Ramaphosa brings out the big guns

[Daily Maverick] AFTERNOON THING with JOHN STUPART Wednesday, 12 July 2017 A meaningful conference about the state of our media. Cape Town International Convention Centre, 3rd August. [Click here]( for speaker line-up and ticket info. WHILE YOU WERE WORKING [Ramaphosa turns to Bell Pottinger]( ANC Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa slammed Bell Pottinger, accusing the propagandists of "sowing divisions" in South Africa. Speaking at the SACP elective conference in Boksburg, Ramaphosa also lamented the gullibility of many South Africans for buying the stories in the first place. Regardless, it appears as though Bell Pottinger has effectively become a national persona non grata, with the sole exception of a certain family in Saxonwold. [Laptop ban lifted in Egypt and Morocco]( A ban on laptops for US-bound flights from Egypt and Morocco has been lifted. Enforced in March, the ban will be lifted as of Thursday. Pressure by the US Department of Homeland Security for airports in Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, as well as Turkey to beef up their security evidently appeared satisfied. That is, except for just two unfortunate Saudi Arabian airports which remain firmly banned. [Trump defends Junior over email furore]( President Donald Trump Tweeted a defence of his son's Russian meeting scandal today. Calling Junior "innocent", Trump reiterated his speculation that the media were conducting a witch hunt. The New York Times had prompted Junior's release of the email thread between himself, a British publicist, and possible Russian-sponsored "dirt" on Hillary Clinton. At some point in this story, an enterprising screenwriter will be knocking on Junior's door for the exclusive movie rights. [Giant ice cube breaks off Antarctica]( Scientists had called it, but now the trillion-ton ice shelf off West Antarctica has officially split. The calving occurred officially some time between Monday and today. The section is estimated to be 350 metres thick and will now be closely monitored lest it interferes with global shipping. — A meaningful conference about the state of our media. Cape Town International Convention Centre, 3rd August. [Click here]( for speaker line-up and ticket info. FEATURED ARTICLES [SACP Congress: ‘The house is burning’ - Ramaphosa]( [SACP Congress: ‘The house is burning’ - Ramaphosa]( BY Greg Nicolson [Corrupting the country’s soul, Zupta style: South Africa, you are on your own]( [Corrupting the country’s soul, Zupta style: South Africa, you are on your own]( BY Marianne Thamm [Makhosi Khoza: Still standing, still fighting, still believing]( [Makhosi Khoza: Still standing, still fighting, still believing]( BY Marianne Merten OPINIONISTAS [What does Capitalism Version 2.0 look like – and why are the poor embracing voluntary subjugation?]( [What does Capitalism Version 2.0 look like – and why are the poor embracing voluntary subjugation?]( A column by Oscar van Heerden [ANC Policy Conference 2017: He Who Laughs Last]( [ANC Policy Conference 2017: He Who Laughs Last]( A column by Pieter-Dirk Uys [FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO A FRIEND]( Copyright © 2017 Daily Maverick, All rights reserved. You are receiving this mail because you are awesome and on the Daily Maverick First Thing subscriber list. [Preferences]( | [Unsubscribe](