EDITOR’S LUNCHBOX: Wake up and smell the faeces, say people living near the Vaal River

Stories of Note

Bytes from the digital world

Coal from Gupta-owned mines that Eskom’s former acting CEO Matshela Koko claims passed quality tests could have come from anywhere, according to investigators.

The Lost Boys of Bird Island co-author Chris Steyn has accused her then employer, the Cape Times, of being excessively cautious in refusing to print the allegations presented in her book. Then Cape Times editor Tony Heard defends his decision.

In My Opinion

Matters of debate

In 2008, the CSIR gagged and subsequently suspended its researcher Anthony Turton for warning of the precarious state of SA’s water infrastructure. "Turton’s forecast has come to pass and the catastrophe has been triggered," writes Neels Blom.

If David Mabuza suddenly has to replace Cyril Ramaphosa as SA’s president — as happened when Lyndon Johnson replaced John F Kennedy — would SA survive? asks Jonny Steinberg.

Finding Alpha

The long and the short of the markets

If the platinum price at $777/oz is not enough to kill SA’s platinum mines, Amcu promises to do the rest.

Standard Bank group CEO Sim Tshabalala is bracing for the imminent launch of Discovery Bank and the potential disruption of the industry that could come from big technology.

Oh, Very Twitty

The lighter side of the web

Six months after Gupta family members and business associates were arrested for involvement in the alleged Estina dairy project "scam", the hallmark state-capture case against them is on the brink of collapse.

Very Visual

Graphic of the day

More than 70% of Emfuleni’s GDP is based on the steel mills and metal manufacturing industry, which now face 14-hour blackouts because of the municipality’s non-payment. These companies have applied to the high court in Johannesburg to prevent blackouts in Vereeniging, Vanderbijlpark, Sebokeng, Boipatong, Tshepiso, Sharpeville and Evaton.

Scores of companies, from large ones listed on the JSE to small-and medium-sized businesses, in six towns across SA, face the untenable situation of being cut off from their electricity supply, despite having paid their accounts.