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Mail & Guardian
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Mail & Guardian
Volvo EX90 full review: Luxury at its finest, but scary software glitches
The Volvo EX90 When Volvo launched the fully electric EX90 in South Africa in March, my It was launched at R2 650 000 but, surprisingly, Volvo reported that it sold 30 units by the end of April. The EX90 was also crowned the 2025 World Luxury Car of the Year so it was important for the Mail & Guardian to spend some time with the vehicle before making a final judgment on the price. When the EX90 landed on my driveway, it was difficult to stop admiring its good looks before anything else. Like its younger sibling, the EX30, it has this aggressive front that turns heads wherever you go. The headlights, which are meant to look like Thor's hammer, add to the marvel of the front. The frameless mirrors also contribute to the clean and simple yet mean look of the vehicle. The taillights have a three-part design starting with a light bar and curving all the way down on each side to form a horseshoe. Ultimately, the EX90 is more than attractive from the outside, it's downright sexy. It makes you feel like you want to step in and start enjoying the vehicle. When you step inside, you find a first class cabin. A clean dashboard made out of recycled materials — leather or cloth seats, depending on what the customer has chosen — and a 14.5-inch display screen that comes fully equipped with a Google operating system. Volvo also included a nine-inch screen in front of the driver that acts as a digital cluster. This is a huge improvement from the EX30, which didn't have anything in front of the driver and meant having to look at the infotainment screen for information, leading to distractions while driving. You also get a huge panoramic glass roof. This allowed my toddler to look at the stars and fall asleep, but the only annoying part about that glass roof is that it gets dirty quickly and you can see the dirt from the inside. I wish they had included ambient lighting or a themed glass roof to help with this. The vehicle is also a seven-seater SUV. The second row of seats are comfortable for any adult while the third row is suitable for kids. One nice feature I enjoyed is that the middle seat in the second row can be turned into a built-in booster seat, which is a valuable addition for parents with young children. The drive When I drove the car on launch, it was very brief. The Volvo EX90 did not feel like a car that weighed close to three tonnes. While testing it for a week, it became clear why this car was named World Luxury Car of the Year 2025. The take off is smooth, effortless and the way it picks up speed is calm and linear, unless you put it into performance mode. But you could be driving the national speed limit on the highway and feel like you are just cruising through a suburb. That is just how amazing the vehicle is to drive. The twin motors connected to the 111kWh battery pack delivers 380kW of power and 910Nm of torque which means that power will never be a problem even for a car of this size. Overtakes and quick boosts on the highway are completely effortless. The best part about all of it is that it is done in complete silence. Charging and software issues The Volvo EX90 is beautiful, elegant and drives like a dream, but it is not short of flaws. On the second day of my test, I jumped into the car in the morning and it didn't want to move out of park. I started panicking. I thought to myself: 'Did I just break a R2.7 million car?' Then the infotainment system gave me an alert that the Electronic Stability Control had been temporarily disabled, which made me stress even more. The infotainment system then pointed out that the car had a critical error. It also said there was a software update available. I did some research and it turned out that this was an issue on Volvo models like the XC90 where the software would glitch and the car was not able to move. I decided to update the software which took about 90 minutes and required a minimum of 40% of battery. Once it was done, the car was ready to move again, but this was highly inconvenient and something that Volvo needs to address urgently. A car filled with the amount of technology that this car has should at least warn the driver that a system update is due the night before. South Africa is still underdeveloped in terms of charging stations. If you are in and around Johannesburg, it's easy enough to find a charging station. But, for someone like me, who lives as far east as the East Rand goes, the closest charging station was 35km away. This meant that I had to account for stopping and charging every time I needed to go out. This is a mild issue however, because Volvo has promised to provide new EX90 owners with two years of free public charging, a GridCars wallbox with installation at home and 10 GB of Vodacom data per month for three years. Volvo claims 604km of range on the battery. A full battery gave me about 550km, which is not bad. On a 50kWh fast charger, it took two hours to charge the battery from 18% to 100%. Safety Dubbed the safest Volvo ever engineered, the EX90's notably large sensor placed at the top of the car is known as the light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor and forms images based on light, calculates exactly where those images are and submits it to the vehicle, which can then make an intelligent decision. LiDAR has been tested to detect small objects up to 150m away and larger objects from 250m away. Volvo estimates that these advanced safety technologies can reduce serious injuries or fatalities by 20%. Thanks to its intelligence, Volvo guarantees that with future updates to the software, it will further contribute to autonomous driving. Other safety features include steering support (Pilot Assist), a head-up display, a 360-degree camera, Lane Keeping Aid, Park Pilot Assist, Run-off Road Mitigation, Blind Spot Information System with cross-traffic alert, Collision Avoidance and Mitigation, Intersection Autobrake and Road Sign Information. Verdict The Volvo EX90 is almost too good to be true both on the outside and inside. It's powerful, big and super luxurious and comfortable. Every day, it felt more and more worth it until I remembered the actual price. At R2 650 000, the price still feels a little too heavy to me.
Mail & Guardian
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Mail & Guardian
Young people don't relate to traditional news sources
There is nothing inherently magical about a newspaper. Socially, sure, the beautiful thing about a physical copy is that it can be shared, passed around and collectively leafed through. But that's not what makes it great. South Africa's youngest news consumers are disengaging from traditional journalism. South Africa's youngest news consumers are disengaging from traditional journalism. Instead, they rely on digital platforms that prioritise speed, user choice and algorithmic influence, often at the expense of credibility and sustained attention. According to the The result is a growing disconnect between young audiences and traditional media outlets. Many young people favour content that feels personal and direct, fuelling a global move toward personality-driven journalism. Influencers and independent creators often receive greater engagement than established news outlets. 'The myth is that young people don't consume media [and] news or read a lot. The reality is that they do, but have a different view of what, how and where they should find and consume it,' said Anton Harber, author and former professor at the University of the Witwatersrand and of the Mail & Guardian. Young people consume considerable amounts of media, but their consumption patterns differ from older generations, Harber explained. Journalists are struggling to connect with them on the platforms and through the formats they prefer. 'There is a disconnect between journalists and young audiences, largely being filled by influencers and chancers who often pretend to be doing journalism but have none of the verification processes, rules and ethics of journalism.' Digital platforms have introduced speed and reach, breaking down the traditional gatekeepers of information. This has expanded access to news, but it has also blurred the lines between credible reporting and unverified content. 'We are flooded by a rich mix of information and disinformation. We have less quality, in-depth, probing journalism and less capacity to know what is true or fake,' Harber said. South Africa reflects the global anxiety over misinformation. In its 2025 report, the Reuters Institute notes that 73% of South Africans are concerned about their ability to discern real from fake information online. This is on par with the United States and Nigeria, but well above the global average of 58%. In addition, the report shows that 55% of South Africans trust the news most of the time, placing the country fifth out of the 48 surveyed. This indicates that trust in news remains relatively strong, but it is steadily declining from the 61% recorded in 2022. 'There has been a deliberate campaign to undermine trust in traditional media for malicious and disruptive purposes, often by governments and organisations attempting to undermine democracy by flooding the zone with disinformation,' Harber said. Mistrust has been amplified by social media algorithms that prioritise aggravating content. Rather than offering clarity, these platforms contribute to information fatigue and deepen public scepticism. 'Social media has facilitated this by using algorithms that favour information that is disruptive, conflictual and anxiety-inducing.' Despite Harber's concerns about the structural risks of algorithmic media, the fast-paced and personalised nature of social media platforms continues to appeal to many young South Africans. Farhana Essop, a law and politics student, said she receives most of her news on Instagram. She explained that she is interested in current affairs but finds traditional forms of news outdated and 'unengaging'. Essop also believes that some newsrooms contain biases, which become embedded into the news published for public consumption. For her, social media is a reliable alternative because it can provide diverse perspectives and first-hand accounts of situations. 'There's a lot of people who are dedicated to giving you both sides and showing you what's actually happening,' she said. Despite the risk of misinformation online, Essop believes the interactive nature of social media provides more context and clarity than traditional media. For Sydney, a psychology student, the constant stream of information — however accessible — can be overwhelming. She believes that staying informed is important, but not at the expense of mental wellbeing. 'You need to be knowledgeable to some extent about what's going on. There are real problems. We need to be aware of that. But when it gets to a point where it affects your mental health and it affects how you perceive certain things — or it clashes with your views — you can distance yourself from it,' she said. Sydney believes that reporting on sensitive topics objectively can underplay the experiences of those affected. This can unintentionally distance readers from the story. 'A lot of [journalists] target very personal and intimate topics from an objective point of view, and some things can't be looked at objectively. When you don't regard the human aspect of [news], it becomes very impersonal.' Shiloh Marsh, a third-year media student, believes the way news is delivered plays a crucial role in how young people engage with it. Marsh receives news from multiple sources, including Eyewitness New s, public broadcaster SABC as well as The Sun and The Citizen . To reconnect with young people, Marsh thinks media houses should employ young reporters and news anchors. 'It's very much the same people that you saw from 20 years ago. We need new faces to interest us.' Marsh says news should be kept easy to understand, and argues that some journalists ask interviewees over-complicated questions and write in jargon that makes news inaccessible for young people. 'I think there's a huge gap between how the news is told versus how young people interpret it,' she said. The challenge lies in the media's resistance to change, Harber contends. Newsrooms must move beyond rigid, formulaic practices and adopt storytelling formats that reflect how young audiences connect with information today. To rebuild trust and remain relevant, journalism must embrace approaches that prioritise transparency and conversation. 'The research shows that young people want to see the faces of those bringing them information [to] identify with them and — most of all — they must be authentic. [Young people] want conversations, not lectures,' he added.
Mail & Guardian
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Mail & Guardian
Investigator files motion for Safa and Jordaan to disclose Fifa trust finances
Counter attack: South African Football Association chief executive Danny Jordaan. Photo: David Harrison Forensic investigator facing a R4.5m defamation suit has asked a court to force disclosure of documents related to his corruption allegations This content is restricted to subscribers only . Join the M&G Community Our commitment at the Mail & Guardian is to ensure every reader enjoys the finest experience. Join the M&G community and support us in delivering in-depth news to you consistently. Subscription enables: - M&G community membership - independent journalism - access to all premium articles & features - a digital version of the weekly newspaper - invites to subscriber-only events - the opportunity to test new online features first Already a subscriber?
Mail & Guardian
04-07-2025
- Health
- Mail & Guardian
Joblessness drives blesser relationships
(Graphic: John McCann/M&G) Transactional relationships put girls and young women at risk of HIV and psychological harm This content is restricted to subscribers only . Join the M&G Community Our commitment at the Mail & Guardian is to ensure every reader enjoys the finest experience. Join the M&G community and support us in delivering in-depth news to you consistently. Subscription enables: - M&G community membership - independent journalism - access to all premium articles & features - a digital version of the weekly newspaper - invites to subscriber-only events - the opportunity to test new online features first Already a subscriber?
Mail & Guardian
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Mail & Guardian
DJ Doowap is lighting up global dance floors with bacardi music
Putting an SA spin on it: DJ Doowap, who is on tour in Europe, has spent a decade taking her distinctive bacardi sound, with its loops, raw percussion and unpredictable tempo changes, to the world. I remember the first time I saw Khetsiwe Morgan, known to the world as DJ Doowap, spin her magic. It was at one of Lady Skollie's art exhibitions, the kind of event where suits and silk dresses hold tightly to their wine glasses and social postures. But when Doowap touched the decks, something shifted. She summoned energy. The tight, reserved crowd softened, hips loosened, and next thing you knew, a full-blown groove had erupted in the gallery. I was struck, not only by her technical skill and musical range but by her joy. She was smiling the whole time, completely immersed in her own world, pulling everyone in with her. Little did I know that I was arriving late to the party. DJ Doowap had already spent nearly a decade touring the world, captivating audiences from Johannesburg to New York. Her unique blend of sound, deeply rooted in the township-born bacardi genre, has put her at the forefront of a sonic revolution. In 2023, she was recognised as one of the Mail & Guardian's Top 200 Young South Africans in the Arts and Entertainment category, a recognition that felt both celebratory and overdue. Right now, Doowap is on a European tour, taking the vibrational pulse of Pretoria, specifically the infectious energy of bacardi music, and sharing it with crowds in Paris and across Germany. She's not simply performing; she's exporting culture, delivering the sound of the streets to international stages where the beat of Mzansi is becoming the rhythm of the world. Her latest single Seroba Ke Seh is a love letter to bacardi's origins. The title itself, lifted from Pretoria slang, signals a commitment to authenticity, even as she travels the globe. Doowap worked with bacardi veterans Enny Man Da Guitar and rising star from Hammanskraal to capture that unmistakable township pulse. 'It was important to me that we honour the roots,' she says. 'I'm not trying to westernise bacardi or clean it up for international ears. I want them to feel the real thing — our thing.' Bacardi, for those who know, is unfiltered. Its hypnotic loops, raw percussion and unpredictable tempo changes speak a language all their own. It's dance music that feels lived-in. 'I've always been obsessed with bacardi,' she says. 'Even when other genres were getting the spotlight, it was bacardi that made my heart beat faster. It's got that raw energy. You hear it and you have to move.' Her sets aren't just built for clubs; they're crafted for movement, expression and release. And that energy translates globally. At Berlin's Freak de L'Afrique street festival, Doowap played to a staggering 700 000 people. Let that number sink in — 700 000 bodies moving to Pretoria's street sound. 'It was the biggest crowd I've ever played for,' she recalls. 'And the moment I dropped the first track, I felt it, they got it. There's something so powerful about knowing that a sound from your hometown can make that kind of impact across the world.' Doowap is more than a DJ. She's a full-blown cultural architect. Her music, fashion and visual world are interconnected, constantly in conversation with each other. Whether it's an Adidas campaign or a Maybelline shoot, her look is always bold, always intentional. 'Fashion is my favourite form of self-expression,' she says. 'Everything I wear says what the music is already saying. It's unapologetic. It's future-facing. It's a little wild, but so am I.' For her, every outfit is a visual beat, every make-up look a chord. It's never just about looking good, it's about telling a story. 'When I partner with brands, I make sure they get the vision,' she insists. 'I need to know they're open to imagination, that they're not trying to box me in. Because that's the core of what I do — I don't fit in. I remix everything.' This fearless approach extends to her touring experience. She's discovered just how tapped in to South African culture global audiences are. 'The most surprising thing has been watching people in Paris or Berlin pulling bacardi moves on the dance floor like they've been doing them for years,' she says. 'It's wild. It shows just how powerful social media and cultural exchange have become.' She's not just bringing the music, she's bringing a full cultural moment. And she wears the title Bacardi Babe proudly. 'At first, I thought people were just saying it to be cute,' she says. 'But now, I wear it like a badge. Because this isn't just about me, it's about all of us who've been pushing this sound, carrying this culture, evolving it.' As someone who straddles multiple creative industries, I asked whether she sees music, fashion and beauty as separate expressions. Her response is immediate: 'It's all one continuous art form. It's the same energy, just different languages. I'm not choosing between them. I'm dancing through all of them.' And what does she hope her legacy will be, particularly as bacardi culture gains momentum abroad? 'I want young people, especially young women, to see me and think, 'I can do it my way too.' I want to show that you don't have to compromise to succeed. That your originality is your superpower. That there's space for all of us.' She then adds: 'And I want to open doors. Real ones. If what I'm doing sparks even the tiniest fire in someone back home, then that's my purpose.' Doowap's performances are joyful but they are also political. They're about permission, giving the audience permission to feel, to move, to release. 'Joy is resistance,' she says. 'When I perform, I want everyone to forget whatever's weighing them down. I want them to remember what it feels like to be free. 'That moment when we're all dancing together, that's church to me.' Looking forward, her plans are as layered and electric as she is. More music is on the way, including a short project expanding her bacardi-meets-pantsula sonic world. She's also dreaming of a fully immersive tour with pantsula dancers, lighting, fashion — the whole South African experience. 'I want to take that full energy to Asia, South America, North America,' she says. 'I want people everywhere to feel the electricity between bacardi and pantsula — it's next level.' And, true to form, she's also building something offstage. 'I'm working on launching my fashion brand,' she teases. 'It's going to be very me — bold, textured, street, but with that edge. I can't wait to share my mpahlas [clothes] with the world.' DJ Doowap isn't just spinning decks, she's spinning culture into a new orbit. From the corners of Pretoria to the stages of Europe, she is redefining what it means to be a South African creative in the 21st century. With every beat, every stitch, every performance, she's proving that local isn't just global, it's essential. And, as the world continues to tune in to the sound of the South, it's Doowap who is pressing play.
