A hunger to learn

[Leviathan]( [Mail & Guardian Newsletter logo](#) [mg.co.za]( [The Ampersand Daily Newsletter from the M&G team](#) [Divider Strip] June 29 2020 | [View in browser]( [Divider Strip] [Facebook icon]( [Twitter icon]( [Instagram icon]( [LinkedIn icon]( Hi there, This week the Pretoria high court will hear a case that may compel the department of basic education to provide the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) to all learners. This would include those who have yet to return to school. Bongekile Macupe reports that advocacy group Equal Education has approached the court on the basis that learners who qualify for school nutrition did not receive their daily meal during the period in which the programme was suspended after schools were closed in March. "Learners feel the effects of this breach every day, as hunger impacts on their ability to concentrate and learn," said Equal Education's secretary general, Noncedo Madubedube. "Any further delay in providing learners with food under the NSNP will perpetuate the violation of their constitutional rights to a basic education and to basic nutrition, and will aggravate its consequences." In other news, Malawi's newly elected president Lazarus Chakwera was sworn in as he took the oath of office yesterday. Golden Matonga reports that he faced an overjoyed sea of supporters still bouncing from the historic elections last Tuesday. "To stand before you as your president today is an honour," he said. "It's an honour that fills me with unspeakable joy and immense gratitude." Chakwera's victory ushers in the return to power of the Malawi Congress Party -- the liberation party that last ruled the country 25 years ago. Over in neighbouring Zambia, meanwhile, [cops were played like a tune]( by a group of protesters, who tricked them into getting all dressed up in body armour only to go to the wrong location. Simon Allison reports that at the last minute protest organisers told fellow activists to stay home while they headed to an undisclosed location outside Lusaka. More than half-a-million people watched their speeches denouncing corruption while police were made to look like fools as they fruitlessly combed the city. In case you missed it: Corona is still here: The number of coronavirus cases worldwide has reached 10-million, and the death toll passed 500 000 on Sunday, with daily infections escalating in the United States, India and Brazil. The grim milestone came as countries struggled to keep new infections at bay while also emerging from painful lockdowns. Spies, lies and financial ties: US spies and commandos in Afghanistan alerted superiors as early as January to a [Russian plot to pay bounties for the killing of American troops]( officials said. The emerging details added to the picture of the classified intelligence assessment, which The New York Times reported on Friday was briefed to President Donald Trump and discussed by the White House's National Security Council at an interagency meeting in late March. The Trump administration had yet to act against the Russians, the officials said. Alarming and ill-advised: Lawyers in Botswana have described their government's appointment of AfriForum's Gerrie Nel to help pursue a case involving businesswoman Bridgette Motsepe as ["alarming" and "ill-advised"](. "We are all extremely disappointed by the appointment of AfriForum, given what AfriForum stands for. It's not something we expected or thought government could do," the vice-chairperson of the Law Society of Botswana, Mboki Chilisa, said. Private gain, public loss: Putting public services in private hands is [bad economics](. Worse, it undermines our bonds as a political community. Trouble in paradise: The prime minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sylvestre Ilunga, has threatened to resign after President Felix Tshisekedi ordered the arrest of the minister of justice, highlighting [increasing tensions]( within the governing coalition. What is happening in the virtual newsroom If you couldn't help but allow a little smirk to cross your face when reading about the Zambia protests, then it's probably a sign you should subscribe to [The Continent]( -- a weekly dose of pan-African news and features. Get it delivered to you via WhatsApp by sending a text to +27 73 805 6068. If you'd prefer it via email, send an email to TheContinent@mg.co.za. We have a sale on [&G subscriptions]( Don't be left out of the loop. Starting from as little as [R69 a month]( why not give yourself, or someone else, the gift of quality journalism. Yours in solidarity, Kiri Rupiah & Luke Feltham [Divider Strip] [Regent]( [Divider Strip] [Oh Shucks, an accidental blackface hero]( [Oh Shucks, an accidental blackface hero]( Leon Schuster is having a few movies of his removed from Showmax and Phumlani Pikoli figures: what better time to reflect on this bruh than now? [Divider Strip] [Meet Katoto, Museveni's big fan]( [Meet Katoto, Museveni's big fan]( The TV cartoon character -- think Homer Simpson meets Robin Hood -- with added propaganda. [Divider Strip] [This simple model shows the importance of wearing masks and social distancing]( [This simple model shows the importance of wearing masks and social distancing]( This simple actuarial model uses general guidelines, rather than data and assumptions about Covid-19 specifically, to simulate the effect of safety protocols. [Divider Strip] [The blankest spot on Trump's world map]( [The blankest spot on Trump's world map]( In his new book of his time in the Trump White House, former US National Security Adviser John Bolton shares Trump's very few thoughts on Africa. [Divider Strip] [JSE]( [Divider Strip] [Facebook icon]( [Twitter icon]( [Instagram icon]( [LinkedIn icon]( You are receiving this email on {EMAIL} because 1.) You're a member of "Mail & Guardian" or 2.) previously subscribed [M&G logo] 25 Owl St, Braamfontein Werf, Johannesburg, 2092 Want to be removed? No problem! [UNSUBSCRIBE]( Email support: help@media-connect.co.za - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -