in digital infrastructure, millions more Africans are joining […]

Artificial intelligence is showing up more often across South Africa’s digital services. Not always in obvious ways. In many cases, it is added quietly, as platforms try to keep up with higher usage and less predictable demand. One place this is becoming noticeable is online gaming. In some systems, AI roulette is used in the background to […]

The relationship between Russia and South Africa elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in March 2013, solidifying a long-term cooperative framework

New research shows a steep decline in adolescent pregnancy rates across all nine provinces from 2021 to 2025, reversing course from previous years. It’s good news, even if it's not clear why it’s happening

A new book on Brimstone’s rise challenges dominant views of B-BBEE, offering a detailed account of black business history, risk and ownership in South Africa

Remington House, a once-notorious hijacked building in Johannesburg, has been transformed into fully let student housing, illustrating what is possible when intervention is followed through