The moral and legal issues that surround mass hunger should no longer be avoided in South Africa.

The horror of 19 March 2026 still haunts a Cape Town father, the night police asked him to lift a blanket and identify what remained of his 79-year-old mother, known to neighbours simply as ‘Auntie Connie’. Beneath the sheet lay her mutilated body. He saw only her naked chest. Her head was missing, her arms severed, and both hands were gone.

After readers helped Daily Maverick track the extent of broken streetlights across Joburg, we visited one of the worst-affected areas, Lenasia South, to see how unlit neighbourhoods fuel a surge in crime and community distrust ahead of the 2026 local elections.

The device aims to reduce load during peak electricity times, helping to stabilise South Africa’s national grid while saving municipalities’ power costs.

West Ham were relegated from the Premier League on Sunday after a 14-year stay in England’s top division.

The old private markets were built around exclusion. The new prediction markets, such as Polymarket and Kalshi, are built around inclusion. They do not yet democratise ownership, but they do democratise opinion backed by cash.

Nelson Mandela Bay faces about 7,000 active water leaks as its decaying 4,700km pipeline threatens reservoirs. The maintenance budget is being depleted, which will derail the repairs to the leaks as appointed contractors await orders.

Any political party interested in winning votes in South Africa, especially votes from a rather uninterested youthful population, will need to have workable, clear and achievable strategies for job creation.

South Africa’s healthcare sector has many pressure points that will influence its financial future.

The Reserve Bank in the past decade has focused on the narrow disinflation objective to the neglect of the constitutional injunction to support balanced and sustainable growth.

After Joburg readers told Daily Maverick about the extent of broken streetlights across the city, we spoke to five women who described how the lack of streetlights limits their freedom and affects their ability to work, socialise, visit family and practise their faith.

African swine fever may not be contagious to humans but several rotting pig carcasses found in Grogro may pose a health threat, prompting Nelson Mandela Bay health officials and State Veterinary Services to keep a close eye on the outbreak.

Illustrative Image: Cape Town Port. (Photo: Getty Images / Bloomberg / Dwayne Senior) | Electrical pylon(Photo: Magnific) | Money. (Image: Istock) | (By Daniella Lee Ming Yesca) South Africa has received its first positive outlook revision from Moody’s since 2007, but the ratings agency is still keeping the country two notches below investment grade. This tells us that better fiscal...