Daily Maverick

In this solo episode of The Readiness Report, Redi Tlhabi discusses newly appointed US Ambassador to South Africa, Leo Brent Bozell III, and the recent rebuke from Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola. Drawing on her own experience of living abroad, from the United States to London, she offers four “tips” on what it means to enter a new society as a guest, why understanding local sensitivities matters, and how diplomacy can unravel when those lessons are ignored. Listen in! This episode was made possible thanks to The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom: https://www.freiheit.org/sub-saharan-africa You can listen to the Let’s Talk Human Rights podcast here: https://open.spotify.com/show/59LYbrnDnmsupzBh9Sb9dH?si=9ea830a251094765 Hosted by: Redi Tlhabi Edited by: Joel Seboa Produced by: Emilie Gambade & Joel Seboa Original Theme Music & Design by: Bernard Kotze You can listen to the podcast everywhere, including Spotify! Support journalism that protects democracy.  Become a Maverick Insider. https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverick You can find us on Instagram here:  https://www.instagram.com/dailymaverick/  On TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@dailymavericksa Or on Twitter here: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article_tag/x/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this video, Scorpio investigative journalist Pieter-Louis Myburgh unpacks documents pointing to an alleged slush fund linked to Brian Molefe during his tenure at Transnet and Eskom — and what they suggest about money, influence and State Capture. Daily Maverick reached out to Molefe for comment, but he did not respond. Reggie Maponya said she did not wish to comment.  Reporting by: Pieter-Louis Myburgh  Filmed by: Joel Seboa  Edited by: Malibongwe Tyilo  Produced by: Emilie Gambade  Support journalism that protects democracy.  Become a Maverick Insider: https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverick You can find us on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/dailymaverick/ On TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@dailymavericksa Or on Twitter here: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article_tag/x/   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As tensions sharpen between Iran, Israel and the United States, Redi Tlhabi and veteran journalist Phillip van Niekerk unpack the strikes, the denials and the shifting nuclear narrative. From the collapse of the Obama-era deal dismantled by Donald Trump to the long-running warnings of Benjamin Netanyahu, they examine how we arrived at this moment and whether bombing a nation can ever be sold as liberation.   This episode was made possible thanks to The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom: https://www.freiheit.org/sub-saharan-africa You can listen to the Let’s Talk Human Rights podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLu00m-l7ea9IBJGB-21RBwXVEhmDeCY2N Hosted by: Redi Tlhabi Guest: Journalist and political analyst Phillip van Niekerk Edited by: Joel Seboa Produced by: Emilie Gambade & Joel Seboa Original Theme Music & Design by: Bernard Kotze You can listen to the podcast everywhere, including Spotify! Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider.https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverick You can find us on Instagram here:  https://www.instagram.com/dailymaverick/  On TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@dailymavericksa Or on Twitter here: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article_tag/x/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of The Readiness Report, Redi Tlhabi sits down with economist and director of Inani Strategies Xhanti Payi to unpack what the national budget really means for ordinary families. From food prices and interest rates to service delivery and the decision to hold back further VAT increases, the conversation cuts through the policy jargon to focus on our realities. Join the conversation, let us know what you think in the comments below! This episode was made possible thanks to The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom: https://www.freiheit.org/sub-saharan-africa You can listen to the Let’s Talk Human Rights podcast here: https://open.spotify.com/show/59LYbrnDnmsupzBh9Sb9dH?si=9ea830a251094765 And here: https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/lets-talk-human-rights/id1532706038 Hosted by: Redi Tlhabi Guest: Economist and Director of Inani Strategies Xhanti Payi Edited by: Joel Seboa Produced by: Emilie Gambade & Joel Seboa Original Theme Music & Design by: Bernard Kotze You can listen to the podcast everywhere, including Spotify! Support journalism that protects democracy.  Become a Maverick Insider. https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverick You can find us on Instagram here:  https://www.instagram.com/dailymaverick/  On TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@dailymavericksa Or on Twitter here: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article_tag/x/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In a wide-ranging interview, Daily Maverick’s Ferial Haffajee sits down with Herman Mashaba, president of ActionSA and mayoral candidate for Johannesburg, to probe his plans for a city in crisis. From the deepening water shortages and collapsing infrastructure to his hardline stance on undocumented immigrants, Mashaba lays out an agenda rooted in enforcement and administrative overhaul. Hosted by: Ferial Haffajee Guest: President of ActionSA, Herman Mashaba Edited by: Joel Seboa Produced by: Emilie Gambade & Joel Seboa Original Theme Music & Design by: Bernard Kotze You can listen to the podcast everywhere, including Spotify! Support journalism that protects democracy.  Become a Maverick Insider. https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverick You can find us on Instagram here:  https://www.instagram.com/dailymaverick/  On TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@dailymavericksa Or on Twitter here: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article_tag/x/  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In 2022, Indian authorities uncovered R4.3-billion worth of cocaine and methamphetamine concealed in two consignments of fresh fruit shipped from South Africa. A suspect, who denies any wrongdoing, now faces criminal charges in India. In South Africa, however, no one appears to have been held accountable for what amounts to a major narco-trafficking operation. Daily Maverick’s Caryn Dolley reports. Reporting by: Caryn Dolley Edited by: Joel Seboa Filmed by: Joel Seboa Produced by: Emilie Gambade Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider. https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverick Subscribe to Daily Maverick YouTube channel. @dailymaverickchannel Read more: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-12-10-sa-features-prominently-in-criminal-networks-trafficking-drugs-in-fresh-fruit-after-raids-in-europe-uk/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Power Chat, Daily Maverick’s Tiara Walters speaks with Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Willie Aucamp about the devastating floods that tore through Kruger National Park. With bridges washed away, camps submerged and key routes severed, Aucamp outlines a phased recovery plan and defends the park’s emergency response. But beyond the logistics, the conversation turns personal: for Aucamp, Kruger is more than a conservation asset — it is a refuge and a national symbol he says he will always fight to protect. Hosted by: Tiara Walters Guest: Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Willie Aucamp Edited by: Joel Seboa Produced by: Emilie Gambade & Joel Seboa Original Theme Music & Design by: Bernard Kotze You can listen to the podcast everywhere, including Spotify! Support journalism that protects democracy.  Become a Maverick Insider. https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverick You can find us on Instagram here:  https://www.instagram.com/dailymaverick/  On TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@dailymavericksa Or on Twitter here: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article_tag/x/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On The Readiness Report, Redi Tlhabi reflects on the fighting spirit of Jesse Jackson and the warning embedded in his life’s work: democracy weakens when citizens grow tired. With elections looming and institutions under strain, this is a call to courage, participation, and refusing to normalise injustice. This episode was made possible thanks to The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom: https://www.freiheit.org/sub-saharan-africa You can listen to the Let’s Talk Human Rights podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLu00m-l7ea9IBJGB-21RBwXVEhmDeCY2N Hosted by: Redi Tlhabi Edited by: Joel Seboa Produced by: Emilie Gambade & Joel Seboa Original Theme Music & Design by: Bernard Kotze You can listen to the podcast everywhere, including Spotify! Support journalism that protects democracy.  Become a Maverick Insider. https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverick You can find us on Instagram here:  https://www.instagram.com/dailymaverick/  On TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@dailymavericksa Or on Twitter here: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article_tag/x/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

US Justice Department records detail Jeffrey Epstein’s links to South Africa, including references to business contacts and efforts to recruit South Africans staff and models. There is no indication that the business figures named were involved in wrongdoing. The files place South Africa within Epstein’s broader international network. Daily Maverick senior journalist Rebecca Davis explains.Reporting by: Rebecca DavisEdited by: Anda TolibadiFilmed by: Joel SeboaProduced by: Emilie GambadeCreative lead by: Malibongwe TyiloSupport journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider. https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverickYou can find us on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/dailymaverick/On TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@dailymavericksaOr on Twitter here: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article_tag/x/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After months of warnings that South Africa would be punished by the United States over its foreign policy, Washington has taken a different course. President Donald Trump has signed a short extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) through 31 December 2026, applied retroactively. In this episode, Redi Tlhabi and chief economist, author and a member of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Economic Advisory Council, Wandile Sihlobo talk about why South Africa remains in AGOA, what the limited extension signals about US trade policy, and why the outcome contrasts sharply with earlier predictions of exclusion.This episode was made possible thanks to The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom: https://www.freiheit.org/sub-saharan-africaHosted by: Redi TlhabiGuest: Wandile SihloboEdited by: Joel SeboaProduced by: Emilie Gambade & Joel SeboaOriginal Theme Music & Design by: Bernard KotzeYou can listen to the podcast everywhere, including Spotify!Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider. https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverickYou can find us on Instagram here:  https://www.instagram.com/dailymaverick/ On TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@dailymavericksaOr on Twitter here: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article_tag/x/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When newly released documents related to Jeffrey Epstein were published in January, journalists around the world began searching for any local connections hidden in the records. At Daily Maverick, we did the same — and came across a name we did not expect: Jacob Zuma.Reporting by: Rebecca Davis Filmed by: Joel Seboa Edited by: Anda Tolibadi Produced by: Emilie Gambade Creative lead by: Malibongwe Tyilo Sub-edited by: Robyn LearySupport journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider. https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverickYou can find us on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/dailymaverick/On TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@dailymavericksaOr on Twitter here: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article_tag/x/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In 2023, I reported on individuals from Bulgaria, wanted in other countries over crime issues, who may be in Cape Town, South Africa. Now it turns out that one of them, Stanislav Stamenov, wanted by Romania for alleged drug trafficking, has indeed been in the South African city – offering personal training services at a Virgin Active gym in a posh suburb. Reporting by: Caryn Dolley Edited by: Joel Seboa Filmed by: Joel Seboa Produced by: Emilie Gambade Sub-edited by: Ian Wolstenholme Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider. https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverick Subscribe to Daily Maverick YouTube channel. @dailymaverickchannelYou can find us on Instagram here:https://www.instagram.com/dailymaverick/On TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@dailymavericksaOr on Twitter here: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article_tag/x/  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Why do South Africa’s most powerful leaders refuse to act, even in the face of crisis? In this episode of The Readiness Report, Redi Tlhabi speaks to Corruption Watch Executive Director Lebogang Ramafoko about the Madlanga Commission, political accountability, and the failure of leadership at the highest levels of the state. They unpack why commissions of inquiry rarely lead to consequences, and how party politics overrides the public interest. From the legacy of Zondo to the cost paid by whistleblowers, this conversation asks a blunt question: when power sits at the fault line between politics and force, who is actually being protected? This episode was made possible thanks to The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom: https://www.freiheit.org/sub-saharan-africa Hosted by: Redi Tlhabi Guest: Lebogang Ramafoko Edited by: Joel Seboa Produced by: Emilie Gambade & Joel Seboa Original Theme Music & Design by: Bernard Kotze You can listen to the podcast everywhere, including Spotify! Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider. https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverick You can find us on Instagram here:  https://www.instagram.com/dailymaverick/  On TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@dailymavericksa Or on Twitter here: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article_tag/x/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of the Readiness Report, Redi Tlhabi traces a familiar and dangerous pattern in modern leadership: paranoia as power. From Silvio Berlusconi to Jacob Zuma to Donald Trump, she unpacks how leaders who see criticism as personal attack begin to govern through grievance, blurring the line between policy and vendetta, statecraft and self-image. Tlhabi argues that when leadership becomes branding, institutions are hollowed out, credibility collapses, and ordinary people pay the price. A stark warning about what happens when ego overtakes governance and when the state is turned into a tool for settling scores.This episode was made possible thanks to The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom: https://www.freiheit.org/sub-saharan-africa  Hosted by: Redi TlhabiEdited by: Joel SeboaProduced by: Emilie Gambade & Joel SeboaOriginal Theme Music & Design by: Bernard KotzeYou can listen to the podcast everywhere, including Spotify!Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider.https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverick You can find us on Instagram here:  https://www.instagram.com/dailymaverick/ On TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@dailymavericksaOr on Twitter here: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article_tag/x/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Listen as Redi Tlhabi speaks with political scientist and PARI executive director Sithembile Mbete about the United Nations at amoment of deep, deep strain. They talk through why decades of debate on Security Council reform have led nowhere, how the veto entrenches global inequality, and what this paralysis means for Africa and the global South. It is a conversation about privilege, stalled change, and the kind of crisis that may be required to finally force reform.This episode was made possible thanks to The Friedrich NaumannFoundation for Freedom: https://www.freiheit.org/sub-saharan-africaHosted by: Redi TlhabiGuest: Sithembile MbeteEdited by: Joel SeboaProduced by: Emilie Gambade & Joel SeboaOriginal Theme Music & Design by: Bernard KotzeYou can listen to the podcast everywhere, including Spotify!Support journalism that protects democracy.Become a Maverick Insider. https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverickYou can find us on Instagram here:https://www.instagram.com/dailymaverick/On TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@dailymavericksaOr on Twitter here: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article_tag/x/ 00:45 US House of Representatives Passes AGOA Bill 01:38 South Africa's Uncertain Inclusion in AGOA02:12 US Lawmakers Push for Stricter Reviews 02:54 Bilateral Relations Review Act 04:22 Political Scientist Joins the Discussion 05:01 AGOA as a Diplomatic Initiative 05:50 South Africa's Diplomatic Importance 06:48 Historical Tensions in US-South Africa Relations 09:18 Neglect in US-South Africa Relations 13:32 The Role of the United Nations 14:50 Expectations vs. Reality of the UN 24:30 Reforming the United Nations  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In a searing conversation, Redi Tlhabi is joined by journalist and editor Tony Karon to interrogate what Washington calls a “limited military operation” in Venezuela and what critics have described as a kidnapping of a sovereign president in the name of oil.From the revival of the Monroe Doctrine as a modern-day “Donroe Doctrine”, the idea that all of the Americas fall under US dominion, to the long history of regime change from Iran and Chile to Africa and the Middle East, the episode asks a stark question: is the United States openly returning to an era of imperial, extractive foreign policy?Hosted by: Redi TlhabiGuest: Tony KaronEdited by: Joel SeboaProduced by: Emilie Gambade & Joel SeboaOriginal Theme Music & Design by: Bernard KotzeYou can listen to the podcast everywhere, including Spotify!Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider. https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverick Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Redi Tlhabi sits down with B20 Sherpa Cas Coovadia to unpack the summit’s strong outcome, the real barriers to mobilising capital for a just transition, and what it will take to unlock investment in emerging markets. They also tackle the political fallout from the US boycott of South Africa, and what it actually signals for global cooperation.Hosted by: Redi TlhabiGuest: Cas CoovadiaProduced by: Emilie Gambade & Joel SeboaOriginal Theme Music & Design by: Bernard KotzeYou can listen to the podcast everywhere, including Spotify!Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a MaverickInsider. https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverick  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When John Steenhuisen abruptly removed Environment Minister Dion George and replaced him with DA spokesperson Willie Aucamp in mid-November, it left many observers scratching their heads. Daily Maverick’s Rebecca Davis explains. Reporting by: Rebecca Davis Edited by: Joel Seboa  Produced by: Emilie Gambade Sub-edited by: Kevin Flynn Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider. https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverick  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As G20 leaders gather in Johannesburg, former Finance Minister Trevor Manuel joins Ferial Haffajee on Power Chat, tounpack a bold new set of proposals aimed at refinancing Africa’s mounting debt. From tapping the IMF’s soaring gold reserves todeploying special drawing rights, Manuel explains why the moment demands structural action rather than diplomaticrhetoric.Hosted by: Ferial HaffajeeGuest: Trevor ManuelEdited by: Joel SeboaProduced by: AMPD Production TeamPre-production by: Emilie Gambade & Malibongwe TyiloOriginal Theme Music & Design by: Bernard KotzeEpisode filmed on location at AMPD Studios, JohannesburgYou can listen to the podcast everywhere, including Spotify!Support journalism that protects democracy. Become aMaverick Insider. https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverick  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this powerful episode of The Readiness Report, award-winning journalist Redi Tlhabi sits down with human rights activistMark Heywood for an unflinching conversation about power, inequality, and accountability — from the incredible election ofZohran Mamdani as Mayor of New York to South Africa’s deepening crises of corruption and malnutrition. A candid, urgent exchangeabout what it means to lead, and to care, in a fractured world.Hosted by Redi TlhabiGuest Mark HeywoodProduced by Emilie Gambade & Joel SeboaOriginal Theme Music & Design by Bernard KotzeYou can listen to the podcast everywhere, including Spotify!Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider.https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverick  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.