EDITOR’S NOTE

OPINIONS may be divided over some of the sensational books released this year, but one thing is for sure, South Africans are slowly but surely becoming a reading nation and dot joining is becoming a national pastime.

On page 7 is a review of the Jacques Pauw book, The President’s Keepers, that has been selling like hot cakes. In it Pauw warns South Africans to “guard against the very real possibility that they (the keepers) will attempt to rig, steal and influence both the ANC national conference and the general elections (in 2019)”.

How do ordinary citizens like myself who aren’t members of the party, prevent such calamities?

On page 9 is another dotjoining exercise involving complex and even more terrifying developments.

Na’eem Jeenah of the Africa-middle East Centre in Joburg draws connections between recent events in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Iran, Israel and the Donald Trump-led US administration.

There’s light relief on page 11. It’s a lovely story about a very special couple nearing their 70th wedding anniversary. Believe it or not, the nonagenarians still know how to have fun.

We also let you in on one of the best-kept secrets of Durban with Tannie Evita as some kind of tour guide (page 15). If you’ve been struggling to understand why Donald Trump is so determined to reverse the detente process Barack Obama initiated at Nelson Mandela’s memorial service in Joburg four years ago see pages 8 and 16.

A columnist tackles the controversial move by Cyril Ramaphosa to go public with his slate. And while on ANC leaders, who said these words: Transformation is not anti-white but “prosouth Africa just as gender equity is not anti-men but pro-progress”? In our countdown to the party’s national elective conference we profile this seasoned leader (see page 17).

Are you ready for radical economic transformation?