No VAT, all slash; South Africans gatvol of GNU drama; and picking the next pope

Daily Maverick

26-04-2025

The Weekend Wrap
No VAT, all slash. Inside the IDT CEO's R22m assets splurge. And how the next pope will be elected.
'Only game in town': Treasury must now slash the fat with no hike for the VAT
After years of squandering and providing a swelling army of cadres and their kin with government jobs and contracts — not to mention outright stealing and looting — there are simply no other trees to shake in the hope that money will magically fall from the canopy.
By Ed Stoddard
VAT deal means GNU stays — just in time as new survey shows South Africans are gatvol of the drama
A midnight deal that saw the National Treasury drop the VAT increase and reach a possible out-of-court settlement on the DA's VAT case has probably saved the Government of National Unity.
By Ferial Haffajee
Cash properties and new SUVs – inside Independent Development Trust CEO's R22m assets splurge
The Independent Development Trust's newly constituted board has passed a resolution calling for lifestyle audits into the entity's executive management. Daily Maverick unpacks several property transactions and vehicle purchases that might pique the investigators' interest.
By Pieter-Louis Myburgh for Scorpio
Eleven things we learnt about the GNU from Tony Leon's new book, plus some gossip
Tony Leon was part of the DA's negotiating team in the formation of the Government of National Unity — and his new book contains a juicy account of the behind-the-scenes action.
By Rebecca Davis
VAT Increase Scrapped: Political Win or Economic Gamble?
Behind the press conferences and political posturing, one question remains: how will the government cover the R75-billion gap? Daily Maverick's Yeshiel Panchia explains.
Reporting by: Yeshiel Panchia
Turning the page — how early book access can transform South Africa's future
On World Book Day, South Africa's early literacy crisis takes centre stage. As the country grapples with a deep literacy divide, grassroots initiatives like the Santa Shoebox Project and Book Dash are showing that change is possible, starting with a single storybook. With community involvement, mother-tongue stories and the gift of book ownership, they're planting the seeds of lifelong learning in the hands of the youngest readers.
By Takudzwa Pongweni
On what grounds are the legal challenges against the contentious NHI Act being fought?
The National Health Insurance Act has been subjected to five legal challenges. Who are the challengers and what are their grievances?
By Tamsin Metelerkamp
Our brains are being fried — here's why (and what to do about it)
Digital dementia is a thing – and it's getting worse – but there are ways to push back without throwing your phone in the ocean.
By Dominique Olivier
Gift Leotlela's 100m performance shows South Africa's sprinters are ready to take on the world
'I've never had a South African senior title. This is my first.' Gift Leotlela stunned a packed field, including Bayanda Walaza and Benjamin Richardson, at the Senior National Track & Field Championships on Thursday.
By Keanan Hemmonsbey
Seven climate tipping points that could change life as we know it
This Earth Day, the warning signs are impossible to ignore. Evidence is mounting that several Earth systems are on the verge of breaching their tipping points. Scientists warn that triggering them poses grave threats for our planet's life-support systems. There is still a window of opportunity to prevent this breach but it's closing faster than we realise.
By Our Burning Planet
How the next pope will be elected – what goes on at the conclave
Holding a conclave to elect a pope is a tradition that goes back centuries.
By Mathew Schmalz
Mosquitoes are the world's most dangerous animals, but here's why they shouldn't all disappear
Wouldn't it be better for us all if mosquitoes disappeared. One answer is that it would save about 500,000 lives per year, but that's not the whole story.
By Shüné Oliver
Daily Mini Crossword Quickie
Play here.
Fynvleis and wildspastei, the heart of the Karoo in a pie
This was my recipe of the Year in 2022, a traditional game pie (wildspastei) made with fynvleis. Karoo tradition, first in a pot, then in a pie. My dear friend Sandra Antrobus taught me how to make fynvleis, and she was always very precise about how to cook things. Especially this. It passed muster.
By Tony Jackman
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