Winners and losers in the Iran war, and Eugene de Kock as ailing witness

Winners and losers from the Iran war (spoiler: we all lose)

By J Brooks Spector. If the current Middle East crisis could be brought to an end right now by some ‘deus ex machina’ force, who would be the winners, who the losers, and what might that mean for the future? Read more.

Cat Matlala’s plans for political control followed the State Capture playbook

By Ferial Haffajee. Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala’s appearance in court on Wednesday underscores what the Madlanga Commission is revealing — capture begins by cultivating political insiders who unlock the machinery of government. Read more.

Watch — How alleged illicit payments bankrolled Brian Molefe’s lifestyle

By Marianne Thamm. Suffering from heart failure, his lower eyelids discoloured and swollen, apartheid’s killing machine, Eugene de Kock (77), this week appeared at the inquest into the murder of the Cradock Four. Read more.

The legacy of Terry Bell – speaking truth to power until the very end

By Herman Lategan. Veteran journalist Terry Bell, who spent decades in exile opposing apartheid before returning to hold democratic South Africa to account, has died at 84. Fiercely principled to the end, he remained a relentless critic of injustice, using his final writings to challenge accepted narratives and defend the truth. Read more.

Cost of war: How the US-Iran conflict is impacting SA’s rugby teams

By Craig Ray. Playing in cross-continental competitions always comes with logistical headaches, but the war in the Middle East is starting to have a heavy impact on South African rugby clubs. Read more.

isiZulu-speaking German ambassador Peschke is the envy of the diplomatic corps

By Oliver Roberts. Long after the height of South Africa’s HIV/Aids crisis, its consequences remain. In Soweto, Carol Dyantyi – known as Mum Carol – continues to care for the children left behind. Read more.

South African theatre in an age of rising populism

By Keith Bain. Though it’s titled Lemoene, lemoene, lemoene, lemoene, lemoene (“Oranges”, times five), creative all-rounder Kanya Viljoen’s latest work for the stage isn’t the least bit fruity. It’s an Afrikaans translation and South Africanised adaptation of a bittersweet play about words, relationships and creeping authoritarianism. Read more.

Western Cape adds 20 new nature reserves in major conservation boost

By Don Pinnock. Most of the newly protected land comes from private owners, signalling a shift towards stewardship-led conservation across the province. Read more.