The th!nc Foundation

In the absence of definitions, it becomes easy for society to wall itself off from the reality of what is happening. The appointment of Roelf Meyer as US Ambassador has evoked political emotions across the left-right spectrum. In the resultant discourse, one fundamental question has not been addressed: 'What is the meaning of the Roelf Meyer appointment? Roelf Meyer, especially when he clubs or collaborates with Cyril Ramaphosa, represents a part catalyst to the possible resolution of what looks impossible to an ordinary political mind. As South Africa's ability to attract legitimacy for its policies from within the USA, especially the Make America Great Again movement, as proxied by the Trump Administration, wanes, South Africa's options to rescue the situation require the tenacity that took us through the troubled nineties.    For RSA, as a nation, to be a well-functioning society, this will depend on relationships of trust and reciprocity, in which all its people s...

Published in the Sunday Times 12th April 2026 Thirty years after South Africa’s democratic transition, the paradox of being a voter has sharpened. Citizens continue to love their country deeply, yet their trust in those who govern has eroded. Voting, once an uncomplicated expression of loyalty to the liberation movement, has become a difficult balancing act between patriotism, identity, and political dissatisfaction. With turnout now below half of eligible voters, many South Africans no longer believe elections will improve their lived realities.  Patriotism in South Africa has always been a layered construct. Without national conscription or other compulsory civic duties, it has drawn from cultural identity, political affiliation, and personal experience of the state. For the African majority, and for the last 30 years, supporting the party of liberation has been widely treated as synonymous with loving the country. But the political shifts that began accelerating in 2016 create...

South Africa might officially be a country without an ideological left.  Our left left the left leftless. We are now left with a left that is left as a left of the left we knew as the left. This means the left is unoccupied.  Notwithstanding, the right is still not the center... . The center believes it is the left because the left left.  Asked what is the left by Nyami Booi, the prudent answer could only be  It left...and thus might not meet the criteria of answering the what question.  It is now the essence of its absence in our movement that might characterise its presence.

The vigorous lobbying for Patrice Motsepe to raise his hand and refuse to obey Mbalula's "Ntate Motsepe dula fase" call might not be beneficial for South Africa. There was a time when the ANC released several of its leaders to join the private sector. This was driven by a need to extend its influence within the economic establishment. Among its leading figures who made it into the C-Suite and ultimately private capital decision centres, Patrice Motsepe stands out as a proud, loyal, and disciplined member of the ANC.  As part of a post-1996 adopted constitutional democracy business collective, the group of black millionaires and billionaires who have earned their reputation ethically, such as Patrice Motsepe, carved for themselves, and hopefully the nation, strategic roles that are shaping history and posterity. Besides being the voice within the political and social establishment firmly controlled by the ANC-as-liberation movement, these business leaders are a vital voi...

It is that time of the year when humanity is reminded of the divine sacrifice by God the Father, inspiring feelings of gratitude and reverence for His love and mercy. It is a moment of reflection on the meeting agenda of the Trinity, when a decision was made to release one of them to come in the flesh, only to die as the sacrifice for our salvation. It is a Holy moment. It is both a Christian and a human event, as it straddles core human themes. The crucifixion stands as the pivotal moment of Christian faith: a divine act rooted in God’s love and justice, exemplifying His unwavering commitment to reconcile humanity to Himself. Theological insights reveal the depth of God’s willingness to reconcile humanity to Himself, underscoring both divine justice and mercy. The early Christian community interpreted this as a vicarious sacrifice fulfilling Scripture, as Paul taught that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. The Purpose The crucifixion’s purpose is anchored in ato...

Dear Friends Let us explore a profound biblical truth drawn from the life of David—a shepherd, warrior, worshipper, and king chosen by God. His story teaches us not only about courage but also about covenant, divine preparation, and the instruments God places in our hands for victory. David’s Covenant Identity David’s confidence was never rooted in his physical ability alone. He understood that he belonged to the covenant God established with Abraham. This covenant relationship distinguished him from Goliath, whom he boldly called an “uncircumcised Philistine.” In doing so, David reframed the challenge of Goliath not as a giant against a boy, but as representing a godless nation against a covenant child of God. He saw in Goliath the lion he killed, the bear he killed, and the treacherous terrains he had to walk through looking after his dad's flock. Like a good shepherd, he knew that between him and any devourer of his Father's flock is the power and covenant of his Fathe...

Published in the Sunday Times 08 March 2026 South Africa’s political landscape has long been shaped by the African National Congress (ANC), a movement whose identity is deeply woven into the democratic project born in 1994. Today, however, the ANC faces a pivotal moment. Its authority, once anchored in collective discipline and ideological clarity, is increasingly undermined by the rise of personal ambition over organisational purpose. The internal contestation ahead of the 2027 elective conference is not merely a political event; it is a national moment of reckoning. The shift from movement-centred leadership to personality-driven politics is no longer subtle. It has fractured the party’s internal coherence and crowded out the values that once distinguished the ANC as a moral force. Factional interests now overshadow ideological debates, and transactional politics has taken root where principled engagement once stood. The result is a party whose internal battles reverberate outward, a...

When the evidence leader and the commissioners at the Madlanga Commission were delayering Sergeant Nkosi's evidence, it became clear that the depth or state of capture was vast. In the late Minister Gordhan's parlance, the Nkosi testimony highlights critical insights into systemic corruption, making it highly relevant for policymakers and legal professionals concerned with governance.  It has been both a rumour and an "open secret" that "the industry" was in charge of several state organs and, by extension, procurement decisions. These rumours had pathways that passed through several figures but converged on some of the individuals mentioned by Sergeant Nkosi. The network included runners whose reach extended to persons of significant influence across political parties and within party factions.  The name of 'Mswazi' was legendary in crime circles. His influence extended beyond the underworld, impacting political power and economic control. Recognisi...

These were the loudest words said to one of South Africa's billionaires, Patrice Motsepe, at the African National Congress's National General Council in Birchwood. Patrice Motsepe was 'recognisably standing' in the 'front row' as the ANC's Secretary General, Fikile Mbalula, was also 'standing' and courting the 'attention' of delegates, some of whom were in an 'attentive interactive conversation' with Mr Motsepe. Behind a 'standing' Mbalula were Deputy President Paul Mashatile, Treasurer Dr Gwen Ramokgopa, and Deputy SG Nomvula Mokonyane, none of whom were 'standing' but seated on the podium reserved for the top seven officials of the ANC.  When the SG 'asked' a 'standing' Patrice Motsepe to 'sit down', meaning he 'should not be standing', the literal 'instruction' carried more profound implications than the physical implications of the statement on the conference floor. The frami...

It’s not the reality of Cde Squire's passing that makes us feel this way. It is the lens we are going to use to get to grips with life without him that we should contend with. A literally larger-than-life individual who had one of the most stable and rarest internal loci of control has left us. The thief that death is has struck again.  Reading the notice with his picture on it made me feel like I could ask him, "O ya kae grootman, re sa go nyaka hierso." In that moment, I also heard him say, "My Bla, mfanakithi, comrade lucky, ere ko khutsa, mmele ga o sa kgona." The dialogue with him without him, and the solace of the private conversations we had, made me agree with his unfair expectation for me to say, vaya ncah my grootman.    The news of his passing brought to bear the truism that death shows us what is buried in us, the living. In his absence, his life will be known by those who never had the privilege of simply hearing him say 'heita bla' as...