AFRICA’S BEST READ November 22 to 28 2019 Vol 35 No 47 @mailandguardian mg.co.za Burna Boy Sex crimes rampant in SANDF vs AKA: African O Female soldiers forced to work with abusers unity up in OMinister lashes generals, starts own inquiry 4 & 5 flames 20 & 21 Slave labour at ‘Beautiful City’ Dozens of under-age Cyril plans workers locked inside Jo’burg factory Page 23 reshuffle Photo: Paul Botes to assert Cults and lies in the church of refugees Page 6 control Developing threats: Sisulu in firing line as new alliances take shape Page 3 Photo: David Harrison 2 Mail & Guardian November 22 to 28 2019 IN BRIEF Capture of State Capturers Oluwaseun ppm Former State Security NUMBERS OF THE WEEK 412.08412 08 The number of women that feature on the Time 100 Ayodeji As of September 16 this is the level of carbon Minister Bongani Osowobi dioxide in the atmosphere. A safe number Bongo appeared Next 2019 list of influential young people. The maga- is 350 while 450 is catastrophic briefly in the Cape zine’s list includes Oluwaseun Ayodeji Osowobi (28) from Nigeria, Town Magistrate’s Data source: NASA who was given a shout-out on Twitter by former president court on Thursday Barack Obama, who said he was proud of her and her work in where he is facing 13 organising young people in Nigeria charges of corruption. States drop the Bongo’s arrest is related to his alleged to help end sexual violence attempt to bribe state advocate Ntuthuzelo catch on climate Vanara, who at the time was involved in Parliament’s investigation into state capture. It was 233°C in Bloemfontein this week. Bongo is said to have approached Vanara, the That’s a lot as a young freckled person, evidence leader for the commission, with a I marvelled at people in private schools blank cheque off er to feign illness in order to 1.5bn The number of times The number of getting off sports when it nudged past derail proceedings. chief executives 30°C. In Limpopo, the toss before a Bongo was released on R5 000 bail with the the short-form video cricket match was about trying to make defence having indicated that they wish to app TikTok has been Eskom has had in 10 sure you didn’t stand out in the fi eld in make presentations to the prosecution as to downloaded since its years. In January, Nam- 53 the 40-something°C midday sun. If you why the MP should not face charges. launch in 2016. The app pak's André de Ruyter lost, fi elding became pointless thanks is big in India, which will take over the reins $500-million to the slathering of sunscreen on one’s There’s a body of evidence accounts for of the power utility in The amount Airbnb is giving as hands. Insurance behemoth Old Mutual seems to Bloemfontein tends to be colder than have developed a knack for sticking its foot 31% of the the midst of severe sponsorship for the next five the north of the country. It’s also the capi- in it. Not content to be embroiled in a multi- downloads challenges, including Olympics. As a tie-in to the deal, the tal of a province that makes a lot of our million rand stand-off with their intermittent a debt of ± R450-billion company will let athletes sell their food. While the province was destroyed CEO that’s already taken gazillions off their personal experiences of the event in a long-term looting project supervised share price, the insurer this week decided not via its platform by the man who now helps to “run” the to pay out a bereaved Kwazulu-Natal family country, it is our third capital, home timeously. This caused the family to visit the The number of people who have died so far this month to the Supreme Court of Appeal and a local branch with said deceased family mem- in fires that have burned across thousands of hectares rugby team so bad that it plays against ber in tow. The entire incident was uploaded in Australia, destroying hundreds of homes European clubs. on to social media, shaming the insurer and Not that it actually was 233°C in leading to further mutterings of improving Bloemfontein. That was a glitch, repeated processes and what-nots. by a TV station in its weather bulletin. Still, the world is getting hotter. And the ‘Just Jose’ is back Free State, like the Highveld, is heating at In just 11 hours, double the world average. In my lifetime, Tottenham Hotspur that city between hills could be 6°C hotter — a mid-sized than it is now. Or more (the projections English football tend to be conservative). team notable for its 6 Graphic: JOHN McCANN Compiled by: ATHANDIWE SABA That means 40°C summers, shifting lofty ambitions and rainfall patterns and failed crops. The bare trophy cabinet went to the High Court, cause of this is our unsustainable way of — went from fi ring its then the Supreme Court living. much-loved manager to of Appeal and eventually TWEET OF THE WEEK In Parliament this week, the energy and hiring a man who has managed to get him- the Constitutional Court. minerals department tried to convince its self fi red for destroying his previous clubs. They have lost each time. parliamentary portfolio committee that a José Mourinho, the self-titled “special one”, Once again, the courts proposed $10-billion refi nery in Richards was big in the naughties. He has won more have had to step in to pro- Bay will produce “clean fuel” and bring no trophies than the team he now manages, tect our water resources environmental liabilities. notably with FC Porto, Inter Milan, Real from a government hell- The world is heating, but we’re betting Madrid, Manchester United and Chelsea. But bent on allowing mining on burning the fuels that heat the planet. in the tweens he came unstuck, fi ghting with companies to do whatever Our new, long-delayed, energy plan calls his players and ensuring that the only way they want. It would be for more coal-fi red power plants. out was to get fi red (with a nice settlement nice if the ministers did On the same day as the “clean fuel” each time). Tottenham fans — which the this in the fi rst place. fi b, the United Nations released a report Mail&Guardian has in majority — will hope looking at how countries are saying one the 2020s bring the special one back to life. Erections and thing — we need to dramatically reduce We’ll know how Mou was received by players depression carbon emissions to ensure that the world when the fl y-on-the-wall documentary about We don’t do anything by remains livable for most people — and this season comes out. half measure in South doing another — building more fossil fuel Africa (except the small industries. Great Gupta fi resale under way issue of delivering on “Governments are planning to produce While the South African authorities are still basic services). So, with 120% more fossil fuels by 2030 than trying to lay a glove on those pesky Guptas things being a bit hectic, would be consistent with limiting warm- there has been some movement with respect it’s important that we ing to 1.5°C,” the UN report said. to their properties. A Gupta-linked prop- note new research that That number is what South Africa says erty was sold this week for R2.6m. As the shows it’s cheaper to get is crucial for this country to function. Mail & Guardian reported, the house was an erection here, and buy Cricket is sure going to be diffi cult. previously inhabited by anxiety medicine, than Like the rest of life. — Sipho Kings ANC secretary-general it is in most of the world. Ace Magashule’s son, Medbelle, a “medical pro- Tshepiso, who valiantly vider” that also dabbles in resisted eviction until the research, found that Viagra sheriff came knocking. Other is 76% cheaper in South properties are also due to fall Africa than in the rest of Published by M&G Media Ltd, SUBSCRIPTIONS under the hammer, including the the world. Xanax is 11% Eighth Floor, Metal Box, Inquiries: 011 447 0696 or infamous Gupta compound that cheaper. It might be helpful 25 Owl Street, Braamfontein SMS “subs” to 34917 Werf, Johannesburg, South Complaints: 0860 070 700 played host to a coterie of ministers if we tackled the causes of Africa. and higher ups. depression, anxiety and PO Box 91667, Auckland Park, DISTRIBUTION stress — but we’re still 2006. TO SHOPS Website: www.mg.co.za M&G Media Ltd is now Another victory for life on Earth trying to keep the responsible for its own In 2016, the ministers of mineral resources electricity on so, for now, let’s appreci- green dagga plants were there, as were piles of CONTACT US newspaper distribution. and environment decided that it ate that the salve is cheap. weapons. These included the standard South Johannesburg: 011 250 7300 If you can’t find your was okay for a new coal mine to be African mix of pistols, revolvers and AK-47s Advertising fax: 011 250 7503 favourite read in the Cape Town: 021 426 0802 shops, please phone built inside the Mabola Protected Drugs and weapons and a mortar launcher … and crossbows. The Cape Town fax: 021 425 9056 011 447 0696 Environment. This is despite it – Pretoria-style owner of the property said they had the weap- Letters to the editor: being a) a protected environment In a raid targeted at a suspected ons because they deal in, and collect, weapons.