Who’d want to be the Public Protector? You hold your first media briefing of the year to discuss some of your successes thus far, and all anyone wants to talk about is why you won’t investigate the police spy boss. REBECCA DAVIS made sure she listened carefully.

If you think you had a restless night, spare a thought for judge Bill Prinsloo, who will on Wednesday rule on the fate of the controversial e-tolling project. After a day of intense legal battle, the big dilemma he will have to solve will be whether a case has been made to warrant an urgent interdict. ALEX ELISEEV was in court on Tuesday and unpacks the arguments.

ANCYL spokesman Floyd Shivambu has officially apologised to a City Press journalist for insulting her. It took two years and an Equality Court hearing for Shivambu to admit he was wrong. Just another notch in the ANCYL’s recent history of incredible sensitivity when it comes to dealing with women who are critical of its policies and leaders. By SIPHO HLONGWANE.

Late on Tuesday night, the national disciplinary committee of appeals upheld the expulsion of ANCYL president Julius Malema. It also upheld the suspension of the membership of ANC spokesman Floyd Shivambu and varied the suspension of ANCYL secretary-general Sindiso Magaqa to the effect that his membership is suspended from the ANC for one year. Did anyone not see this coming? By SIPHO HLONGWANE.

Despite South Africa’s sole objection, the United Nations chose not to monitor human rights in the knowledge of gross violations in Western Sahara, which was condemned to another year of its impasse with Morocco. If the Polisario takes matters into its own hands again, it’s because it has no other choice. By SIMON ALLISON.

We don’t like saving, but we sure love gambling, as annual Lotto sales clearly show. But only a politically connected few are the winners here. Isn’t it time for a well-run national savings 'lottery' that could stimulate development while teaching people how to stop burning cash? We don’t even have to create it or prove it works. That’s already been done. But it was blocked. By MANDY DE WAAL.

This week we’re going to witness one of the most anticipated showdowns in the history of a democratic South Africa. In the red corner, electrified by public outrage, we have the opposition to Gauteng’s e-tolls. In the blue corner, backed by the ruling party, we have the champions of tolling, Sanral. Ladies and gentlemen, let’s get ready to rumble. By GREG NICOLSON.

Public hearings on the proposed bill commenced on Monday. According to the Democratic Alliance, feet-dragging by the drafters of the proposed legislation means the new legislation falls way short of what the courts required Parliament to come up with. By SIPHO HLONGWANE.

All over the world, including South Africa, the power of securocrats is increasing. The ominous difference here, writes CHRIS GIBBONS, is that we’re about to get the new Protection of State Information Bill.

The week that was(n't) in beloved South Africa. Seriously. By JOHN VLISMAS & DUNCAN HARLING.

In the first round of the French presidential election, left-wing challenger François Hollande took a frontrunner’s position, ahead of incumbent president Nicolas Sarkozy. Because, as expected, none of the 10 candidates on the ballot won 50% of the vote, there will now be a run-off between the president and his challenger on 6 May. J BROOKS SPECTOR takes a look at the election campaign so far, and gives us a brief profile of the contenders and the leading man as a bonus.

Charles Colson, the man behind much of the criminal activity managed from the Nixon White House, died on 21 April at the age of 80. He was a crucial part of the illegal entry into the Democratic Party’s national committee headquarters in a hotel/apartment/office complex in 1972 to steal documents and install wiretaps. The scandal became immortalised as Watergate. By J BROOKS SPECTOR.

The vultures have been circling for a while now, waiting for the lions to leave before swooping in on the man who seemed – for several years – to have the loudest voice in the country. With growing speculation that Julius Malema will be formally expelled from the ANC this week, the waiting seems to be over. But this is the time to ask some hard questions about timing, about why this has taken so long and what it says about the abuse of power to satisfy political needs. By ALEX ELISEEV.

France has never really let go of its African colonies, nor have those colonies ever really let go of France. It’s a tangled, poisonous relationship that is under increased scrutiny as France elects its next leader. But, despite firmly stated plans to stop meddling in Africa, will either of the two major presidential candidates really cut loose the last vestiges of the French empire? SIMON ALLISON suspects not, but argues that this may no longer be France’s decision to make.

A weekend of disruptions erupted where not one, but two elective conferences for the ANC Youth League took place in Limpopo. Julius Malema’s men held their conference in Limpopo while his detractors held theirs in his home town of Seshego. If ever there was a sign that Malema’s fight is to the death, it is his continued influence in league politics – even though he’s supposed to be sitting on the sideline with the halftime oranges. By SIPHO HLONGWANE.

The response to the contaminated-water crisis in Diepsloot shows how government treats our communities. The citizens had valid concerns. They didn’t protest. They were ignored. It raises the questions: does government listen, how does it communicate and how does it respond to community concerns? By GREG NICOLSON.

Something’s wrong with Comrade Bob. Maybe it’s the cancer everyone suspects, maybe it’s just old age, but he’s getting soft. Mugabe’s speeches don’t usually centre around peace, tolerance, and free will – quite the opposite – so his conciliatory address to mark Zimbabwe’s independence day came as a shock. By SIMON ALLISON.

Bahrain hosts the travelling circus of Formula One this weekend. As anti-government protesters continue to battle for political reforms, race organisers have shrugged off pressure to cancel the race, as they did last year. This time round, they are determined to hold the race, no matter the backlash. By KHADIJA PATEL.

War talk dominates coverage of the Sudans after the south’s surprise seizure of Khartoum’s most valuable asset. Is a full-scale resumption of hostilities inevitable, or is this just another example of Africa’s most ruthless “negotiators” in action? SIMON ALLISON investigates.

It’s been a long time coming. Now in its second version, Heidi Holland's 100 Years of Struggle – Mandela's ANC has arrived as well timed as the first. J BROOKS SPECTOR talks to the author of this warmer, more personalised history.

Most of Diepsloot has been without water for a week. The response has been slow and fragmented, and updates rare. Meanwhile, lives have been interrupted as the community revolves around access to safe water. By GREG NICOLSON.

The cost of living is going through the roof. Those in the lower-income brackets will be hit the hardest and the Democratic Alliance has responded with what it believes will be an effective plan to curb price hikes. SIPHO HLONGWANE takes a look.

Deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe says more state intervention is needed in the mining industry. Not if government wants jobs, says CHRIS GIBBONS – although there may be more to this than meets the eye.

Recent developments suggest the ANC Women’s League is finding its voice as an advocate for women’s rights again. It’s a pity they momentarily forgot this important role it plays within the ruling party when Jacob Zuma was on trial for rape. By SIPHO HLONGWANE.

It’s rare in the modern publishing world to come across a tale of such epic dedication and achievement, but then Robert Caro, the multi award-winning biographer of Lyndon B. Johnson, is no ordinary writer. He’s spent almost 40 years on his subject, and when the fourth volume in the series is released in May, he still won’t be done. Does the word “obsession” apply? By KEVIN BLOOM.

Ten days after his unexpected death, the corpse of Bingu wa Mutharika lies in state in the presidential palace in Lilongwe. We know it’s wrong to celebrate a death, but it’s hard to mourn his passing, especially when it was his disastrous policies that helped kill him. Instead, let’s celebrate Malawi’s golden opportunity to correct its slow descent into dictatorship and depression. By SIMON ALLISON.

Talha Ahsan is suspected of being a terrorist. He has languished in British custody since 2006. He has Asperger’s syndrome and he is fighting extradition to the US, where he could be sentenced to 70 years’ solitary confinement. The extradition treaty says US authorities don’t need to give proof of their suspicions to get their suspect. By KHADIJA PATEL.

A war of words broke out between the DA and the minister of women, children and people with disabilities. The party accused the minister of failing people with disabilities, while the minister accused the party of misleading the public. Then the ANC chief whip joined the fray. It’s all par for the (dis)course. By OSIAME MOLEFE.

Well, it was bound to happen. Different factions within the ANC Youth League have taken their fight into the public eye, officially shattering the illusion of unity. Has Julius Malema finally lost his grip? It would appear so. By SIPHO HLONGWANE.