02 April 2026
The Mail & Guardian Digital Edition – 02 April 2026
Nature
IN PICTURES: A Bedouin boy rides a donkey in Al-Fura, and more from around the world
Moving, tragic, surprising, inspiring, terrifying, shocking… This is a selection of images from our planet, over the past seven days.
COMPETING CLAIMS: Swimming SA accuses alternative aquatics body of pressuring athletes to boycott its events
South Africa Water Polo has rejected accusations by Swimming South Africa (SSA) that it is directing athletes to boycott SSA structures.
SAPS IN CRISIS: SAPS suspends police captain for pocketing millions falsely claimed for Ramaphosa protectors
A police captain has been suspended on suspicion of pocketing millions from the service by pretending the cash was needed for transport linked to protecting President Cyril Ramaphosa. This comes barely a week after Daily Maverick first reported on the allegedly fraudulent transactions.
AI Can Clone Open-Source Software In Minutes
ZipNada writes: Two software researchers recently demonstrated how modern AI tools can reproduce entire open-source projects, creating proprietary versions that appear both functional and legally distinct. The partly-satirical demonstration shows how quickly artificial intelligence can blur long-standing boundaries between coding innovation, copyright law, and the open-source principles that...
25 years ago today, a mid-air collision sparked an 11-day U.S.–China standoff
On April 1, 2001, a midair collision between an American aircraft and a Chinese plane sparked an 11-day diplomatic crisis — and the two countries still tell very different stories.
Rassie Erasmus reunites with ex for family celebration
Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus enjoyed quality time with his family at his daughter Nikki’s university graduation celebration.
Without Fear, Favour or Prejudice: Civil society launches bid to overhaul NPA Act
If the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) were a taxi, it would be pulled over and instantly impounded for being unfit for purpose. A civil society campaign launched on Wednesday hopes to roadworthy a key vehicle in fighting complex and endemic crime and corruption.
Who is held accountable if a war crime is committed in Iran?
NPR’s Scott Detrow speaks with international law expert Gabor Rona about attacks on civilian infrastructure in the Iran conflict and how they may constitute war crimes.
GAUTENG RESHUFFLE : Lesufi hands top finance job to EFF in desperate move to save Gauteng coalition
In an attempt to stave off a budget crisis and keep his coalition intact, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has handed the powerful finance portfolio to the EFF.
Everton interested in Stones return – Thursday’s gossip
Everton are monitoring John Stones’ contract situation at Manchester City, Sandro Tonali’s representatives contact Real Madrid, Barcelona lead the race to sign Bernardo Silva, plus more.
BOOTS ON THE GROUND: Desperate Cape Flats residents welcome SANDF deployment amid the ravages of gangsterism
The deployment of the army in Cape Town on Wednesday gave a grandmother in Beacon Valley the confidence to step beyond her gate for the first time in months.
ANALYSIS: KuGompo, the tactic of political extremism and the shape of things to come
The violence in KuGompo this week, sparked by xenophobia, may well be a forerunner of what is to come. The violence was the result of groups and politicians deliberately creating outrage. Because there were no consequences, others will follow suit to drum up support for themselves
NORTHERN EXPOSURE: Zimbabwe’s opposition withdraws from violence-plagued hearings on Bill to extend Mnangagwa’s term
Facing orchestrated violence, Zimbabwe’s opposition has withdrawn from hearings on a controversial Bill extending President Mnangagwa’s term of office, urging citizens to engage in an independent consultation process.
Natasha Joubert shares mental breakdown as new mom
Former Miss South Africa Natasha Joubert has shared her postpartum mental health challenges after giving birth to a baby girl last month.
Bayern strike late to knock Manchester United out of Champions League
Manchester United go out of the Women’s Champions League as Bayern Munich score two late goals in the second leg of their quarter-final to win 2-1 on the night and 5-3 on aggregate.
Samsung’s Best OLED TV Is $300 Off
The gorgeous Samsung S95F QD-OLED is on super sale ahead of the newest models hitting stores.
Cloudflare Announces EmDash As Open-Source ‘Spiritual Successor’ To WordPress
In classic Cloudflare fashion, the CDN provider used April Fool’s Day to unveil an actual, “not a joke” product. Today, the company announced EmDash — an open-source “spiritual successor” to WordPress that aims to solve plugin security. Phoronix reports: With the help of AI coding agents, Cloudflare engineers have been rebuilding the WordPress open-source project “from the ground up.” EmDash is...
CHEQUE IS IN THE MAIL : SA Post Office on borrowed time — funding gaps push it closer to the edge
The South African Post Office (Sapo) has been here before: short of cash, full of promises and waiting for rescue. Another funding patch may keep it going for six months, but Parliament’s latest briefing suggests the harder question is no longer whether Sapo matters, but whether it can still work.
Suited up and ready to go: Watch the Artemis crew’s journey to launch
From spacesuit fitting to final communications checks in the rocket, the crew prepared for liftoff to begin their 10-day mission.
Is the U.S. Navy ready to clear sea mines in the Persian Gulf?
Despite the danger of sea mines, experts say that mine clearing has received minimal attention and funding from the U.S. Navy — and it’s often overshadowed by more high-profile weapons systems.