[Daily Maverick]
FIRST THING with JOHN STUPART
Thursday, 18 May 2017
âThose who will not reason, are bigots, those who cannot, are fools, and those who dare not, are slaves.â
George Gordon Byron
STORY OF THE DAY
[âRadical Economic Gupterisationâ: Another âbullshitâ ANC proxy battle](
By RANJENI MUNUSAMY
After discovering how it was dangerous to throw around the term âradical economic transformationâ, Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba told Parliament the ANC has not yet defined what radical economic transformation would entail. Well, it has only been under discussion for five years and it is used more as a crutch than a possible policy umbrella. Delivering the fifth annual Mapungubwe lecture on Tuesday, former Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas warned that as the ANCâs 54th national conference approaches, it would become more difficult to subject the radical economic transformation discussion to âdemocratic public reasoningâ. Policy positions are once again bound to become proxies for factions â particularly the one sponsored by that powerful family running the state.
[Wits win PSL title](
The Clever Boys have won the 2016/2017 PSL title, a first in their 96-year history. Wits defeated Polokwane City 2-0 in the league's penultimate round, handing them an unassailable lead. Coach Gavin Hunt gave a tearful statement, saying: "A tremendous amount of hard work has finally paid off." With a R1-million first prize, this will be one hell of a weekend for the club.
[Brazil's president recorded discussing hush money](
Brazil's President Michel Temer has apparently been recorded discussing hush money for a corrupt politician. A media group in Brazil announced their possession of the recording, which elicited calls for Temer's removal from office. Considering Brazil impeaches at least half a dozen presidents before breakfast, Temer's name added to the list could be nothing more than business as usual.
[Ex-FBI director to head Trump-Russia investigation](
Former FBI director Robert Mueller will lead an investigation into alleged ties between President Donald Trump and Russia during the 2016 election race. Mueller was nominated by the Deputy Attorney-General. Trump immediately repeated his denial of any wrongdoing. Mueller, a widely-respected former director for 10 years after 9/11, will hopefully investigate unhindered.
[Survey names over 28,000 medicinal plants](
A survey released from the United Kingdom has revealed that 28,187 species of plant life have medicinal value but are drastically under-utilised due to poor documentation. The study by Britain's Royal Botanic Gardens also noted that some 340 hectares of land are burned each year. While alarming, this is not necessarily a bad thing. Unless you're in Cape Town and it hasn't rained for half a year.
â
PICTURE OF THE DAY
BY EPA/DANIEL SMORIGO
A hand-out photo made available by the World Surf League (WSL) on 17 May 2017 of Kanoa Igarashi of the US in action during Round 5 of the Oi Rio Pro surfing event as part of the World Surf League in Saquarema, near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil..
IN NUMBERS
741
The weeks which âThe Dark Side of the Moonâ remained on the Billboard Top 200. From 1973-1988
FACTS OF THE DAY
Today is International Museum Day.
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is an ordained minister.
FEATURED ARTICLES
[Analysis: South Africaâs interregnum and the fight for the soul of SAPS](
[Analysis: South Africaâs interregnum and the fight for the soul of SAPS](
BY Marianne Thamm
[Whatâs the urgency? Revival of decade-old proposal on human rights bodies raises questions](
[Whatâs the urgency? Revival of decade-old proposal on human rights bodies raises questions](
BY Rebecca Davis
[Op-Ed: Radical Economic Transformation â a progressive structural change in the fundamental features of SAâs political economy](
[Op-Ed: Radical Economic Transformation â a progressive structural change in the fundamental features of SAâs political economy](
BY Mcebisi Jonas
[SABC: Scopa MPs call for top SABC official's head over Hlaudi saga](
[SABC: Scopa MPs call for top SABC official's head over Hlaudi saga](
BY Marianne Merten
[All the Presidentâs Mendacity: Is Trump edging closer to a risk of impeachment?](
[All the Presidentâs Mendacity: Is Trump edging closer to a risk of impeachment?](
BY J Brooks Spector
[Op-Ed: Responses to protest must address peopleâs experience of powerlessness](
[Op-Ed: Responses to protest must address peopleâs experience of powerlessness](
BY M LANGA & D BRUCE
[Reporterâs Parliamentary Notebook: The budget votes burst forth, but little new emerges](
[Reporterâs Parliamentary Notebook: The budget votes burst forth, but little new emerges](
BY Marianne Merten
[GroundUp: Hereâs where to find data on Cape Townâs water crisis](
[GroundUp: Hereâs where to find data on Cape Townâs water crisis](
BY GroundUp
[ISS Today: Somalia needs more action, less lip service](
[ISS Today: Somalia needs more action, less lip service](
BY ISS TODAY
OPINIONISTAS
[Radical Economic Transformation: Changing the economic landscape](
[Radical Economic Transformation: Changing the economic landscape](
A column by Vuso Shabalala
[In the Name of Democracy: No Easy Solutions for the SABC](
[In the Name of Democracy: No Easy Solutions for the SABC](
A column by Rehad Desai
â
Weather
BFN: min: 8° max: 22°, sunny
CPT: min: 11° max: 20°, sunny
DBN: min: 18° max: 23°, cloudy
EL: min: 18° max: 22°, cloudy
JHB: min: 6° max: 21°, sunny
KIM: min: 9° max: 24°, sunny
NLP: min: 10° max: 24°, sunny
PMB: min: 5° max: 22°, sunny
PE: min: 14° max: 20°, sunny
PTA: min: 6° max: 21°, sunny
Financial Data
Oil=$52.23
Gold=$1,258.72
Platinum=$947.66
$=13.17
â¬=14.68
£=17.05
$/â¬=0.92
JSE All Share=54,001.94
DJIA=20,697.10
FTSE 100=7,503.47
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