Hi there 🙋🏾‍♀️ What a week it’s been! Between Donald Trump’s latest meltdown over South Africa, the US Secretary of State clutching his pearls over basic human rights, and Rwanda’s Paul Kagame throwing a fit online, Mzansi is clearly living rent-free in the world’s head. And why? Because we did the unthinkable—we stood up for what’s right. We held power to account. We played our part in global justice. But South Africans don’t just endure the drama; we dance through it. Our latest trick? Turning global outrage into a meme-fest. More on this later. In other news: a rare sighting in SA politics—actual compromise. The GNU has reached a deal on the NHI, showing that, shockingly, political maturity is possible, while the Grammys gave us some entertainment reprieve. So, let’s dive into these stories and more in this week’s wrap, brought to you by Verashni Pillay and the explain.co.za team. 😄 —- *Format:* 💬 WhatsApp msg: Keep scrolling 🔊 Voice note by Verashni: https://soundcloud.com/explain-za/trump-is-trying-to-trash-south-africa-but-he-wont-win-6-feb-25 📰 Newsletter with pics: https://createsend.com/t/d-8FB90D6FC6C2BB592540EF23F30FEDED 🇳​🇪​🇼​🇸​ ▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ *1. OUR TAKE: The GNU’s NHI compromise shows massive political maturity* While US politics is descending into some nightmare version of The Handmaid’s Tale, South Africa’s opposing political parties have managed to come together rather maturely. The Government of National Unity (GNU) has finally reached a breakthrough on the controversial National Health Insurance (NHI) plan. After months of drama, the ANC and DA have reportedly agreed to tweak the NHI Act, specifically Section 33, which would have banned medical aids from covering treatments provided by the NHI. That clause was a major sticking point, with critics warning it would wipe out the private healthcare sector. DA leader John Steenhuisen confirmed the compromise, which was struck after behind-the-scenes talks between various ministers at last week’s Cabinet lekgotla. President Cyril Ramaphosa has reportedly backed the proposal. *What does this actually mean?* 🏥 *Medical aids stay* – They won’t be scrapped when the NHI kicks in. 🏥 *New advisory council* – A ministerial body will now figure out how private healthcare and the NHI can co-exist. The Department of Health will also iron out the finer details and integrate the changes into the government’s Medium-Term Development Plan. 🏥 *More funding options* – The government is open to discussing how the private sector can be involved in a way that makes sense. But not everyone’s convinced. The Solidarity trade union is going ahead with its legal battle, arguing that the NHI is unconstitutional and completely vague on how it will be funded. We hear the concerns, but we can’t help but side-eye Solidarity for their negativity, given that they’re linked to Afriforum, who caused the massive drama this week with Donald Trump’s hysteria over our land reform policy. Critics are correct to warn, however, that South Africa’s public healthcare system is already overloaded, and adding millions more patients could collapse it entirely. Still, we’re impressed at how our parties have worked out a compromise on this one. And, for now, medical aid members can breathe easy—but watch this space. ▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ *2. BIG STORY: South Africans laugh – and dance – their way through Trump’s insults* Ah South Africans… insult us and, sure, we’ll take it hard. But we’ll also create a meme and that meme will probably involve dancing. This week, US President Donald Trump took to social media to express concerns about South Africa, stating that "terrible things are happening there. The leadership is doing some terrible things, horrible things." South Africans have a long-standing tradition of responding to political drama with humour, and this was no different. People took Trump's vague, ominous statement and turned it into a viral moment of joy. The overwhelming theme? Videos of White people getting down on the dance floor, often cheered on by their fellow black South Africans, with the caption: "There are horrible things happening in South Africa." Meanwhile: _cue awkward yet enthusiastic dance moves._ It makes sense. We are, after all, a country known for literally dancing (toyi-toying) as a form of protest. And honestly? If "terrible things" involve a dance floor filled with questionable footwork and unbothered South Africans of all colours living their best lives, then long may the horror continue. Not to be outdone by Trump, US Senator Marco Rubio also jumped on the “South Africa is doing bad things” bandwagon. In a now-viral post, Rubio dramatically announced: 🚨 “I will NOT attend the G20 summit in Johannesburg. South Africa is doing very bad things. Expropriating private property. Using G20 to promote ‘solidarity, equality, & sustainability.’ In other words: DEI and climate change.” 🚨 That’s right, folks. Rubio is furious that South Africa is out here promoting solidarity, equality, and sustainability—three things that, to the rest of the world, sound suspiciously like good governance. But according to Rubio, these are code words for “woke nonsense” (also known as basic human decency). The internet wasted no time in roasting this take, with political commentator David Moscrop dropping the perfect clapback: "Imagine saying you won’t go to South Africa because it’s not racist enough.” It's clear that while some leaders might see doom and gloom, South Africans will always find the silver lining—and probably make a joke about it. PS: More about the politics of this story later in this week’s Wrap. ▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ *BRIEFS* *3. Hello darkness, my old friend* Our ten months of uninterrupted electricity supply is no more. Following Eskom’s implementation of stage 3 loadshedding last weekend, EskomSePush developers may be happy with the traffic to their rebranded “More than a loadshedding” app. The rest of the country? More grumbling and annoyance as they dust off their generators. *What happened?* Last Friday, the power giant put out a high-risk alert statement for loadshedding at short notice, calling it a “potentially temporary setback”. Come 5 pm, and they made good on their promise. Stage 3 was implemented until its suspension earlier than expected on Sunday, making South Africans both sigh in relief and worry about the next bout of darkness. *Why did this happen?* Energy minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said a confluence of factors has led to the return of Mzansi’s shame, including a large number of generation units being offline for planned maintenance ahead of winter, the breakdown of six units forcing the use of diesel-burning open-cycle gas turbines to keep the lights on, and a subsequent depletion of emergency reserves. But another theory has been making the rounds. Eskom requested a 36% tariff increase for the current financial year from the National Energy Regulator of South Africa. They were given less than half of that - a 12.7% increase. Could this be why they’re now throwing their stage 3 toys out of the cot? *What now?* For now, Eskom says the grid is stable again, but South Africans know better than to trust a flickering lightbulb. With winter around the corner and maintenance still ongoing, further loadshedding is always on the table. So, what’s the plan? Perhaps tonight’s SONA will give us an idea. But in the meantime, stock up on candles, dust off the gas stove, and keep EskomSePush notifications on. *4. Beyoncé finally gets her flowers, Kendrick sweeps, and Drake takes an L – The 2025 Grammys had it all* With geopolitics dominating the news cycle, it was nice to escape into a night of music hosted by local homeboy Trevor Noah. The 2025 Grammys went down in LA on Sunday night (or stupid o’clock Monday for us in SA—shoutout to the sleep-deprived fans). At long last, the Recording Academy gave Beyoncé her overdue Album of the Year win for Cowboy Carter. 🐎Took them _three_ snubs, a record-breaking Grammy count, and probably some Cécred candle rituals (Iykyk). She’s also the first Black woman to win since Lauryn Hill in 1999—because the Grammys seem to run on a once-per-generation policy. Kendrick Lamar? Swept the night. Five nominations, five wins—including Record and Song of the Year—all for _Not Like Us_ , his scathing takedown of Drake. The entire industry was chanting its lyrics (yes, those ones) while Kendrick raked in trophies. Drake’s lawyers probably had a group crisis call. The Grammys have long fumbled diversity, but Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. notes they’ve been hard at work fixing it since 2019. Two-thirds of voters are now fresh recruits, 40% are people of colour, and they’ve added 3,000 women. Let’s just say we’re relieved we weren’t on that WhatsApp group before. 😝 Alicia Keys summed it up best while accepting the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award: "DEI is not a threat, it’s a gift." A not-so-subtle jab at Trump, who somehow blamed a devastating recent US plane crash on diversity hires (sir, _please_ ). Newcomers like Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, and Doechii lit up the night, with Roan using her moment to highlight a serious issue—how new artists can’t afford healthcare. Winning a Grammy is cool, but _seeing a doctor_ ? Now, that’s clearly the dream in a country that just doesn’t seem to care enough for working-class people. All in all, the night had it all—history-making wins, industry shade, and a few long-overdue corrections. Here’s to more _justice_ , fewer snubs, and maybe—just _maybe_ —Drake surviving next year without an L. Until then, we’ll be replaying _Cowboy Carter_ and manifesting affordable healthcare for our faves. 🎤 *5. Trump is coming for SA—but don’t panic yet* US President Donald Trump and his right-wing bros have turned his attention to SA, and—surprise, surprise—he’s making a scene, and it’s ALL South Africans are talking about right now.😒 On Sunday, Trump ranted on Truth Social, accusing SA of “confiscating land” and treating “certain classes of people VERY BADLY.” He even threatened to cut US funding until a “full investigation” is done. Ramaphosa clapped back, reminding Trump that SA is a constitutional democracy and that the Expropriation Act is no land grab - facts. The DA also dismissed Trump’s claims, calling them “unfortunate”. Then, Elon Musk jumped in. The X owner—set to lead Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency—claimed SA has “racist ownership laws.” This might have nothing to do with his company, Starlink, being blocked in SA over BEE rules… or everything to do with it. Ramaphosa and Musk reportedly had a billionaire-to-billionaire (albeit rands to dollar) chat on Monday about “misinformation.” And where is Trump getting this misinformation? Enter AfriForum. The Afrikaans lobby group has long claimed a “White Genocide” is happening in SA—despite this being thoroughly debunked. They’ve now convinced Trump that the Expropriation Act will lead to “land grabs.” Ironically, after Trump threatened to cut aid, AfriForum backpedalled, urging him to target ANC leaders instead of all South Africans. *What’s really going on?* Some experts say this is bigger than land. Trump and his radical Republican base believe SA is on the “wrong side” of global issues like Ukraine and Gaza. SA-US relations were already tense thanks to BRICS ties and SA taking Israel to the International Court of Justice. Diplomatic expert Professor John Stremlau told _explain_ that SA’s best bet is a Democratic win in the 2026 US Senate elections. Meanwhile, International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola is playing peacemaker, urging Trump’s team to take time to “properly understand” SA’s policies. The bigger question? How much influence Trump actually wields. As Stremlau puts it: “Americans need to get their act together and rein Trump in.” For now, keep calm and carry on—but stay tuned for the next episode of Trump vs. The World. *6. SONA 2025 is on tonight: Here’s what to expect* A year ago, the ANC ruled alone. Fast-forward to today, and we have a Government of National Unity (GNU)—a 10-party political experiment trying to keep the country afloat. Tonight at 19:00, Ramaphosa will deliver his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) under this grand coalition at Cape Town City Hall. Expect road closures, VIP security, and MPs turning the red carpet into their own personal Met Gala. *What’s the big deal?* SONA isn’t just a fancy speech—it sets the government’s game plan for the year. It’s where the President flexes achievements, sugarcoats failures and makes promises we’ll be fact-checking for months. And since the GNU is still figuring out how to play nice, this year’s SONA could be extra spicy. *The key talking points:* 🔌 Loadshedding: Finally over? With power cuts easing, Ramaphosa will update us on the Energy Action Plan and whether the Electricity Regulation Amendment Act is the magic bullet we need. But as we’ve mentioned, last weekend’s stage 3 hiccup was a reminder: we’re not out of the dark yet. 🚰 Water woes ahead? Electricity may be improving, but SA’s next crisis is here—water shortages. Ramaphosa is expected to outline emergency measures to prevent a full-blown disaster. 💼 Jobs, jobs, jobs Unemployment dropped to 32.1% in late 2024, but youth joblessness is still a crisis. Will we get real solutions or more economic jargon? 🚔 Fighting crime Expect updates on Operation Shanela and Operation Vala Umgodi—two anti-crime drives. Plus, new plans to strengthen the police force. 🌍 SA on the global stage The G20 Summit is coming to SA in November. Ramaphosa will likely hype it up as a win for Africa’s global influence. 📺 Where to watch: DStv 408, Parliament’s website, or YouTube. Popcorn recommended. 🍿 Keep an eye on our site explain.co.za, where we will provide a full analysis of the speech once it’s done. *7. We’re on the right side of the fight against Rwanda’s Kagame…but we’re taking strain* Last week, as we were hitting publish on The Wrap, Rwandan President Paul Kagame threw down a spectacular tweet, effectively challenging South Africa to war. The situation has since heated up, so we thought we’d break it down for you further this week. As you may remember, 14 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers have been killed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in recent weeks—attacks linked to Rwanda-backed M23 rebels. The situation is escalating so rapidly that Ramaphosa has warned that continued attacks could be seen as a "declaration of war." *Rwanda’s role: An open secret* South Africa has long been involved in peacekeeping in the DRC. But this latest deployment under the Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission turned into a full-blown battle. The eastern DRC has been a war zone for decades, but the biggest player in the chaos? The M23 rebel group. Largely made up of ethnic Tutsis, M23 first made global headlines in 2012 when it briefly took over Goma, a key city near Rwanda’s border. Though it was defeated, the group resurfaced in 2021, once again seizing territory. The UN, US, and France have accused Rwanda of backing M23 to maintain control over the mineral-rich region. Kagame, of course, denies everything. Kagame has since fallen out of favour in the international community, effectively running a dictatorship where elections are rigged and opponents are assassinated. In 2014, SA expelled Rwandan diplomats over the assassination of exiled Rwandan intelligence chief Patrick Karegeya in Joburg. Kagame didn’t exactly deny involvement, famously saying: “Treason brings consequences.” So South Africa is on the right side of this fight, but… can we handle the actual fight? SADC leaders recently met to reaffirm support for the DRC, but whether SA has the resources to continue fighting is a big question. Unlike Kagame, Ramaphosa has to answer to Parliament, opposition parties, and the public—many of whom are questioning the cost of this war. For now, M23 has announced a unilateral ceasefire, but whether this is a real pause or just a chance to regroup remains unclear. *8. We don’t take sexual harassment as seriously as assault. That should change.* If someone sends you unwanted, sexually explicit messages, you’d be right to feel like you’ve been violated. However, our legal system and society in general are unlikely to take that as seriously as it would a physical, sexual assault. We’ve told you before about Eastern Cape Judge President Selby Mbenenge. Between 2021 and 2022, Mbenenge allegedly sent suggestive WhatsApp messages to his subordinate, judges’ secretary Andiswa Mengo. He made inappropriate comments and—brace yourself—pointed to his pants while making a crude remark. Gross. A tribunal is on the go to determine whether he breached the Judicial Code of Conduct. If found guilty, he could face serious consequences, including impeachment. The real issue here is how the legal system and society generally treat sexual harassment. Sexual harassment—while often linked to sexual violence and assault—is a different category, existing in what gender specialist Lisa Vetten calls a “blurry grey area.” “Sexual harassment is often overlooked and perceived as less serious,” Vetten told explain, “This perception leads to its deprioritisation both in legal processes and in media coverage.” SA has one of the world’s highest rates of sexual violence—42,569 rapes and 7,418 sexual assaults reported in the last year alone. Yet, sexual harassment—often brushed off as “not that serious”—rarely makes headlines. It’s defined as persistent, unwanted sexual advances—often exploiting workplace power dynamics. Victims face career setbacks, intimidation, and trauma, yet reporting often leads to retaliation or being labelled a troublemaker. Thankfully, there are systems in place to address the shortfall in some areas. The Employment Equity Act and the Code of Good Practice on the Handling of Sexual Harassment Cases in the Workplace aim to create safer working environments and ensure that victims receive proper support and justice. So, will Mbenenge’s case be different? Or will the system once again shield a powerful man at the expense of justice? As attorney and coordinator for Judges Matter, Alison Tilley told explain regarding sexual harassment in judiciary institutions, “It has happened, is happening, and needs to be dealt with.” We’re watching. 👀 —----------- That’s it from us at The Wrap, an award-winning product of explain.co.za - simple news summaries for busy people. 💁🏾‍♀ The Wrap is sponsored by explain’s agency division. We specialise in content marketing for purpose-driven organisations, often with a pan-African reach. 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