The ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula was quick to congratulate Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his party ZANU-PF on their election victory despite it being clear from the findings of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) observer team that the election was illegitimate from start to finish.

The executive summary of the report into the controversial docking of a Russian ship in Simon’s Town raised more questions than it answered. Despite the highly limited information contained in the summary, an accompanying state from the presidency made the official stance clear “Due to the classified nature of the evidence that informed the report, the government will not publicly engage further on the substance of the report”.

With the death of IFP founder Prince Magosuthu Buthelezi, the IFP in the uMgungundlovu District launched a campaign to have more buildings and public spaces named in his honour. The ANC in the province was divided on how to remember him with many still regard him as an “: apartheid government collaborator”.

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) found that in KwaZulu-Natal municipalities and water service authorities (WSA) have violated resident’s rights to access clean drinking water.

Giving an update on plans to deal with the many crises affecting the country, President Cyril Ramaphosa repeated his old promise to end load shedding.

In another act of political theatre – which most experts dismissed as legal nonsense – former president Jacob Zuma and the Jacob Zuma Foundation approached the courts to review and set aside the “inexplicable” appointment of Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.

Although the ANC instituted the Zondo Commission into State Capture and accepted its findings, it has done little to defend or follow up on them.

The Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity group (PMBEJD) warned of unprecedented economic hardships for the poor should the SA Reserve Bank respond to the current price surge by increasing interest rates.

Excitement was running high ahead of the Rugby World Cup final between traditional rivals South Africa and New Zealand. In the end, the Springboks made it back-to-back RWC wins when they held off their traditional rivals 12-11. South Africa also won the title for a record fourth time.