Full steam ahead for Brexit week

[Daily Maverick] FIRST THING with JOHN STUPART Monday, 13 March 2017 “I would rather have questions that can't be answered than answers that can't be questioned.” Richard Feynman STORY OF THE DAY [ANC Policy: Old proposals in new wrapping paper, with a dash of perfume]( By RANJENI MUNUSAMY The ANC does a superb job of navel gazing and self-criticism. It seems almost cathartic for the ANC to diagnose its internal problems and society’s growing disenchantment with it. The nine discussion documents released on Sunday in preparation for the ANC’s fifth policy conference in June are largely a rehash of previous policy proposals. But all these, plus some new remedies such as a review of its electoral processes, can only be implemented if adopted at the party’s December national conference. This does not help this year’s messy election campaign that is likely to produce leaders and outcomes the ANC is warning itself against. [Full steam ahead for Brexit announcement]( The UK's Prime Minister Theresa May is expected to formally announce her country's intention to leave the EU this week. Both Houses are expected to arm May with the legislative powers to do so today. In doing so, the UK will be primed to head into utterly unknown waters. Scotland's leader Nicola Sturgeon, however, is having none of this, hinting that a second independence referendum was "highly likely". [Carlos the Jackal on trial again]( One of France's original terrorists is going on trial again. This time, the 67-year-old Ilyich Ramirez Sanchez will be going on trial for a bombing of a Parisian shop 40 years ago. He is currently serving two life sentences for the murder of two policemen. His defence attorney is arguing that the entire trial is a waste of time and money given Carlos' circumstances. [France declares war on rats]( Forget about the Jackal, France has turned its might upon rats. Paris' mayor Anne Hidalgo has announced $1.6-million in funding to be used to kill or control Paris' out of control rat populations. The romantic city of lights appears to be infested with rats. In addition to controlling the rodents, Hidalgo wanted to roll out public ashtrays to control rampant littering from cigarette butts in the city. [Federer sails into third round at Indian Wells]( Roger Federer has defeated Stephane Robert in a handy 6-2, 6-1 performance to progress to the third round at Indian Wells. The Australian Open champion will next face Steve Johnson, who in turn defeated South African Kevin Anderson 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7/4). — PICTURE OF THE DAY BY EPA/NIC BOTHMA A cyclist battles against gale-force winds at the start of the world's largest individually timed cycle race, the Cape Town Cycle Tour in Cape Town, South Africa 12 March 2017. In its 40th year the race was for the first time ever cancelled due to the extreme winds making for dangerous conditions. IN NUMBERS 5,000 The dollar amount Bernard Madoff started off with on Wall Street as a trader. FACTS OF THE DAY Today in 1940 saw an end to the Russo-Finnish Winter War. Cats are generally attracted to eating human earwax. FEATURED ARTICLES [ANC Policy: Old proposals in new wrapping paper, with a dash of perfume]( [ANC Policy: Old proposals in new wrapping paper, with a dash of perfume]( BY Ranjeni Munusamy [SASSAgate: Anatomy of the Hidden Hand – will all be revealed to ConCourt?]( [SASSAgate: Anatomy of the Hidden Hand – will all be revealed to ConCourt?]( BY Marianne Thamm [RSA in a dewdrop: Reflections on the political murder trial of the decade]( [RSA in a dewdrop: Reflections on the political murder trial of the decade]( BY Kevin Bloom [ANC’s Economic Transformation Policy document: Not Radical, Not New]( [ANC’s Economic Transformation Policy document: Not Radical, Not New]( BY Stephen Grootes [Parliament: ANC wants a total reset]( [Parliament: ANC wants a total reset]( BY Marianne Merten [South Africa and the ICC: The Hague’s golden opportunity to convince Zuma to stay]( [South Africa and the ICC: The Hague’s golden opportunity to convince Zuma to stay]( BY Simon Allison [Evita's Free Speech: Ep.81 – Evita remembers Bella who was killed by Frankie! (Video)]( [Evita's Free Speech: Ep.81 – Evita remembers Bella who was killed by Frankie! (Video)]( BY Pieter-Dirk Uys [Op-Ed: A gap opens for South Africa to do right on the ICC]( [Op-Ed: A gap opens for South Africa to do right on the ICC]( BY Max du Plessis [Op-Ed: Coming soon – ANC’s moves to threaten internet freedoms]( [Op-Ed: Coming soon – ANC’s moves to threaten internet freedoms]( BY MARIAN SHINN [Cricket: Elgar resistance underscores how tough first Test against New Zealand was]( [Cricket: Elgar resistance underscores how tough first Test against New Zealand was]( BY Antoinette Muller [Letter to the Editor: UCT’s SRC needs support as the academic year begins]( [Letter to the Editor: UCT’s SRC needs support as the academic year begins]( BY Daily Maverick OPINIONISTAS [NET1: Peeling away the layers]( [NET1: Peeling away the layers]( A column by Magda Wierzycka [Towards an Economic Revolution]( [Towards an Economic Revolution]( A column by Floyd Shivambu [Sassa and JSE’s Project Orion: When a big institution misjudges the difficulty of a task]( [Sassa and JSE’s Project Orion: When a big institution misjudges the difficulty of a task]( A column by Yonela Diko — Weather BFN: min: 18° max: 30°, cloudy CPT: min: 15° max: 30°, sunny DBN: min: 24° max: 29°, cloudy EL: min: 20° max: 26°, cloudy JHB: min: 16° max: 29°, sunny KIM: min: 13° max: 31°, cloudy NLP: min: 15° max: 30°, cloudy PMB: min: 14° max: 29°, rainy PE: min: 18° max: 26°, cloudy PTA: min: 14° max: 29°, cloudy Financial Data Oil=$51.37 Gold=$1,204.64 Platinum=$942.50 R/$=13.17 R/€=14.06 R/£=16.03 $/€=1.06 JSE All Share=51,269.54 DJIA=20,902.98 FTSE 100=7,343.08 [FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO A FRIEND]( Copyright © 2017 Daily Maverick, All rights reserved. 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