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The Olympics are finally here, and while the opening ceremony has left the religious feeling a little blue, Team SA is making us proud with a gold and two bronze medals already! Plus, the ANC has shown Zuma the door, South Africa makes history with a female Chief Justice, and Uber has enraged drivers. Also, you could be swimming with coked-up sharks on your next Brazilian holiday.

So, let’s dive into your weekly update of empowering and easy-to-understand news, brought to you by Verashni Pillay and the explain.co.za team. 😄

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▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ 1. OUR TAKE: South Africa’s to beat its previous Olympics medal haul?

Could South Africa outdo its three-medal haul from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics? Just under halfway into the 2024 Olympic Games, Team South Africa has already secured three medals in Paris: one gold and two bronzes. And there’s still plenty of opportunity for us to get more, with several of our strongest athletes lined up to compete in the coming days. We’re some way off the biggest total of 11 medals that we achieved at the Rio de Janeiro games in 2016, but this is an excellent showing nonetheless by our team. 

Tatjana Schoenmaker, now competing as Tatjana Smith, delivered a stunning performance by winning gold in the 100m breaststroke with a time of 1:05.28. Alan Hatherly made history by becoming the first South African cyclist since 1956 to win an Olympic medal, winning bronze in the cross-country event.

The Blitzboks, our rugby 7s team, brought home the third bronze. While the team had a rocky start, a crucial win against Japan in the pool stages secured their spot in the quarter-finals. They then stunned New Zealand in the quarters but fell to France in the semi-finals. One last win against Australia secured the bronze.

So where can we see more medals emerging?

In the upcoming events, Smith has advanced to the finals of the 200m breaststroke, and as the defending champion in this event, she could make history by winning back-to-back golds. Kaylene Corbett, swimming alongside Tatjana, surprised us all by finishing second in her semi-final heat and securing a spot in the finals tonight at 9 pm. Could we see two South Africans on the podium? It looks promising! 

Pieter Coetze, our young backstroke sensation, finished third fastest in the 200m backstroke semi-finals. Coetze will have a shot at winning another medal for Team SA in the finals tonight at 8:30 pm.

The track and field events will begin today, and the sensational Wayde van Niekerk, world record holder in the 400m, is switching things up in Paris. He’s competing in the 200m and is also part of our strong 4x400m relay team, which recently won silver at the World Relay Championships. The awesome foursome also has a chance for a medal, according to former South African sprinter Mathew Quinn.

Also on the track, Akani Simbine clocked a blistering 9.86 seconds in a 100m just before the Games, tying for the fifth-fastest time this year. Akani finished fourth in Tokyo, but he’s gunning for a spot on the podium this time so he could bring home a medal, as can his formidable 4x100m relay team. 

It’s looking like a strong year for Team SA. More medals or not, we’re proud of them!


▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █  2. BIG STORY: ANC moves to expel Jacob Zuma for supporting rival MK party

The ANC has finally expelled former President Jacob Zuma. The secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula, confirmed Zuma’s expulsion on Monday after a draft document from the ANC’s National Disciplinary Committee (NDC) was leaked to the media.

Zuma has been found guilty of “prejudicing the integrity” of the party. His crime? Campaigning for the rival uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party during the 29 May general election.

Zuma now has 21 days to appeal the decision.

The disciplinary proceedings, which began way before the elections, were far from smooth. In true Zuma fashion, he refused to attend the virtual disciplinary hearing, insisting on being physically present – perhaps forgetting that even in politics, sometimes you just have to hit the “join meeting” button. Now, Zuma’s defence team is up in arms about the fairness of the process. 

MK spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela also questioned why the decision was leaked before the MK party was informed. If you’re confused as to why a political party is angry that their leader has been ousted from ANOTHER party, same. 😆

Let’s hope the ANC follows the process to a tee because Zuma’s team will find anything to endlessly delay justice as we saw with the arms deal case. Maybe that’s why the ANC have taken SO long to oust Zuma after the party he formed took nearly 15 percentage points at the poll while the ANC lost 17 points. 

By the way: In related news, ANC MP Zizi Kodwa resigned from parliament last Thursday. We reported how happy we were when he resigned as sport, arts & culture minister in June after his arrest and court appearance on charges of receiving bribes amounting to R1.6 million. Then we told you how disappointed we were when the ANC quietly tried to make him an MP. Thankfully, the ANC’s “step aside”  rule, which requires ANC leaders to resign from any party and government leadership positions if they’re criminally charged, has prevailed. 

It looks like the ANC is on a mission to clean house — though it is a little late as their poll results show. 


▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ BRIEFS

3. Mandisa Maya to become South Africa’s first female Chief Justice

Come Spring Day, South Africa will celebrate a historic moment: The first day in office for our first female Chief Justice, Mandisa Maya.

We reported on some of her key judgements and trailblazing ways back in 2022, when the Judicial Services Commission (JSC)—the body that interviews judges—endorsed her to become deputy chief justice. Before that, she served as the first woman president of the second highest court, the Supreme Court of Appeal.

Her path towards the top job kicked into high gear earlier this year when the JSC recommended that Maya succeed Chief Justice Raymond Zondo as the next Constitutional Court Chief Justice – head of South Africa’s entire judiciary. Zondo’s term ends on 31 August 2024. 

The next step was for President Cyril Ramaphosa to implement the recommendation and appoint her, which he has now done, finalising the entire process. 

The president has previously made his preference for Maya clear, so everyone is nicely aligned. 

This appointment marks a significant step towards gender representation in leadership roles in South African courts. 

Maya joins a long list of African women who have served as Chief Justices in their respective countries. This includes Mabel Agyemang, who has had an impressive journey as a superior court judge across three Commonwealth countries. She made history in 2013 as the first woman Chief Justice of The Gambia. However, her tenure was cut short in 2014 due to a termination by then-President Yahya Jammeh while she was pushing for judicial reforms. She returned to Ghana and served as a Justice of the Ghana Court of Appeals until 2020, when she was appointed Chief Justice of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Maya’s appointment, meanwhile, has been coming for a long time. She is about to head one of the most important institutions in our country at a time when attacks on The Constitution have become commonplace. Good luck, Madame Chief Justice!


4. Yes, cocaine sharks are real. Here are other animals that get high

“Cocaine Sharks” may sound like a cheesy B-grade flick but now scientists may have found the real thing. They found traces of the drug in the muscles and livers of thirteen sharpnose sharks captured in coastal waters near Rio de Janeiro. 

A previous study found that the sea around Rio is contaminated with waste from illegal labs and untreated sewage laced with pharmaceuticals.

This is like the tragic story of Cocaine Bear, who, sometime in 1985 (of course, it was the 80s), found and ingested cocaine in the forests of Georgia in the US. A medical examiner found that the 200-pound bear had died of acute cocaine intoxication after eating about three to four grams of cocaine. And unlike the 2023 comedy horror of the same name, there’s no indication that the cocaine bear went on a rampage. 

But there are animals out there that, like us, use drugs recreationally: cats and catnip, and we know why Amarula uses elephants in its advertising. 🤭 Here are a few more:

🔹 In 2019, swarms of parrots attacked poppy farms in the Madhya Pradesh state in India to feed their opium addiction. While stoned, the birds experienced disoriented flying; they crashed into objects, and the withdrawal effects may have killed some of them. Looks like Polly wanted to be a crackhead.

🔹 The black lemur, which usually eats fruits, sometimes picks up a large red millipede and bites it gently. The bug then releases toxins the lemurs use as mosquito repellent and a quick fix to get “totes wasted”. 

🔹 Magic mushrooms may be the reason Rudolph has a red nose. Reindeer in the Nordic countries love eating a psychedelic mushroom, amanita muscaria, commonly known as fly agaric. They then act drunkenly, running about aimlessly and making strange noises. 

Sounds a lot like you and your friends back in uni. 😂 We’re here for the recreationally high animals – but not the ones at risk because of humans. Let’s hope we can protect other sharks going forward.


5. Your driver will be arriving in a new car soon if Uber has its way 

Uber in SA quietly introduced a new rule that has angered drivers on the e-hailing platform: Only vehicles from 2021 or newer can be registered and used. According to the platform, this is a two-year-old policy designed to enhance safety and ensure high-quality service for both drivers and passengers. The rule would be the strictest in the world, with other countries generally being allowed to operate much older cars. In Nigeria, vehicles from 2000 are allowed to operate as Ubers.

Uber has said that this age limit only applies to new platform drivers; existing drivers do not need to replace their vehicles every three years.

Still, drivers are angry. The South African Ride Hailing Association chairperson, Ndabezinhle Khoza criticised Uber for failing to engage adequately with driver representation groups. “We continue to reject this requirement given the high costs of these cars and the low rates set by Uber. The comfort, safety, and efficiency of a 2014 and 2021 luxury car are identical, especially if it’s well-maintained,” he said. 

The company is notoriously unfair on its drivers – especially in South Africa.

An investigation by The Washington Post in 2022 based on leaked documents noted: “Uber created working conditions [in South Africa] it knew would result in many drivers barely scraping by. Uber incentivised more drivers to sign up than were necessary, shrank driver earnings and built a system that rewarded workers for undertaking routes and schedules that put them at risk of harm in locations plagued by violence.”

Uber’s score on Fairwork, a platform used to gauge how companies treat gig workers, has consistently decreased over the years, with the e-hailing company getting a zero in 2023. Yikes!

The latest development is just another example of how Uber leaves its drivers carrying almost all the financial risk, while the company takes home the majority of the profit, as M&G pointed out previously in its own investigation. Do better, guys. 


6. What would Dionysus do? Christians see red at Olympic Last Supper tableau 

Sacre bleu! The Olympic opening ceremony has come and gone, but the backlash is lingering. 

On Friday, the Paris Olympics opening ceremony enchanted and enthralled us with its ode to French history and culture, with a Lady Gaga performance, art pieces, fashion and the glorious return of Celine Dion.

But, alas, two connected performances, meant to celebrate diversity and “the absurdity of violence between human beings,” have set the internet ablaze with accusations that it parodies Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, which depicts Jesus and his disciples at the meal where he reveals that Judas will betray him.

The tableau featured queer DJ Barbara Butch, wearing a crown which seemed to be a halo sitting in the middle of a long table,  flanked by other members of the LGBTQIA community. 

The Catholic Church in France and Christians across the globe, including the religious right in America (you know, Trump’s people), have called the opening ceremony a range of things, including “demonic” and a “mockery of Christianity”. But Thomas Jolly, the artistic director behind the opening ceremony, said the scene had not been inspired by “The Last Supper” and rather depicted a pagan feast linked to the gods of Olympus. Seems pretty spot on in terms of the theme to us. 🤷🏾‍♂️

Still, Olympic organisers have apologised to the Christian community and removed the video from its YouTube channel. 

Other bits and bobs that upset some can be easily explained: a mostly naked garlanded blue dancer was a reference to the Greek god Dionysus or Bacchus in Latin, who is depicted as blue in some art. A knight on a white metal horse was not, in fact, one of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse, but rather a horsewoman representing the Sequana, the Spirit of the River Seine. 

Maybe the performance was just a celebration of everything that makes the French…. French. As  Paris 2024 spokesperson Anne Descamps told a press conference: “The opening ceremony tried to celebrate community tolerance. We believe this ambition was achieved. If people have taken any offence, we are really sorry.”


7. South Africa scores two new UNESCO World Heritage Sites 

South Africa is making waves on the global stage again. UNESCO has added two new multi-location sites to its prestigious World Heritage List, bringing the total number of sites in South Africa to 12, including the already-recognised Robben Island and the Cradle of Humankind. Italy currently has the most sites in the world, at 59. 

Here are the new additions:

  1. Human Rights, Liberation and Reconciliation: Nelson Mandela Legacy Sites

This collection of 14 locations spread across four provinces and seven municipalities encapsulates the heart and soul of the South African liberation struggle. It includes the iconic Union Buildings in Pretoria, Constitution Hill, Sharpeville, the University of Fort Hare, Liliesleaf Farm, Walter Sisulu Square, and the Streets of Orlando West, honouring 16 June 1976.

  1. The Emergence of Modern Human Behaviour: The Pleistocene Occupation Sites of South Africa

Next, we’re dialling the clock way, way back. The Pleistocene Occupation Sites, which include three locations: Diepkloof Rock Shelter, Pinnacle Point, and Sibudu Cave, offer a window into the dawn of modern human behaviour. These sites in the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal have yielded incredible insights into our ancestors’ cognitive evolution, dating back over 100,000 years. 

Getting a site recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site is no small feat. It starts with a country’s submission, which is then evaluated by various international advisory bodies. Finally, the World Heritage Committee, composed of representatives from 21 countries, makes the final decision.

The new sites aren’t just about adding more dots to the map. The Nelson Mandela Legacy Sites serve as a poignant reminder of our journey towards equality and justice, while the Pleistocene sites highlight our role in the story of human evolution.

In practical terms, this means more tourism, jobs, and opportunities to educate the world about our incredible history and heritage.


8. Xenophobic tweets, medical emergencies and lyrical feuds: Your weekly entertainment round-up

It’s been a tumultuous few weeks in Mzansiwood. (Can we make this a thing?) Let’s jump in and see what’s what.

🔹Local rapper and self-proclaimed “North God” Da L.E.S suffered a stroke on his 39th birthday last week Friday, his family revealed. The statement said that the singer of “All Eyes On Me”, real name Leslie Mampe Junior, had been hospitalised and was stable. But his family’s alleged plea for donations for his medical care has annoyed fans who say the family is “rich rich”. Mampe is known for throwing annual invite-only white dress code parties, and critics asked why his family didn’t sell his expensive clothes and cars to foot the bill. Yoh!

🔹 The xenophobic attacks on Chidimma Vanessa Onwe Adetshina, a finalist in the next Miss SA pageant, continue unabated. Adetshina was born in South Africa: her father is from Nigeria, and her mother is Mozambican but grew up in Soweto like Adetshina. On Monday, Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie tweeted that “we truly cannot have Nigerians compete in our Miss SA competition”, adding he was still investigating the matter but said it gave “funny vibes”. This is disappointing but unsurprising, considering McKenzie’s party, the Patriotic Alliance, is famously anti-immigrant. Meanwhile, the EFF deserves props for being one of the few parties that takes a stand against xenophobia. 

🔹Singer Tshedi Mholo left the iconic Afro-Pop group Malaika in 2021 to focus on business and a solo career. But she now regrets giving former bandmate Bongani Nchang permission to find her replacement. She’s less than impressed with his choice, Tsoakae Molipa. “I keep getting tagged by fans in posts on social media telling me that they saw me perform at a gig but that wasn’t me. Some even tell me how bad I performed and this is tarnishing my brand,” said Mholo. Nchang is fighting back, saying that he has tried to get Mholo back, but she declined his call. 

The drama!


That’s it from us at The Wrap, an award-winning product of explain.co.za – simple news summaries for busy people. 💁🏾‍♀ 

The Wrap is sponsored by explain’s agency division. We specialise in content marketing for purpose-driven organisations, often with a pan-African reach. Mail info@explain.co.za for a quote. 

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