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SONA 2026
State of the Nation in the shadow of the water tanker
By Ferial Haffajee and Victoria O'Regan
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defend truth
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Business Maverick
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POWER GUZZLERS (PART FIVE)
The wheeling and dealing behind South Africa’s AI factories
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BUSINESS REFLECTION
After the Bell: How will the booze industry beer up?
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DESERT DYNAMO
International Kahre Renewable Energy Group wants to power the nation with R794bn investment
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SUGAR CRASH
Bittersweet end for Tongaat Hulett as rescuers throw in the towel
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THE FINANCIAL WELLNESS COACH
Ironing out the problems of leaving a home for future generations
Maverick Citizen
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CAMPUS CHAOS
Students and police clash at Nelson Mandela University as protest turns violent
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OPINIONISTAS
How a flower can help prevent abuse or suicide among children in SA’s high-violence areas
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STRIKE COMES TO AN END
Gauteng scholar transport services to resume, but budget constraints cast a long shadow
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SPOTLIGHT
Spotlight’s top nine health stories to watch in 2026
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EDUCATION BLUES
Staff in limbo as Educor flouts CCMA order to pay more than R1.3m
Maverick Earth
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POWER GUZZLERS (PART FIVE)
The wheeling and dealing behind South Africa’s AI factories
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POWER GUZZLERS
Cloud formations — how data centres work
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BIODIVERSITY
Challenging misconceptions — the positive impact of elephants on savanna dynamics
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POWER GUZZLERS (PART FOUR)
Why the clouds of secrecy over the impacts of SA data centre growth?
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SUPPLY STRAIN
KZN South Coast residents slam delays as water cuts drag on amid heatwave
Scorpio
- 1
NEWSFLASH
IDT CEO, spokesperson resign ahead of disciplinary hearings over Daily Maverick’s ‘bribe sting'
- 2
SCORPIO
Inside Collen Mashawana’s ‘political connections’
- 3
VIDEO
Watch – ‘Forged’ Signatures, Unpaid Workers: The Collen Mashawana Foundation Scandal
- 4
AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY
Exclusive investigation - Collen Mashawana Foundation in ‘fraudulent’ signatures scandal over unpaid workers’ salaries
- 5
AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY
Forensic experts find massive ‘signatures fraud’ in Collen Mashawana Foundation’s IDT documents
Johannesburg
- 1
TAP SQUEEZE
Ramaphosa deploys ministers before Sona to ‘urgently’ tackle Joburg’s water crisis
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OUR CITY NEWS IN PICTURES
No water for 24 days, Joburg protesters scream at city leaders
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TAPPED OUT
Morero denies Joburg water at ‘national disaster stage’ as DA heads to court
- 4
OUR CITY NEWS
Desperate measures — Joburg residents pushed to the brink after days and even weeks without water
- 5
DAY ZERO
While Joburg battles for water tankers, they’ve been failing at informal settlements for years
Maverick News
- 1
SONA 2026
IN FULL: President Ramaphosa’s 2026 State of the Nation Address
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MUNICIPAL DYSFUNCTION
Human Settlements holds back R440m in grants for NMB because of underspending
- 3
LEGAL CLARITY
Blow for Eastern Cape Department of Health as SCA overturns ‘saviour judgment’
- 4
WILDLIFE RESCUE
Aardvark rescue in Nelson Mandela Bay highlights perils of infrastructure theft crisis
- 5
LOCKED UP
Cracking cases: How two Nelson Mandela Bay detectives secured life sentences for rapists
Maverick Life
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IN PICTURES
The world’s smallest penguin species, and other stories from around the globe
- 2
IN PICTURES
On this day: Nelson Mandela’s walk to freedom
- 3
WHAT WE'RE WATCHING
Send Help blends dark comedy and horror in a survival showdown
- 4
FUNCTIONAL FUNGI
Brain boost or brand boost? The market momentum behind lion’s mane mushrooms
- 5
PHOTO ESSAY
Klein Karoo Magic — where Roadside America meets South African charm
Op-eds
- 1
COST OF POWER
Flawed electricity pricing policy and tariff regulation are deepening SA’s municipal electricity crisis
- 2
ROVING REPORTERS
High-flying former Kruger Park ranger claims he was framed for rhino poaching
- 3
ISS TODAY
New SAPS task team is a start, but only a small step toward justice for police corruption in SA
- 4
RESOURCE WAR OP-ED
Organised extraction: Congo’s conflict began with minerals, not myths
- 5
SORRY STATE OP-ED
Oratorically speaking, Sona is so very nah
Sports
- 1
FLAG BEARER
Grande Matt: SA skier is turning values into a different kind of Olympic gold
- 2
CRICKET CLASSIC
Afghanistan thriller ‘the perfect fuel for Proteas’ before crunch New Zealand clash
- 3
COURT BATTLE
Further delay in Danny Jordaan fraud case as co-accused enlists new legal representative
- 4
DOUBLE DRAMA
Proteas clinch win against Afghanistan after dramatic back-to-back Super Overs
- 5
PLAN B
Cape Town school hosts alternative water polo event after original festival axed
TGIFood
- 1
WHAT’S COOKING
Braaied picanha steaks with soy, lime, garlic and cumin
- 2
WHAT’S COOKING
Pork rump steaks with chorizo and olives
- 3
WHAT’S COOKING
Salad Days: Celery! Apples! Walnuts! Grapes! Yes, it’s a Waldorf Salad
- 4
WHAT’S COOKING
Peppermint Crisp muffins for breakfast, brunch or a midnight snack
- 5
WHAT’S COOKING
AirFryday: Southern fried chicken in your air fryer, two ways
Nelson Mandela Bay
- 1
MUNICIPAL DYSFUNCTION
Human Settlements holds back R440m in grants for NMB because of underspending
- 2
CAMPUS CHAOS
Students and police clash at Nelson Mandela University as protest turns violent
- 3
LEGAL CLARITY
Blow for Eastern Cape Department of Health as SCA overturns ‘saviour judgment’
- 4
WILDLIFE RESCUE
Aardvark rescue in Nelson Mandela Bay highlights perils of infrastructure theft crisis
- 5
LOCKED UP
Cracking cases: How two Nelson Mandela Bay detectives secured life sentences for rapists
Corrections
Opinion
- 1
OPINIONISTAS
Buying a breach — the multimillion-rand blind spot in SA dealmaking
- 2
OPINIONISTAS
How a flower can help prevent abuse or suicide among children in SA’s high-violence areas
- 3
OPINIONISTAS
Cape Town’s wall will not keep us safe — it will keep us apart
- 4
OPINIONISTAS
Kings, constitutions and foreign gold: The AbaThembu-Israel dilemma
- 5
OPINIONISTAS
Break neoliberalism’s hold — SA demands rupture, not just reform
Sponsored Content
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SPONSORED CONTENT
How South African brands should use AI to enhance customer experiences
- 2
SPONSORED CONTENT
Munsoft equips the Class of 2025 for tertiary success with laptop and tablet donation
- 3
SPONSORED CONTENT
100+ startups and 50+ investors converge at SWEAT Africa 2026
- 4
SPONSORED CONTENT
Get Set on your 90-day growth sprint for 2026
- 5
SPONSORED CONTENT
Binance Pay brings crypto payments to 650,000 SA merchants
Crosswords
Webinars
- 1
WEBINARS
A Skewed Debate: Mother tongue education in SA remains a privilege, not a right
- 2
WEBINARS
The role of state institutions in supporting constitutional democracy
- 3
MAVERICK NEWS
Lifting the veil on South Africa's grim prison system
- 4
SPONSORED CONTENT
Building Brand Power
- 5
WEBINARS
Is your brand bland? Interview with Adam Morgan on the danger of dullness
LOOK & LISTEN
- 1
MAVERICK NEWS
Watch – Falsified CV, no charges: The quiet resignation of a 22-year-old ministerial Chief of Staff
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- 2
MAVERICK NEWS
Watch – What Epstein file emails reveal about Jacob Zuma’s London dinner
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- 3
MAVERICK NEWS
Watch — Inside a Zapiro Cartoon
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- 4
MAVERICK NEWS
Watch – Wanted ‘drug trafficker’ from Bulgaria is personal trainer at South African gym
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- 5
ANALYSIS
Watch – Is the UN still relevant?
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