Four Seasons Before Lunch Gauteng (Pretoria)

-
 I have lived in Pretoria for half my life, but even at almost 50, l still am not ready for mornings like this . I step out of  home in the morning at 7 a.m., greeted by a warm, gentle breeze and sunshine so golden it felt like summer had arrived overnight. The sky was clear; the jacaranda trees glowed purple; the air smelled of warmth and possibility. “Perfect day,” l muttered, locking his door. By the time l drive out—five minutes later—the sky starts to be darkened. A cold wind came crawling in from nowhere, sweeping dust across the pavement. The temperature dropped so suddenly that  l have  to switch the heater for warmth. Laughing. “Ah, Pretoria… you never disappoint.” Halfway to the office, the heavens opened. Not soft rain— a storm . Sheets of water hammered the road, street gutters overflowed instantly, and distant thunder rolled like a grumpy giant waking up too early. People scattered, hiding under bus shelters already too full.  “Ten minutes ago...
Post a Comment

FRIDAY BRIEFING | RET Lonely Hearts: Why the fightback is fading

-

 

accreditation
0:00
play article
SUBSCRIBERS CAN LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE
friday briefing

RET Lonely Hearts: Why the fightback is fading, and what comes next

The ANC's Radical Economic Transformation faction, or RET as they are popularly known, came into being ahead of the party's national conference in December 2017.

Styling itself as an ideological grouping in the governing party that champions economic reform to the benefit of the poor, it was in actual fact a grouping of politicos with strong and demonstrable links to the Zuma-Gupta state capture network.

Led by corruption-accused Ace Magashule, supported by nefarious characters like Carl Niehaus and pretenders to the presidential throne including Lindiwe Sisulu, the RET faction has became synonymous with the toxic and often criminal divisions that characterise the ANC.

During the first two years of President Cyril Ramaphosa's presidency, the RET faction proved a disruptive force inside the party.

Magashule, for example, made a habit of openly defying the president, while others, like Ekhuruleni Mayor Mzwandile Masina, became one of the cheerleaders of the RET Louis Vuitton vanguard. But their potency has in recent times significantly diluted as Ramaphosa managed to consolidate his influence in the organisation and people like Magashule were politically neutralised.

In this week's Friday Briefing, News24's political editor, Qaanitah Hunter, argues the RET faction is dead, but it might not be the end for Ramaphosa's internal wranglings.

Political analysts Ebrahim Fakir and Mpumelelo Mkhabela argue the problem is not the RET faction, but the ANC and that Ramaphosa still has a rocky road ahead.

The cover is a parody of The Beatles' famous Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover - if you haven't noticed - done by the ever-creative Rudi Louw. Take note of the track listings … including "Nomvula in the Sky with Diamonds". With apologies to John Lennon…

Please let us know your thoughts at opinions@24.com.

Best,

Pieter du Toit

Assistant Editor: In-depth news

RET is dead. Will we see a RET 2.0 rise up?

Without any leadership, the only glue that, so far, bonds the anti-Ramaphosa faction - whether it is through RET or not - is self-interest, writes Qaanitah Hunter.

RET or not: Suspicion and conspiracy - The ANC's debilitating impact on society

The internal organisational crisis faced by the ANC demonstrates that the party no longer has competing ideas, but contradictory visions. Ebrahim Fakir writes that these contradictions are not germane to the RET faction, but are a consequence of the ANC's general incoherence. 

A rudderless RET faction doesn't mean an easy ride for Ramaphosa

As the anti-Ramaphosa faction flounders, ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa has been given a lifeline to re-organise the party and increase his margin of support from the near-split of the 2017 Nasrec conference. But it won't be an easy road ahead for him, writes Mpumelelo Mkhabela.

To receive the Friday Briefing, sign up for the newsletter here.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
In times of uncertainty you need journalism you can trust. For only R75 per month, you have access to a world of in-depth analyses, investigative journalism, top opinions and a range of features. Journalism strengthens democracy. Invest in the future today.
Subscribe to News24
READ MORE ON:
ANCPOLITICSRETFACTIONALISM
More from

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

MultiChoice’s BEE scheme trying to find 22 000 shareholders who are missing out on millions

-
Image
  USINESS REPORT COMPANIES MultiChoice’s black economic empowerment scheme is looking for about 22 000 shareholders who owned shares and did not receive dividends of R207 million between 2006 and 2020. Picture: Karen Sandison/African News Agency(ANA) MultiChoice’s BEE scheme trying to find 22 000 shareholders who are missing out on millions By Edward West   Feb 16, 2021 CAPE TOWN - PHUTUMA Nathi, the MultiChoice black economic empowerment scheme of more than 80 000 shareholders, is looking for about 22 000 shareholders who owned shares and did not receive dividends of R207 million between 2006 and 2020. “This money belongs to our shareholders. We’re calling on them to contact us to get their money. In these tough economic times we want to do everything in our power to give them what is rightfully theirs,” Phuthuma Nathi chairperson Mandla Langa said in a statement yesterday. Phuthuma Nathi has been paying dividends every year since the start of the scheme in 2006. Am...
Read more

Ultra-Widebody Volkswagen Bus "Volkswide" Looks Like a Porsche Racing Van

-
Image
  Home   >   News   >   Renderings It's easy to understand why a muscle car or a Ferrari is cool - the big engine and cool body. But car culture is also influenced by television, rarity, or simply a generation growing up with a particular vehicle. The Volkswagen Bus is a perfect example of this because it's slow, not sporty-looking, yet it can cost a lot of money.  16 photos The Bus is perhaps one of the least understood collectibles, right up there with bubble cars. You see them grabbing huge money at auctions, making it difficult to visualize why somebody wouldn't rather have a Ferrari or some 1960s Mustang. Comedian Gabriel Iglesias is known as the VW Bus King, as his collection of Vdubs is reportedly worth in excess of $3 million. The Hoonigan crew recently did a feature video, but we still had trouble picturing the value of these vehicles. Fortunately, there's a set of renderings that takes the visuals of the Microbus to the level where everybody...
Read more

Fighting Drug addiction

-
 Here's the story: We sat down with a man who had a harrowing journey with addiction. He began by telling us about his early days in tertiary education, where he would occasionally smoke dagga with friends. However, his focus remained on his studies, and he worked hard to graduate and secure a qualification. After landing a job, he started building a life for himself. He got married, bought a property, and even splurged on a car. Life was good, and he felt like he was on top of the world. But one fateful night, while out with friends, he was introduced to heavier narcotics. At first, the experience was exhilarating. He described it as an elevation from the mild high of dagga to a level 5 high, where he felt invincible and euphoric. The effects would last for days, allowing him to party from Friday to Sunday without sleep. The problem, however, began to manifest on Mondays and Tuesdays every week, when the withdrawal symptoms would kick in, and he'd struggle to function at work....
Read more