Hi there. 🙋🏽♀️
Big news from the US of A: Trump is back in the White House, which could mean a rocky road ahead for South Africa and the rest of the world. 😕
Closer to home, Prince William is in Cape Town, spotlighting conservation efforts just as Trump threatens to reverse those gains internationally. The DA is proposing an anti-corruption bill to clean up high-level graft, while the South African Music Awards celebrated 30 years with big wins and Kwaito nostalgia. And finally, we’re mourning the legendary Quincy Jones and looking into the shocking murder of underworld figure Mark Lifman.
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. 😄
🇳🇪🇼🇸
▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ 1. OUR TAKE: Trump is Back: What His Win Means for South Africans
It’s official—Donald Trump has done it again. After a tight race with Vice President Kamala Harris, the former U.S. president has clinched 295 electoral votes and nearly 51% of the popular vote to secure a return to the White House as the 47th president. For South Africans, though, the big question is: what does this mean for us?
Here is how a Trump presidency could directly affect us at home:
- The rand has already taken a minor hit, depreciating against a U.S. dollar surge. For South Africans, a strong dollar usually means more expensive imports, but thankfully, the drop in the rand isn’t extreme by historical standards.
- In his second term, Trump aims to tackle inflation and cut the corporate tax rate to 15%, with a focus on a “Buy American, hire American” policy. By raising tariffs on foreign goods, he hopes to boost U.S. production. However, these tariffs could lead to higher costs for American consumers and make it harder for South African exporters to compete in the U.S. market, potentially reducing their market share as their goods become more expensive for American buyers.
- The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) has allowed South African businesses to access the U.S. market duty-free, benefiting sectors like agriculture and manufacturing. However, under Trump’s second term, AGOA’s future could be at risk, with potential alterations or revocation. If AGOA ends, South African exporters would face higher costs, making it harder to compete in the U.S. market. With AGOA set to expire in September 2025, the loss of these tariff exemptions could lead to reduced production and job losses in key industries like agriculture and manufacturing.
- On the foreign policy front, Trump’s expected positions could place South Africa in challenging diplomatic territory. Trump has hinted at a hardline approach with Iran, continued support for Israel in its conflicts, and pressure on Ukraine to negotiate with Russia. South Africa, with its own nuanced international stances, may have to tread carefully, balancing its relationships with both the U.S. and other global partners.
Let’s be honest—Trump’s return to the White House isn’t exactly great news for South Africa. As Trump begins his second term, we are left to assess the implications of his policies, which could affect everything from trade to foreign relations.
▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ 2. BIG STORY:
PhD Student stumbles upon a lost Maya City in Mexico’s jungle
Imagine scrolling through page 16 of Google search results and finding a clue leading to a massive Maya city hidden for centuries beneath Mexico’s jungle canopy.
That’s what happened to Tulane University PhD student Luke Auld-Thomas. “I was on something like page 16 of Google search and found a laser survey done by a Mexican organisation for environmental monitoring,” he told the BBC.
They used Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging), a high-tech scanning technique that maps structures hidden under dense vegetation. This tool had been used by a Mexican environmental group. Still, when Auld-Thomas processed their data using archaeological methods, he found something incredible: Signs of a sprawling city that archaeologists believe could rival Calakmul, Latin America’s largest Maya site.
The site’s sheer density places it among the largest of ancient Maya settlements, with an estimated population of 30,000 to 50,000 people at its peak, around 750-850 AD. That’s more than the number of residents in the area today.
In total, Auld-Thomas and his team uncovered three sites, all within an area roughly the size of Edinburgh, Scotland. They named the city Valeriana after a nearby lagoon.
The city lies in Mexico’s southeastern state of Campeche, and it’s packed with ancient wonders: pyramids, sports fields, roads connecting neighbourhoods, and even amphitheatres.
Professor Marcello Canuto, a research co-author, says this finding challenges the old assumption that tropical regions weren’t conducive to advanced civilisations. The Maya clearly thrived in these environments, building complex societies with incredible infrastructure and artistry.
Their findings were recently featured in the journal Antiquity
As for why Valeriana was eventually abandoned, the archaeologists aren’t completely certain, but they believe climate change played a big role. For now, this lost city remains an exciting reminder of the Maya civilisation’s incredible legacy and a lesson in the surprises that can still be uncovered, even from page 16 of a Google search.
▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ BRIEFS
Steve Hofmeyr Leads ‘Die Stem’ Protest Against BELA Bill
On Tuesday, Afrikaans singer turned controversial hardliner Steve Hofmeyr led a protest outside the Union Buildings against the new Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill, rallying Afrikaans-speaking supporters with chants of “Leave our language alone!” and singing Die Stem, the apartheid-era national anthem.
As we’ve told you before, the bill would shift control of school language policies and admissions from local school governing bodies (SGBs) to provincial education departments.
Alana Bailey from AfriForum called the bill an “attack on mother-tongue education” and warned it would undermine the autonomy of SGBs to serve local needs effectively.
Right now, SGBs can decide what their admission and language policies are, even if it means isolating some in the community based on language, especially Afrikaans.
The bill has proved to be yet another dividing line within the government of national unity. The newly installed Basic Education Minister, the DA’s Siviwe Gwarube, boycotted President Cyril Ramaphosa’s signing of the bill into law in September. In an olive branch, Ramaphosa left out the contested clauses concerning language, saying there would be a three-month consultation period. The DA and AfriForum have threatened legal action over the issue.
Afriforum kicking up dust on this issue makes sense: they are an organisation dedicated to protecting Afrikaner language and culture.
The real question is the DA: are they not a party representing all South Africans? They claim their opposition is about the importance of mother tongue instruction. If so, why are there no marches, press releases or proposed bills about how isiZulu, isiXhosa, and other African languages are vastly underrepresented in the education system? According to Stats SA, isiZulu is the language spoken most often in South African households, with 24.4% of the population speaking the language, followed by isiXhosa at 16.3% and Afrikaans at 10.06%. About 10% of public schools are either Afrikaans medium or dual, so that tracks. The same can’t be said for the rest.
While Gwarube says her party’s opposition to the bill is not just about protecting Afrikaans (and a key constituency for the party), it’s hard to see it as anything different, particularly with the clearly racist stance by those protesting the bill on Tuesday. It increasingly feels like opposition to the bill is about protecting very narrow interests while African languages continue to be neglected.
The South African Music Awards just celebrated its 30th anniversary
The 30th South African Music Awards (SAMAs) took place on Saturday, and it was everything you’d expect from a milestone celebration of Mzansi’s best beats and melodies.
Gqom queen Babes Wodumo kicked off the performance lineup in style, electrifying the crowd with her iconic hit Wololo.
In a memorable nod to the golden age of Kwaito, legends Arthur Mafokate, Trompies, and other genre pioneers also took the stage for a thrilling medley. Their high-energy performance was a time capsule of the ’90s and early 2000s when kwaito music dominated the airwaves and dance floors across the country.
One of the night’s most emotional moments came during the tribute to the late Tsakani “TK” Mhinga, a beloved voice in the South African music scene. KB Motsilanyane performed a heartfelt rendition of TK’s hit How Do You Feel?
As for the winners, 2024 might as well be renamed “The Year of Tyla.” The Water hitmaker picked up not one, not two, but four awards, including Female Artist of the Year, Best Pop Album for her debut Tyla, and Newcomer of the Year. She also snagged the International Achievement award because, well, she’s Tyla. Alas, she couldn’t be at the event as she was abroad. Sharing her gratitude for the awards on social media, she said, “I honestly tried so hard to make it! I was even considering getting a blesser to fly me there on a private jet.”
Other winners included Priddy Ugly for Best Hip Hop Album award for his album Dust – plus a promise of more music to come despite previously saying Dust would be his last album. And industry legend Oskido, who took home the Chairperson’s Award. In his acceptance speech, he emphasised the power of collaboration in shaping South African music. “I’m truly honoured and grateful for this recognition. This award is not just for me. It’s the work we’ve all done through collaboration,” he said.
Hear hear! Here’s to the next 30 years.
DA introduces anti-corruption bill to establish a new Chapter 9 institution
The DA has proposed a new proposal in Parliament—the Constitution Twenty-First Amendment Bill, known as the “Anti-Corruption Bill.” If passed, this bill will establish an Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) as a Chapter Nine institution tasked exclusively with investigating and prosecuting high-level corruption cases. It’s a bold move aimed at taking South Africa’s fight against corruption to a new level, a necessary step after years of dealing with the aftermath of State Capture.
Let’s break down what this means. Chapter Nine institutions, like the Public Protector and Auditor-General, are created to support democracy by operating independently from government influence. As envisioned by the DA, the ACC would fall into this category, with operational and institutional independence. This means it wouldn’t be at the mercy of politicians, be they ministers or even the president, giving it the freedom to operate without fear or favour.
Currently, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is tasked with prosecuting serious corruption. But according to the DA’s Glynnis Breytenbach, the NPA is struggling. She argues that it lacks the independence and resources to effectively manage the complexities of high-level crime. And given the NPA’s chequered past—having been weakened during the State Capture years—Breytenbach says it’s time for additional muscle.
Under this bill, the ACC would have a dedicated staff and a budget allocated by the National Treasury, shielding it from political whims. Members of the ACC would also have protected tenure, ensuring that the political climate doesn’t threaten their job security. The ACC’s powers wouldn’t stop at investigations; it would be able to prosecute cases too, a significant shift that could expedite bringing corrupt actors to justice.
The bill is a constitutional amendment requiring a two-thirds majority in Parliament. This could be tricky unless the ruling ANC and other opposition parties, like the EFF or ActionSA, give their backing. While some parties have previously supported the idea of an independent body to fight corruption, the bill’s journey through Parliament will reveal whether they walk the talk.
Mark Lifman: A life of controversy ends in murder
The murder of Mark Lifman (57), a notorious figure in South Africa’s underworld, has left many wondering how a man always surrounded by security could be gunned down in broad daylight.
The obvious answer: Lifman’s extensive criminal dealings and many enemies in the underworld may have finally caught up with him.
On Sunday, he was shot five times as he stepped out of his vehicle in the parking lot of Garden Route Mall. The gunmen, later identified as Gert Bezuidenhout and Johannes ‘Johnny’ Jacobs, fled the scene but were quickly apprehended in Uniondale hours later. One of the accused worked for a security company linked to Lifman, while the other is said to be a former Special Task Force member, according to Western Cape police commissioner Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile.
Both had connections to the security industry, where Lifman was active. One was reportedly a former Special Task Force member in the South African Police Service, while the other worked for a security company where Lifman had once been a director. Their case has been postponed until 13 November for a bail hearing.
A businessman with interests in property, horse racing, and security, Lifman’s involvement in Cape Town’s criminal underworld was no secret. He was a key player in the city’s nightlife scene, controlling security for nightclubs and businesses across the city. He was also part of a group known as the ‘brotherhood,’ a collective that once ruled the city’s underworld.
Lifman’s most notorious link was to the murder of Brian Wainstein, a known international steroid smuggler. Lifman had been accused of masterminding Wainstein’s 2017 murder over business disputes. At the time of his death, Lifman was out on bail for charges related to conspiracy to commit murder and breaching the Prevention of Organized Crime Act.
In 2005, Lifman was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting three underage boys, though he was acquitted in 2009. In 2011, Lifman and a business partner faced charges of running an illegal security company, but the charges were dropped in 2015. Lifman was due to take the stand in the Western Cape High Court on Monday for the Wainstein murder trial.
Lifman’s murder has shaken the local community in George, where the shooting took place. But for those familiar with Lifman’s history, it was always a possibility.
Prince William’s Cape Town crusade: Beads, beasts, and big eco-plans
The UK’s Prince William landed in Cape Town on Monday, and aside from eco-business, he’s winning hearts with a surprising fashion statement: a beaded “papa” bracelet from Princess Charlotte. Take that, crown jewels.
William’s visit is part of a four-day eco-tour ahead of the Earthshot Prize Awards, the sustainability initiative he founded to spotlight solutions for saving the planet. The awards ceremony dazzles Cape Town last night, but first, William’s doubling down on wildlife conservation.
In a speech with the magnificent Table Mountain behind him, William highlighted wildlife rangers as unsung heroes of the environmental world. “Rangers are fundamental if we are to meet our global conservation targets for 2030,” he said, emphasising the need for better protection and benefits.
Backing his words with action, William announced a new life insurance scheme for 10,000 wildlife rangers, developed with United for Wildlife, the Game Rangers Association of Africa and the Tusk Trust. A solid insurance plan is necessary when your job involves armed poachers.
But, of course, no royal tour is all business. William hiked Signal Hill with none other than Robert Irwin, son of the late great crocodile hunter Steve Irwin. The duo marvelled at the park’s biodiversity, sharing fun facts about their favourite animals: the cheetah for William and the humble chameleon for Irwin.
William later met President Cyril Ramaphosa, sharing photo-op smiles and discussing his “rusty” rugby skills, honed during a training session with Springbok legends Percy Montgomery and Joel Stransky in Ocean View Township.
The Prince’s conservation tour comes just as UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy is in town for some serious bilateral talks. But William’s team is promoting his “evolution into a global statesman,” separate from politics. South African officials reportedly view his visit more as a celeb drop-in rather than a major diplomatic engagement.
William is here to make an impact, whether taking on poachers, securing environmental futures, or just rocking a “papa” bracelet with style.
Remembering Quincy Jones: Musical genius behind Michael Jackson’s hits dies at 91
The world is mourning the loss of a true music legend: Quincy Jones, the iconic producer, composer, and arranger, passed away on Sunday, aged 91.
According to his publicist, Arnold Robinson, Jones died peacefully at his home in Bel Air, Los Angeles, on Sunday night, surrounded by his loved ones.
Let’s rewind for a bit. Jones worked with a jaw-dropping array of artists over his seven-decade career, including Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis, Aretha Franklin, and Ray Charles, to name a few. His work with Michael Jackson remains his crowning achievement, producing Thriller, Off the Wall, and Bad, the albums that launched Jackson from a global pop icon to the King of Pop himself. If you were moonwalking to Beat It or practising the moonwalk to Billie Jean, Jones was the mastermind shaping those moments.
But it wasn’t just about pop hits. Jones’ career was like a masterclass in versatility. He scored films like The Color Purple, Roots, and The Wiz and even composed the theme music for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which he also produced, giving a young Will Smith his big break. If that doesn’t scream influence, what does?
Quincy Jones wasn’t one to brag—although he easily could have, nabbing 80 Grammy nominations and 28 wins. His career was filled with pioneering moments: he became the first Black vice president of a major record label, Mercury Records, in the early 1960s and later broke barriers in Hollywood. He even organised the unforgettable “We Are the World” charity single for Africa in 1985. Lionel Richie, who co-wrote the song, called Jones “the master orchestrator.”
With seven children, including actress Rashida Jones, and a life story that spans jazz clubs, Hollywood red carpets, and the White House, Jones was a cultural force. His commitment to philanthropy, particularly around education and fighting HIV/AIDS, only added to his legacy.
Rest in peace, Quincy. You gave us the soundtrack to our lives.
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.
🇸🇺🇧🇸🇨🇷🇮🇧🇪
Remember to share the love. 💫
Tell your friends to sign up:
📩 Email: https://explain.co.za/subscribe
📲 Our new WhatsApp channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vac06yM8kyyLmOulb80J
_Till next time, goodbye from the team_ ✌🏽
+50
