Explore every episode of the podcast Daily Maverick
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
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| Redi Tlhabi on Ramaphosa, Trump & the Power Games Shaping SA–US Relations | 21 May 2025 | 00:20:40 | |
In this special edition of The Readiness Report, recorded ahead of the high-stakes meeting between President Cyril Ramaphosa and Donald Trump, Redi Tlhabi unpacks what’s at stake, who’s really in the room, and why South Africa’s apparent diplomatic win may not be what it seems. From quiet backchannel deals to disinformation campaigns, this conversation explores the real power dynamics shaping how South Africa is perceived on the global stage. 00:34 South African Delegation to the White House | |||
| POWER CHAT | Ferial Haffajee in conversation with DIRCO Director-General Zane Dangor | 19 May 2025 | 00:46:34 | |
In this episode of Power Chat, Daily Maverick’s Ferial Haffajee talks with DIRCO’s Director-General Zane Dangor about South Africa’s role on the global stage. From the G20 summit to the ICJ case in The Hague, they explore the power of partnerships, South Africa’s position as a middle power, and what’s next for the country in international relations. 01:10 Activism and Family Legacy #PowerChat #G20 #Zane Dangor #SouthAfrica #FerialHaffajee Produced by: Emilie Gambade & Bernard Kotze Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider. https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/insider/ | |||
| POWER CHAT | Geordin Hill-Lewis on leadership, global tensions & Cape Town’s future | 13 Feb 2025 | 00:37:46 | |
In this episode of Power Chat, author and Daily Maverick Associate Editor Ferial Haffajee sits down with Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis to unpack the city’s record-breaking tourism season, the impact of global politics—like Donald Trump’s statements—on local affairs, and the challenges of attracting international investment amid policy uncertainty. Hill-Lewis addresses issues of inequality and public infrastructure and shares insights on maintaining affordable living in rapidly developing urban spaces. A candid conversation about leadership, opportunity, and the future of one of Africa’s most dynamic cities. 0:00 Introduction Produced by: Bernard Kotze & Emilie Gambade Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider. | |||
| INVESTIGATION | Is the ‘cryptoqueen’, Ruja Ignatova, hiding in South Africa? | 31 Jan 2025 | 00:16:58 | |
Daily Maverick's Caryn Dolley previously uncovered possible links between fugitive ‘Cryptoqueen’ Ruja Ignatova and South Africa, particularly Cape Town. Now, new clues sparked speculation that Ignatova, wanted globally for her OneCoin cryptocurrency scam, may have been hiding in South Africa, challenging rumours of her murder at sea. Could the elusive mastermind behind one of the world’s biggest scams be closer than we think? Dolley explains. Written & Narrated by Caryn Dolley Read the full story on Daily Maverick: | |||
| INVESTIGATION | The Luxury Life of Thembi Simelane | 07 Jan 2025 | 00:14:37 | |
Polokwane's mayor, Justice Minister Thembi Simelane's lavish lifestyle raised serious questions. With designer shopping sprees and cash property purchases, her expenses far exceeded her official salary. Follow our three-part investigation as we trace every cent of Simelane's money trail from 2016 to 2020, revealing the gap between her income and her luxury spending. Written & Narrated by Pauli Van Wyk Read more on Daily Maverick: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-12-03-thembi-simelanes-unexplained-cash-part-one-shopping-therapy-a-property-bought-cash-disney-world-trips/ If you want to support journalism that is having a positive effect on South Africa, become a Maverick Insider: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/insider. Your benefits? Up to 50% off tickets to all events; always-on 10% discount at the Daily Maverick Shop; sign up for R200 or more per month and get R200 back in Pick n’Pay vouchers. See T&Cs for more details; ad-free browsing; comment on articles and a ‘behind-the-scenes’ bi-weekly newsletter. | |||
| INVESTIGATION | How 750m in Cape Town’s city centre points to South Africa’s expansive extortion problem | 13 Dec 2024 | 00:12:14 | |
Extortion is a massive problem in South Africa. It affects many industries, areas and individuals – and crimes in this arena can prove fatal, people have before been murdered. Railway tracks and construction sites have been disrupted and extortionists even go after pensioners. Restaurants and entertainment venues are also targeted. Written & Narrated by Caryn Dolley
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| INVESTIGATION | South Africa's Expanding Role in the Global Drug Trade | 02 Dec 2024 | 00:07:01 | |
A sensational R2-billion drug bust in Limpopo has resulted in five suspects, some of them Mexican citizens, being arrested. Three months ago, cocaine shipped from Colombia was intercepted in KwaZulu-Natal, and cases in Brazil and Australia have also highlighted drug-smuggling links to SA. Written & Narrated by Caryn Dolley
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| INVESTIGATION | Mark Lifman – Voice Notes, Letter of Demand, and the Organized Crime Saga | 19 Nov 2024 | 00:10:02 | |
In murky organised crime arenas, the irrefutable facts take the form of a murder toll. A dead body equates to cold, hard fact. The stories spun around it, some which may be intentionally planted to divert from truth and those guilty of crime, need to be carefully unravelled. Organised crime suspect Mark Lifman consistently denied accusations that he was linked to lawbreaking. The businessman was assassinated in the Western Cape town of George on 3 November 2024 while facing accusations, and on trial, for the assassination of another organised crime suspect - Brian “the Steroid King” Wainstein. Written & Narrated by Caryn Dolley | |||
| INVESTIGATION | Man Alone - Mandela's Top Cop | 11 Nov 2024 | 00:16:17 | |
This is the scandal that has lacerated the South African Police Service and implicated some of the country’s top cops and politicians. A story of Mandela’s top cop, steeped in apartheid-era sabotage across local and global criminal investigations spanning decades. Add in nefarious individuals, from an informant once close to Colombia’s Pablo Escobar, to several suspected Cape Town crime kingpins, the stakes only get higher. Dolley provides unprecedented insight into how apartheid-era policing structures lay the foundations for cop-gangster collusion and how these have endured into democracy. With exclusive access to retired policeman André Lincoln’s life, Dolley exposes the dirty ploys that have swung South Africa’s trajectory; how street-level killings could be flashpoints of deep state proxy wars; and raises suspicions about who in Nelson Mandela’s realm backstabbed whom. Dolley’s in-depth reporting brings to light the hidden power struggles, street-level killings, and state sabotage that have scarred South Africa, while exploring high-profile cases like the assassination of Lieutenant Charl Kinnear and recent tender fraud investigations, including the recent arrest of former City of Cape Town councillor Malusi Booi, are also under the microscope. Written & Narrated by Caryn Dolley Caryn Dolley's book 'Man Alone' is now available for pre-order from the Daily Maverick Shop for R310. ORDER HERE: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/man-a... or available at all good bookstores. For media enquiries, please contact: Ingrid Sinclair, ingrid@dailymaverick.co.za
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| INVESTIGATION | Ithala - Billions in the Balance | 08 Apr 2025 | 00:07:19 | |
The Prudential Authority of the SA Reserve Bank is seeking to liquidate KZN-based Ithala SOC due to serious concerns about the state-owned lender’s financial health. In this video, Daily Maverick's Pieter-Louis Myburgh unpacks for Scorpio the recent court application and investigates a questionable Ithala loan. Written & Narrated by Pieter-Louis Myburgh Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider. | |||
| POWER CHAT | Ferial Haffajee speaks to Deputy Finance Minister Ashor Sarupen about the Budget — and the GNU — after talks collapsed | 02 Apr 2025 | 00:26:12 | |
As negotiations between the ANC and DA over the national budget dragged into the early hours of April 1, 2025, no agreement was reached—deepening the ongoing deadlock within the Government of National Unity (GNU). Just days before, Ferial Haffajee sat down with Deputy Finance Minister Ashor Sarupen to unpack the key issues surrounding the Budget and the GNU. Here’s an excerpt from their conversation. 00:49 Challenges Facing the GNU Produced by: Emilie Gambade & Bernard Kotze Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider. | |||
| POWER CHAT | Ferial Haffajee and Breitbart's Joel Pollak on democracy, foreign policy, and power | 30 Mar 2025 | 00:45:16 | |
In this episode of Power Chat, Daily Maverick Associate Editor Ferial Haffajee sits down with South African-born American conservative political commentator, author and Breitbart News Senior Editor-at-Large Joel Pollak for a conversation on US democracy, the Trump presidency, South Africa’s foreign policy, and the future of US-SA relations. A sharp, high-stakes exchange on power, sovereignty, and ideology in a shifting global order. 01:06 Trump's First 100 Days and Executive Orders Produced by: Emilie Gambade & Bernard Kotze Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/insider/ | |||
| EXPLAINER | Solidarity Movement’s Great Trek to Washington | 20 Mar 2025 | 00:10:45 | |
Afrikaner activists have been in Washington, telling people about the plight of Afrikaans farmers and urging the US to lay sanctions against ANC politicians. Rebecca Davis unpacks who they met with and how impactful their visit was. Written & Narrated by Rebecca Davis Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider. | |||
| POWER CHAT | Helen Zille on how to fix Johannesburg & the future of the Government of National Unity | 16 Mar 2025 | 00:21:06 | |
In this episode of Power Chat, Daily Maverick Associate Editor Ferial Haffajee speaks with the Chairperson of the Federal Council of the Democratic Alliance, Helen Zille; they discuss the state of Johannesburg, the challenges of fixing a broken city, and the role of voters in driving change. Zille highlights the impact of cadre deployment, the importance of skilled councillors, and the Democratic Alliance’s strategy for the 2026/2027 elections. Zille contrasts DA-led governance with Johannesburg’s decline, outlining the time and effort needed to rebuild. She also discusses the party’s candidate selection process and the early progress of the Government of National Unity (GNU). A sharp conversation about leadership, governance, and the future of South Africa’s metros. 0:00 Introduction – The broken state of Johannesburg and the councillor selection process Produced by: Emilie Gambade & Bernard Kotze Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider. https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/insider/ | |||
| FACT-CHECK | Do white people own 22% of the land in South Africa? | 05 Mar 2025 | 00:03:50 | |
Since at least 2018, a claim doing the rounds on social media alleges that white people own only around 22% of South Africa’s land. This claim has been circulating again now in the light of the recent tensions around the Expropriation Act. But is it true? Daily Maverick's Rebecca Davis explains. Written & Narrated by Rebacca Davis Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider. | |||
| EXPLAINER | Donald Trump's inner circle: All the President's South African men | 27 Feb 2025 | 00:06:03 | |
From business moguls like Elon Musk and Peter Thiel, to political insiders like Joel Pollak, several South African men have found their way into Donald Trump’s orbit. Rebecca Davis unpacks who they are, how they got there, and what role they play in the US president’s world. Written & Narrated by Rebecca Davis Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider. | |||
| INVESTIGATION | Queeny Madikizela-Malema: 'Gangster Informant' | 23 Feb 2025 | 00:14:13 | |
Queeny Madikizela-Malema, an alleged ‘informant’ with a murky past, has been murdered. Her story is tangled in claims of rogue state activity, a reported 'jailbreak' linked to Jacob Zuma, and alleged smear campaigns tied to Western Cape policing and politics. What really happened? Watch as we unpack the intrigue surrounding her life and murder. Written & Narrated by Caryn Dolley Read the full story on Daily Maverick: | |||
| REDI TLHABI Breaks Down the Trump–Ramaphosa Meeting in the White House | 23 May 2025 | 00:25:21 | |
In this episode of The Readiness Report, Redi Tlhabi discusses the tense political atmosphere in Washington and the recent visit of South African President Ramaphosa to the White House. The discussion dives into the ambush-like reception Ramaphosa faced, his handling of U.S. President Donald Trump's antics, and the broader implications for US-South Africa relations. Alongside guest Phillip Van Niekerk, Redi critiques the optics and outcomes of the meeting, including discussions on trade agreements, potential collaborations, and Trump's unpredictable behaviour. Insights are provided on the complex diplomatic dance and the symbolic victories amidst the chaos. 00:32 President Ramaphosa's White House Visit Produced by Bernard Kotze & Emilie Gambade Support journalism that protects democracy. Become a Maverick Insider. https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/insider/ | |||