2025: CHAOS, COURAGE, AND A LITTLE BIT OF 'WOW'

SA finds itself somewhere between disbelief, irritation and occasional awe

- 

AS 2025 draws to a close, South Africa finds itself in that familiar place, somewhere between disbelief, irritation, pride, and occasional awe.

The year has thrown everything at the nation, from police corruption scandals and healthcare failures to violent crime and floods that reminded us just how small a paper boat can feel in a storm. And yet, amid the chaos, there were bright spots, moments of ingenuity, and victories that made us sit up and say, Okay, we can do this.

Let us start with the story that had everyone shaking their heads and muttering under their breath: the South African Police Service (SAPS). Allegations that parts of the police are for sale dominated headlines all year. KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi did not hold back, claiming that criminal syndicates had wormed their way into police structures and elements of the justice system.

Investigations blocked, dockets disappearing, and certain officials apparently untouchable. If there were a handbook for how not to run a police service, SAPS might have been featured in bold italics.

Then there is Cat Matlala, who somehow keeps cropping up in stories about wealth, influence, and crime. Alleged links between Matlala and organised crime, though contested, placed him at the centre of reporting on the blurred lines between big money and law enforcement.