26-04-2025
26 April 2025
No one is coming to save us, no one is eating your pets, and someone spent a Sunday in Zurich – it's all in this edition of News24's The Weekender!
This week, Nickolaus Bauer reminds us that no one is coming to save us, Jozi my Jozi's Bea Swanepoel talks to Anneliese Burgess about their a non-profit "coalition of the willing" working to rejuvenate Johannesburg's inner city, Nokuthula Manyathi gives tips for spending a Sunday in Zurich, Andrew Thompson has some reassurance for paranoid pet owners, and Janine van der Post talks cars with Suidooster's Dean Smith.
Happy reading, and share your feedback with us!
- Hanlie Gouws
THIS WEEK IN THE
South Africans, we are on our own. No one is coming to save us
We've spent so long waiting for another political Messiah that we've forgotten the only way he succeeded was through the will of the people. But Nickolaus Bauer says no one is coming to save us. This is it. It's us. We are the plan. The only thing left to believe in is us. And the best way forward is radical communal self-reliance.
Read 'The Weekend Essay' here
Bea Swanepoel on saving Jozi, downtown jazz, and why she's 'the champagne lady'
Bea Swanepoel is the CEO of Jozi My Jozi, a non-profit "coalition of the willing" working to rejuvenate Johannesburg's inner city. Anneliese Burgess speaks to her about what has been achieved, why she likes to get lost in "weird precincts", and why your eyes need to be "on your feet" when you hit the city streets.
Read the exclusive interview here
THIS WEEK IN THE
While AI sucks power and robots run races, Mzansi wins the misery World Cup
From polite AI users funding eco-disasters to Finland's smug happiness and twins in sync, Jonathan Ancer's weekly news to share around the braai proves the world's as tjatjarag as ever - especially here at home.
Read this week's Braai Briefing here
Zurich pickings: How to spend a Sunday - and R2 000 - in Switzerland
Nokuthula Manyathi recently spent time in Zurich, Switzerland, and decided to see how much of the capital she could soak up in one day for R2 000 (or just under 100 euros).
Read here
THIS WEEK IN
Not fur real: Homeless people in Cape Town are NOT stealing and eating your pets
A Facebook post circulating in Cape Town pet groups claims that homeless people are stealing, killing, and eating pets. It may sound like a throwback to 2024, when Donald Trump made similar allegations about immigrants in the United States - but it fits into a longstanding, unsubstantiated narrative common to the darker corners of South African neighbourhood watch groups, writes Andrew Thompson.
Read the story here
Vance, Mashatile, the Pope, Shivambu and Bushiri walk into a...
This week, we focus on the lying of politicians, the essence of praying, and how our leaders are all singing kumbaya for VAT.
Read here
THIS WEEK IN THE
BITE CLUB | Cape Town's newest Mexican eatery brings the fiesta, but not all the flavours
Cape Town's newest Mexican Eatery Chingadas may not have blown Hannah Littlewood away with bold, unforgettable flavours just yet, but its magnetic energy is impossible to deny.
Read the review here
Suidooster's Dean Smith is madly in love with his sporty (if slightly messy) car
Dean Smith is quite the character in the much-loved local soapie, Suidooster, as Wade. But, the young actor and creative from Malmesbury who spends his days pretending to be someone else also comes across as a calm, cool and collected adult in real life, and he's just naturally hilarious without even trying. He talks to Janine van der Post about his beloved VW Polo.
Take a peek at his wheels here
THIS WEEK IN
All the Other Mothers Hate Me: Sarah Harman on her much-anticipated debut novel
The implosion of Sarah Harman's career in broadcast television paid out more dividends than the "recovering journalist" could ever have imagined. Turns out that the author's career derailment had her penning one of the most anticipated reads of 2025 – a sardonic ode to modern motherhood, writes Samantha Herbst.
Read more here
THIS WEEK IN
Scions of Sinai: The anatomy of a single-vineyard wine
Bernhard Bredell channels seven generations of Helderberg farming heritage into some of South Africa's most distinctive wines. Daléne Fourie takes a look at seven of their vintage releases from 2024.
Read more here
From Oklou, Internet Girl and Weed420... to prog rock by Pope Francis
Joel Ontong returns with his Weekender playlist which takes a look at the biggest hits from April and music that colours outside the lines.
Listen here
Are celebs making marriage an attractive option for women again?
For a long time, it seemed like women around the world, and in South Africa too, were put off by the idea of sharing their lives with men. But now, it appears celebrities are making marriage, or at least lifelong partnerships, attractive again, writes Nthabi Nhlapo.
Read 'This life with Nthabi Nhlapo' here
THIS WEEK IN
These must-see movies and series are on our radar this week.
Read here
PODCAST | Catch up with The Lead
Missed out on some of the biggest stories of the week? Join The Lead host Graeme Raubenheimer in candid and honest conversations with News24's leading journalists. In each 20-minute edition, you'll gain insight into what they saw, heard and uncovered in the pursuit of the big story. This week, we spoke to investigative journalist Jeff Wicks about a dodgy SAPS tender involving a businessman known only as "The Cat", turned to the News24 Disinformation Desk to debunk Malema and Trump's populist rhetoric, and waded into the alleged attempt on the life of Deputy President Paul Mashatile that never was.
Recap this week's podcasts on The Lead here
More Cartoons by Carlos
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News24 editor-in-chief: Adriaan Basson
Production Editor: Hanlie Gouws
Design: Mihle Mdashe & Sharlene Rood
Sub-editor: Glenn Bownes
Image credits: Drew Beamer | Unsplash; nickolausbauer | Instagram; Deaan Vivier | Beeld | Gallo Images; Felix Dlangamandla | Foto24 | Getty Images via Gallo Images; Jekesai Njikizana | AFP; Sharon Seretlo | Gallo Images; Rosetta Msimango | News24; Storm Simpson | News24; artKaisen | Canva; @formatoriginalphotos | Canva; Alfonso Nqunjana | News24; Anadolu | Getty Images; Boris Breytman | Getty Images; lkpro | Getty Images; Janoka82 | Getty Images; Ricky Deacon | Getty Images; Manfred Gottschalk | Getty Images; Nokuthula Manyathi | News24; Wong Yu Liang | Getty Images; Frennez | Canva; Humblino | Canva; Grafinka | Canva; Kvasvector | Canva; Ralfschmitzer | Canva; Salbine B | Amaré Creative | Canva; MiroNovak | Getty Images; sparklestroke | Canva; Zainadria | Canva; Lana Veter | Canva; Arthur Campanholo | Pexels | Canva; Bite Club | Kelly Anderson; | Instagram; Hannah Littlewood | News24 contributor; Dean Smith | Supplied; Scions of Sinai Wine | Instagram; Bertram Malgas | News24; Lita from Lali | Canva; @sviridenko-anna | Canva; ibreakstock | Canva; Billion Photos | Canva; Annie Spratt | Unsplash; Mike Setchell | Unsplash; Wolf Zimmermann | Unsplash; Alona Horkova | Getty Images; Ksenia Chernaya | Pexels | Canva; Billion Photos | Canva; BooBoo Studio | Canva; Fani Mahuntsi | Gallo Images.
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