Weekend Thing: Ace's ATM heist troubles, US-Iran tensions threaten war

[Your weekend read is all set.]( [Click here for the web version of this email]( [Daily Maverick]( Saturday, 22 June 2019 [I have a dream, and nothing else]( “I dream of a South Africa where the first entirely new city built in the democratic era rises, with skyscrapers, schools, universities, hospitals and factories,” Cyril Ramaphosa In sum Thursday night saw the country's second State of the Nation Address for 2019. In it, the president painted a picture of a Jetsons-esque country [bristling]( with futuristic technology and infrastructure. Except, the other bits of his address illustrated just how hopeless this outlook may be. Eskom-on The president was relatively candid in the failures of his government: The economy was a failure, there are no jobs, and SOEs need fixing. The solution: prioritise those things that can be fixed the quickest and to the largest effect. To "catalyse faster movement forward." This translated to a massive R230 billion bailout, probably sped up by parliamentary approval soon, for Eskom. Ramaphosa's own SONA admission was that Eskom was simply too big to fail. Thus, for its decades of incompetence and corruption, it got more money. Given that over R400 billion in debt default threatened a worse outcome, [what else could Ramaphosa do]( but throw monetary bleach on the Zuma-induced bloodstained floor. Tell me why I should care This SONA was a bitter drink spiked with flavourful notes about an idealistic South Africa. [Difficult policy choices]( and finishing the hard unglamorous work of service delivery made way to big bailouts and bullet trains. If this is the [blue pill]( delivered to the nation, one can but hope that the red pill is the one being doled out on the streets. — [Free Delivery]( to your nearest Exclusive Books when ordering via on [EB Online]( [This Weekend We're Watching]( Brexit: Endgame - The $20 Trillion Secret, with Stephen Fry Brexit is mostly bullshit. But for many of the leading Brexiteers in power, the profits they will reap from Britain's divorce with the world are galling. Stephen Fry explains. [Costume rainbow flag]( If your country's flag had to have a Japanese-styled character representing it, the above is more or less what you're going to get. In the run-up to the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, [World Flags]( has begun a collection of artistic impressions of each country participating, using traditional Japanese clothes and gear. In South Africa's case: a pretty darned awesome katana-wielding badass. — Key Reading [So, speaking of economics, what happened to that R1.5-trillion?]( By Tim Cohen If there is one question on the subject of the economy President Cyril Ramaphosa should answer during his State of the Nation Address it should be this: Why did pumping R1.5-trillion into the economy over the past decade have no effect? [Free Delivery]( to your nearest Exclusive Books when ordering via on [EB Online]( [Hakuna ma-what-now?]( The term "my bad" is accredited to Manute Bol (but contested.) He is also the tallest man to play NBA basketball and killed one lion. Weekend reading [Cash Paymaster Services’ potential R1.3bn largesse from social grants agency thwarted]( [Cash Paymaster Services’ potential R1.3bn largesse from social grants agency thwarted]( BY Ray Mahlaka [Under Barbara Creecy, DEFF might not be deaf to local fishermen]( [Under Barbara Creecy, DEFF might not be deaf to local fishermen]( BY Tessa Knight [SAX, Bribes and Audio Tapes: Former Cabinet ministers implicated in dodgy airline deal]( [SAX, Bribes and Audio Tapes: Former Cabinet ministers implicated in dodgy airline deal]( BY Jessica Bezuidenhout [Free Delivery]( to your nearest Exclusive Books when ordering via on [EB Online]( [FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO A FRIEND]( Copyright © 2019 Daily Maverick, All rights reserved. You are receiving this mail because you are awesome and on the Daily Maverick Afternoon Thing subscriber list. Want to advertise in this mail? [Talk to us.](mailto:advertise@dailymaverick.co.za?subject=Advertising%20query%3A%20Afternoon%20Thing) [Getting too many emails from us? Manage your preferences]( | [Unsubscribe](