Sunday Tribune 2026-01-18

Minister Mantashe's recent assertion that unemployed people are passive is a “political offside”. A few years back, I also came across a picture of Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe clad in a full football kit on social media. He seemed to be participating in a match. But, I am not talking about an offside he may have committed there then. In a recent television interview, Mantashe called young people who struggle to find employment as passive, not doing enough to find jobs and only waiting for handouts(I paraphrase). With this statement, the Minister really employed an unfair act to gain political mileage. Hence I say he was “politically offside”. The high unemployment rate in this country is more of a governance failure than the fault of the general public who…

There has been welcome reaction to last week’s announcement of the removal of South Africa from the European Union’s list of “High-Risk Third Country Jurisdictions” (EU List). The National Treasury said that they welcome South Africa’s removal from the list. “This follows the delisting of South Africa from the FATF’s greylist (“list of countries under increased monitoring”) and the UK’s list of countries in which there is a high risk for money laundering and terror financing, both of which happened on 13 October 2025.” Treasury added that they also welcomed the removal of five other African countries - Burkina Faso, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, and Tanzania - from the EU List, following their removal from the FATF greylist in 2025. “The decision to remove South Africa (and other African countries) from…

South Africa’s population is aging rapidly. The proportion of citizens aged 60 and older has grown from 7% in 1996 to nearly 10% in 2022, representing over six million people. By 2050, this number is expected to reach 12 million, or roughly 16% of the population. With around 40% of people over 60 needing assistance with daily tasks, and this rising to nearly 50% for those over 75, the care sector is feeling the pressure. Many families already rely on domestic helpers to support aging parents or grandparents. These helpers often take on the role of companion, cook, cleaner, and carer all in one. Their willingness to help is remarkable, but caring for older adults requires a different set of skills than caring for children or managing a household. As…

There are casting announcements, and then there are moments. Prime Video’s unveiling of Sophie Turner as the new Lara Croft firmly lands in the latter category. The first official look from Amazon MGM Studios was released this week, and within minutes, timelines were split between nostalgia-fueled excitement and intense scrutiny from fans. Welcome back to the Tomb Raider era, but this time it’s different. Turner, forever etched into pop culture memory as the resilient Sansa Stark from Game of Thrones, is officially fronting Prime Video’s upcoming live-action Tomb Raider TV series, marking the most ambitious reboot of the iconic franchise since Angelina Jolie first strapped on the dual pistols in the early 2000s. It’s a historic handover: one generation’s Lara passing the torch to another. The image itself is a…

Over the holidays, my yearning for a comedy led me to Single Papa on Netflix. I loved it. The six-part series boasts both captivating performances, notably from Kunal Kemmu and Neha Dhupia, and powerful social commentary that scrutinises prejudiced adoption policies and conventional societal pressures. At the heart of the story is Gaurav Gehlot (Kemmu), who is recently divorced. Let’s just say his wife, Aparna (Isha Talwar), outgrew his mama’s boy traits. In trying to find love again, through dating apps, he finds his life upended when a baby boy is left in his car. Stymied by the situation, he takes the baby home, catching his parents, dad Jatin (Manoj Pahwa) and mom Poonam (Ayesha Raza Mishra), and sister, Namrata (Prajakta Koli), who will soon be tying the knot, off…

Aside from sweeping romances, I am also becoming a huge fan of meet-cute love stories. What brought this on? It would be People We Meet On Vacation on Netflix. I was completely captivated by the leads in this film, soaking up the clever, quirky script and feeling deeply moved by the tenderness of the direction. It's been a minute since a movie has charmed me as much. Imagine storylines that are playful yet unforgettable, similar to Love, Rosie, Crazy, Stupid, Love, 27 Dresses, Knocked Up, and The Back-Up Plan, as well as timeless classics like Notting Hill and When Harry Met Sally. Adapted from Emily Henry's 2021 novel, this romcom by Bretty Haley is based on a screenplay developed by Nunzio Randazzo, Amos Vernon and Yulin Kuang. At the heart…