Hi there 🙋🏾♀️
This week’s Wrap is one for the books! The Madlanga Commission has been serving piping hot tea this week. Retired Ekurhuleni City Manager, Dr Imogen Mashazi, took to the stand on Monday, and it was slightly embarrassing to watch. Among the things she’s accused of doing is defending EMPD deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi, who is on the stand today. He’s accused of taking bribes from tenderpreneur Vusi Cat Matlala, registering Matlala’s vehicles, equipping them with blue lights, and even hiding a murder. It’s all so scandalous!
Also up in this issue: a controversial word of the year, a Netflix hit breaking records, and a Zuma daughter resigning from Parliament. Plus, we check out who your next NDPP head could be, and we highlight five of Mzansi’s wins from 2025 because good news deserves the final word.
And finally, our condolences to the loved ones of former SARS Commissioner Oupa Magashula, who passed away today at 63.
So, let’s dive into these stories and more in this week’s wrap, brought to you by Verashni Pillay and the explain.co.za team. 😄
Format:
▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █BRIEFS
NATIONAL
- The US invited all G20 members to its first event… except SA. Monday’s invite to a December gathering of “sherpas”, aka country reps, gets things going for the next G20. It followed a Sunday night televised address where President Cyril Ramaphosa noted SA’s full participation following threats of exclusion, noting white genocide misinformation. Still, at the business leg of our G20, US heavyweights like JPMorgan, Visa and Citi happily signed a joint statement with Saffa partners, all pledging to deepen economic ties.
- Eben Etzebeth’s record-breaking 141st cap ended in disgrace with a red card for an attempted eye-gouge. 🏉 The ugly incident on Saturday overshadowed the Springboks’ record 73-0 thrashing over Wales. It sealed an unbeaten European tour, cementing their world No.1 ranking. Yet all anyone can talk about is a potential years-long ban for Etzebeth. He argued he was provoked, before a World Rugby panel on Tuesday. The panel couldn’t reach an agreement, delaying the verdict until at least Sunday.
- SA has blocked charter flights carrying Palestinians from Gaza. This follows last month’s controversial landings. Authorities said passengers lacked proper documents or onward travel plans. While they were later let in on humanitarian grounds, Pretoria launched an investigation and has now suspended similar arrivals, citing safety concerns for SA. Aid groups are worried — it was one of the few safe escape routes. Israel is accused by human rights organisations of the strategic depopulation of Gaza, and the Palestinian embassy has distanced itself from the organisers.
- Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla resigned as an MK MP on Friday. She’s accused of luring 17 men to Russia for “security training” in July — only for them to land up fighting in the Russia-Ukraine war. Her party, founded by her father, Jacob Zuma, says she stepped aside to assist police in getting the men home. This follows her sister, Nkosazana Zuma-Mncube, opening a criminal case, alleging family members were among those recruited. 👀 Duduzile insists the men went voluntarily.
- Woolworths has unveiled a transparent white shopping bag. It’s just days after Vusi “Cat” Matlala testified he allegedly handed over R300 000 in bribes in Woolies’ ubiquitous black reusable bags, sparking national memes and possibly mild panic in the Woolies PR department. Full marks for their response. X users joked, “Now all our groceries are going through an audit.” Woolworths noted with cheeky flair on X on Saturday: “Secures the groceries… The right way to use the W bag.”
INTERNATIONAL
- The US “double-tap” strike on a suspected Venezuelan drug-trafficking boat has exploded into a global crisis. 💥 The 2 September attack killed 11 alleged gang members as part of a wider campaign that left more than 80 people dead — but the real outrage is the follow-up strike on two wounded survivors clinging to debris. Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, says it was lawful self-defence, but US lawmakers warn it could be a war crime. The Washington Post says he verbally ordered “kill everybody.” Washington is scrambling as Congress demands footage and Trump denies prior knowledge.
- US and Russian negotiators have made no headway on ending the Ukraine war. This despite five hours of talks on Tuesday. Russian President Vladimir Putin shot down proposals, even saying Russia is ready for war with Europe if pushed. While Russia’s economy is struggling with sanctions and falling oil revenue, it’s not enough to force a peace deal yet. Experts say stronger sanctions or battlefield shifts could eventually make Russia reconsider, but for now, the devastating assault on Ukraine continues.
- World Aids Day arrived on Monday with a sober warning. 🎗US-driven aid cuts of up to 40% have gutted services across Africa, according to a report released this week. Think: shut clinics, halted prevention programmes, and key populations without support. UNAIDS now warns the world faces 3.3 million additional HIV infections by 2030 unless funding is restored. With early signs of recovery through domestic investment, experts say only political courage can stop years of progress from sliding backwards.
Disclosure: Explain Agency, our sister company, regularly works with UN agencies on SRHR and HIV-related communications.
- Stranger Things just broke the internet — literally. Season 5 smashed Netflix’s English-language debut record with 59.6 million views in five days since its release last week, edging past every show except Squid Game’s later seasons. The hype was so massive it briefly froze Netflix’s platform, even after engineers boosted bandwidth by 30%. The final episodes drop on Christmas Day, with the series finale landing 31 December. 👀
- Oxford Dictionary just named “rage bait” its Word of the Year. The term — for content crafted to wind us up and rack up clicks — has tripled in usage in the past 12 months. Coined back in 2002, it’s now everyday slang for the internet’s favourite sport: posting nonsense just to make people mad. Cambridge went with “parasocial”, feeling close to someone online who doesn’t know you, while Collins crowned “vibe coding,” meaning styling yourself to project a specific vibe. Gen Alpha slang is taking over. 😆
▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ BIG STORIES
1️⃣Mashazi’s Madlanga testimony: former Ekurhuleni manager accused of ignoring rape, corruption, and misconduct
Former Ekurhuleni City Manager Dr Imogen Mashazi’s testimony at the Madlanga Commission this week was wild.
Mashazi appeared before the police inquiry on Monday and Tuesday this week, unpacking (or rather, dodging) the rot in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD), which reported to her. Her testimony offered South Africa a front-row seat to what happens when bureaucratic laziness meets a culture of impunity.
Here are the three most startling revelations from her testimony:
🔹 Inaction on sexual harassment and rape allegations:
Mashazi admitted she had received informal reports from female EMPD officers about sexual harassment and rape dating back to 2016. The allegations were staggering: EMPD Police Chief Isaac Mapiyeye reportedly fathered children with subordinates and allegedly raped a junior officer.
Mashazi’s response? Dismissing the reports as “hearsay”, doing zilch by way of investigations or discipline, and opting for a half-baked “empowerment programme” to stop women becoming “sexual slaves”.
Under cross-examination from Chair Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, she said that, “It was just hearsay and their frustration”. And without formal complaints, her “hands were tied” while these abuses continued for years.
🔹 Shielding suspended Deputy Chief Julius Mkhwanazi*
Mashazi repeatedly denied protecting Mkhwanazi, despite evidence that he faced multiple allegations of fraud, irregular vehicle registrations, and shady contracts with infamous tender don Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.
She cleared Mkhwanazi based on a legal opinion she hadn’t fully read and even approved a R200,000 salary bump post-appointment. Many saw this as textbook political loyalty trumping accountability, and the commission didn’t hide its scepticism.
And today, the drama deepened: fresh testimony placed Mkhwanazi at the scene of a 2022 alleged murder cover-up, which he denies — even as a secret witness detailed torture, body-dumping instructions, and later produced bank records showing payments totalling R70,000 to him from companies linked to “Cat” Matlala.
*Not to be confused with KZN top cop and whistleblower Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
🔹 Dodgy ties to Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala and corruption
Mashazi faced tough questioning over EMPD contracts linked to Matlala, whose companies have been associated with extortion and theft. Mashazi tried to shift the blame, claiming she had delegated oversight to subordinates, but the commission was unconvinced. She also confessed to ignoring 2023 red flags from police watchdog IPID regarding fraud and unlawful agreements with Matlala. It wasn’t just laziness; it was a wilful blind eye to networks bleeding the city dry.
And oh, the attitude. Think: eye-rolling and scrolling through her phone mid-testimony (supposedly “hunting evidence” but yielding nada). But the cherry on top? Mid-hearing, she paused to apply lipstick, sparking viral memes and a hilariously tone-deaf IOL question: “What shade is that?”
Mashazi has been given until next Wednesday to provide the relevant documents and evidence in the form of a supplementary affidavit. Madlanga rebuked her inertia as a “systemic problem”.
2️⃣Who will be South Africa’s next top prosecutor? Meet the contenders for the NDPP job.
South Africa is about to choose its next top prosecutor, and the shortlist is a mix of seasoned corruption fighters, quiet technocrats, and one very controversial former NDPP. With Shamila Batohi retiring in January, the position of National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) is critical, especially as progress on prosecuting state capture scandals remains frustratingly slow.
Quick explainer: The NDPP leads the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the body responsible for prosecuting crimes nationwide — from everyday offences to high-profile corruption, organised crime, and political graft.
A presidential advisory panel shortlisted six candidates from 32 nominations. Public submissions are open until Friday, and interviews are expected on 10–11 December. The panel will then recommend three names to the President for consideration.
Meet the contenders:
🔹 Andrea Johnson
Johnson is currently head of the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC), a specialised, prosecution-led unit within the NPA. She is a former Scorpions prosecutor involved in cases featuring the likes of Jackie Selebi, Brett Kebble and Oscar Pistorius.
🔹Hermione Cronje
Cronje is the founding head of the IDAC and now an international anti-corruption consultant. Her 2021 resignation from the IDAC followed a high-profile fallout with Batohi over strategy, resources and the pace of Zondo-related cases.
🔹 Menzi Simelane
Simelane is by far the most controversial contender. The 2008 Ginwala Commission found he misled the inquiry into former NDPP Vusi Pikoli’s suspension, contradicting himself and withholding evidence suggesting political interference. Despite this, then-President Jacob Zuma appointed him NDPP in 2009. In 2012, the Constitutional Court struck down his appointment as irrational, citing concerns about his integrity. The Johannesburg Society of Advocates is currently trying to strike him off the roll for dishonesty — a move that would end his ability to practise law and almost certainly disqualify him from holding the NDPP office again.
🔹Nicolette Bell
Western Cape Director of Public Prosecutions and the first woman to hold the post, Bell, oversaw major gang, GBV and fraud matters. Her office recently secured a conviction in the Joshlin Smith kidnapping and trafficking case. She is seen as a steady leader but lacks the national-level chops of some other contenders.
🔹 Adrian Mopp
Mopp is the Western Cape Deputy DPP, a former SAPS detective and asset-forfeiture specialist. He was part of the Shrien Dewani (honeymoon murder) trial team in 2014, and faced criticism after the case collapsed due to weak evidence.
🔹 Xolisile Jennifer Khanyile
Chair of the Global Coalition to Fight Financial Crime and former head of the Financial Intelligence Centre. She played a key role in getting South Africa off the FATF grey list.
Whoever steps into Batohi’s shoes will inherit an overstretched NPA, political pressure from all sides, and a public eager for accountability after years of corruption scandals.
Read our full explainer here.
3️⃣Five big wins for Mzansi in 2025
Look, it’s been a tough few years in Mzansi. But every now and then, South Africa pulls off a plot twist so wholesome, you can almost hear Trevor Noah narrating it.
Here are five victories that made us collectively say: “Maybe this country can work.”
🔹1. Tyla’s global domination
Mzansi’s amapiano queen, Tyla, cemented her status as the South African export of the year. Last month, she was nominated for a Grammy for Best African Music Performance for her infectious single PUSH2START. In September, the same song won her the Best Afrobeats award at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards. Earlier in March, she scooped the Impact Award at the Billboard Women in Music Awards and in June dazzled as host of the Kids’ Choice Awards. Crowned Glamour’s Global Woman of the Year in October, Tyla’s wins capped off a year that firmly stamped her as a cultural force.
🔹2. Oscars shine
In September, Imran Hamdulay’s The Heart Is a Muscle became the official entry for Best Foreign Film at the 98th Oscars. This debut feature tackles masculinity, transgenerational trauma, and healing in the poverty-stricken Cape Flats of Cape Town. Adding to the Oscar fever, The Last Ranger, a harrowing 28-minute isiXhosa short on rhino poaching in the Eastern Cape, secured a nomination for Best Live Action Short Film at the 97th Oscars back in January.
🔹3. A successful G20
Against all expectations, the G20 Summit in Johannesburg was a diplomatic and logistical win. Multilateral vows were renewed despite a US no-show under Trump. The event elevated SA’s global profile, meaning visibility that promises long-term economic ripples.
Read more about South Africa’s G20 successes here.
🔹4. The financial Ws
As we told you, SA’s financial health has quietly been getting better. We were removed from the FATF grey list after fully implementing all 22 action-plan items to combat money laundering and terror financing. Our credit ratings were upgraded to just below investment grade. And public debt peaked and began stabilising at 77.9% of GDP in the 2025/26 fiscal year, finally halting the relentless climb that started after the 2008 global financial crisis. Plus, there was Eskom’s dramatic turnaround.
🔹5. Accountability
South Africans love saying commissions are useless “talk shops”. But justice takes time, and the many testimonies at the Zondo State Capture Inquiry, which wrapped in 2022, have led to court action, like the NPA charging ex-minister Malusi Gigaba last month over R54 billion in Transnet graft, forcing his ANC step-aside. Now the Madlanga Commission is showing teeth, unpacking allegations of a criminal syndicate’s infiltration into the SAPS and beyond.
Mzansi has a long way to go, but 2025 has offered something rare: receipts.
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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