Why November 4th is so important in Gauteng
- By Jonathan Katzenellenbogen
- . Sep 2, 2026
The local government elections on November 4th are of special importance in Gauteng. The province is the economic hub of the country, and its three largest cities, Johannesburg, Tshwane, and Ekhuruleni, are all collapsing after years of ANC rule. And as
There is nothing suicidal about empathy
- By Ivo Vegter
- . Sep 1, 2026
Freedom of thought vs political noise
- By Elnieke Bronkhorst
- . Sep 1, 2026
News

Credible offer on economic opportunity, household security key to winning crucial women’s vote – IRR
A political party that “can make economic opportunity and household security part of the same credible offer will have found a route into one of the ANC’s most important remaining electoral advantages”.
Women hold the key to the ANC's victory or defeat
- By Daily Friend
- . Aug 31, 2026
Michael Morris and Nicholas Lorimer discuss the latest polling report by the IRR on the importance of female voters in the upcoming 2026 local government elections. They also discuss unemployment, March and March and foreigners. Lastly they discuss AI, fake
A lefty prof comes out for Helen
- By Terence Corrigan
- . Aug 31, 2026
Prolific and persistent, Prof Adam Habib has been a fixture of South Africa’s intellectual milieu for decades. His contributions include books, scholarly articles, opinion pieces and television appearances. These made him, arguably, the only South African academic administrator – at
Don’t miss this morning’s IRR webinar on November election polling insights
With South Africa entering an increasingly competitive political era, and the 4 November Local Government Elections little more than two months away, the political support of women voters is likely to prove decisive in determining the country’s political direction.
Fixing Joburg: put the city first
- By Kenneth Kgwadi
- . Aug 30, 2026
Johannesburg is facing significant social, economic and infrastructural challenges that demand an energetic, decisive and capable mayor who can halt the city’s decline and pursue a transformative developmental agenda.
Habituation: the toddler in the razor wire
- By Ian Martin
- . Aug 30, 2026
It must be about 40 years ago now that I read the short story by Nadine Gordimer in which a toddler gets trapped in the razor wire surrounding his parents’ upmarket Johannesburg home.
Open letter to President Macron: test of conservation policy is not whether it makes Europeans feel better about wildlife
- By Daily Friend
- . Aug 30, 2026
The real test of conservation is not whether a policy makes Europeans feel better about wildlife. The test is whether it leaves more wildlife, more habitat and stronger incentives to conserve them for the generations that follow. We respectfully submit
South Africa’s hidden tax: why crime is now a line item
- By Chris Hattingh
- . Aug 29, 2026
Every business operating in South Africa already pays a tax that never appears on a South African Revenue Service assessment.