Pierre de Vos
@pierredevos.bsky.social
Claude Leon Foundation Chair in Constitutional Governance at UCT and author of the Blog, Constitutionally Speaking. I am not a journalist. Hopeful that everyone on this app will read before commenting.
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Pierre de Vos
@pierredevos.bsky.social
· Jan 31
An article I co-authored with Nomfundo Ramalekana on Rafoneke v Minister of Justice (arguably the worst judgement ever handed down by the Constitutional Court) has just been published. It's open access and can be accessed here: journals.co.za/doi/epdf/10....
Lesson for AfriSol and their angry and unhinged fans: “It’s not that there aren’t real things to worry about. It’s that what you don’t know or can’t remember or will not face haunts you more. www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Gaby Wood · At the Movies: ‘The Secret Agent’
Like Walter Salles’s I’m Still Here, which had a similarly successful run last year, The Secret Agent is set during...
www.lrb.co.uk
February 16, 2026 at 6:59 PM
Lesson for AfriSol and their angry and unhinged fans: “It’s not that there aren’t real things to worry about. It’s that what you don’t know or can’t remember or will not face haunts you more. www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Sounds about right: Single dose of potent psychedelic drug could help treat depression, trial shows. Psychedelics are thought to help people break entrenched and unhelpful patterns of thinking. www.theguardian.com/science/2026...
Single dose of potent psychedelic drug could help treat depression, trial shows
Researchers find DMT – used in shamanic rituals – in tandem with psychotherapy has significant effect
www.theguardian.com
February 16, 2026 at 6:06 PM
Sounds about right: Single dose of potent psychedelic drug could help treat depression, trial shows. Psychedelics are thought to help people break entrenched and unhelpful patterns of thinking. www.theguardian.com/science/2026...
Single dose of potent psychedelic drug could help treat depression, trial shows. Psychedelics are thought to enhance the effects of psychotherapy by helping people break entrenched and unhelpful patterns of thinking. www.theguardian.com/science/2026...
Single dose of potent psychedelic drug could help treat depression, trial shows
Researchers find DMT – used in shamanic rituals – in tandem with psychotherapy has significant effect
www.theguardian.com
February 16, 2026 at 6:04 PM
Single dose of potent psychedelic drug could help treat depression, trial shows. Psychedelics are thought to enhance the effects of psychotherapy by helping people break entrenched and unhelpful patterns of thinking. www.theguardian.com/science/2026...
CHRIS ROPER: Pitiful pandering to the Trump totem. Ernst Roets knows how to curry favour in Washington and hopefully get his share of the dollars flowing to right-wing crazies around the world. www.financialmail.businessday.co.za/features/202...
CHRIS ROPER: Pitiful pandering to the Trump totem
It might not have worked for the South Pacific islanders, but Ernst Roets is trying the old cargo cult tricks as he tries to manufacture a Charlie Kirk connection that will get him into the MAGA crowd...
www.financialmail.businessday.co.za
February 16, 2026 at 1:26 PM
CHRIS ROPER: Pitiful pandering to the Trump totem. Ernst Roets knows how to curry favour in Washington and hopefully get his share of the dollars flowing to right-wing crazies around the world. www.financialmail.businessday.co.za/features/202...
🔒Pierre de Vos | South Africans should fear another SANDF deployment www.news24.com/opinions/ana...
Pierre de Vos | South Africans should fear another SANDF deployment | News24
While President Cyril Ramaphosa’s plan to deploy soldiers against gang violence and re-vet police leadership may sound promising, the SANDF’s brutal Covid-era abuses and the State Security Agency’s co...
www.news24.com
February 16, 2026 at 4:32 AM
🔒Pierre de Vos | South Africans should fear another SANDF deployment www.news24.com/opinions/ana...
🔒"The problem had a distinct economic segmentation to it, with poorer rural people hit way harder. Urban people would inevitably be next, but they weren't interested in worrying about tomorrow's problem today." www.news24.com/opinions/col...
Phillip de Wet | The water crisis was never a secret – you just didn’t want to know | News24
That the water crisis didn’t get proper attention more than a decade ago is the fault of neither the experts nor the messengers, writes Phillip de Wet.
www.news24.com
February 16, 2026 at 4:30 AM
🔒"The problem had a distinct economic segmentation to it, with poorer rural people hit way harder. Urban people would inevitably be next, but they weren't interested in worrying about tomorrow's problem today." www.news24.com/opinions/col...
🔒Judge accused of theft spends two years on special leave, with no formal complaint lodged www.news24.com/southafrica/...
Judge accused of theft spends two years on special leave, with no formal complaint lodged | News24
A Free State judge has spent the last two years on special leave pending criminal charges. His attempts to stay the prosecution have been dismissed, but there appears to have been no inquiry into his ...
www.news24.com
February 16, 2026 at 4:27 AM
🔒Judge accused of theft spends two years on special leave, with no formal complaint lodged www.news24.com/southafrica/...
🔒Imogen Mashazi’s glitzy London shopping spree and R3.5m private jet flight. www.news24.com/investigatio...
Imogen Mashazi’s glitzy London shopping spree and R3.5m private jet flit | News24
Former Ekurhuleni city manager Imogen Mashazi embarked on a London shopping frolic, and her chartered private jet cost R3.5 million – exceeding her R3.1 million annual salary. Exclusive documents reve...
www.news24.com
February 16, 2026 at 4:23 AM
🔒Imogen Mashazi’s glitzy London shopping spree and R3.5m private jet flight. www.news24.com/investigatio...
Likely to end badly. Remember Collins Khosa? President deploys soldiers to gang-infested Western Cape www.businessday.co.za/news/2026-02...
President deploys soldiers to gang-infested Western Cape
President Cyril Ramaphosa has resolved to deploy soldiers to communities under siege from gangsters in the Western Cape and illegal mining activities in Gauteng.
www.businessday.co.za
February 13, 2026 at 3:20 AM
Likely to end badly. Remember Collins Khosa? President deploys soldiers to gang-infested Western Cape www.businessday.co.za/news/2026-02...
The SCA reverses High Court judgement that the DOH can provide health services to a patient who has harmed by its negligence, instead of paying multimillion-rand settlement amounts for future medical expenses, as it “violated the child’s best interests”. www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026...
Blow for Eastern Cape Department of Health as SCA overturns ‘saviour judgment’
In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court of Appeal has reinstated lump sum damages for patients, but specifically for children harmed by medical negligence, highlighting the inadequacies of public he...
www.dailymaverick.co.za
February 13, 2026 at 3:17 AM
The SCA reverses High Court judgement that the DOH can provide health services to a patient who has harmed by its negligence, instead of paying multimillion-rand settlement amounts for future medical expenses, as it “violated the child’s best interests”. www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026...
A Sona for (almost) all?
“Which brings us to the losers of the evening: the AfriSol lobby for the white right. The 2026 Sona will be remembered in certain circles as the evening this grouping discovered it has no clothes.”
www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026...
“Which brings us to the losers of the evening: the AfriSol lobby for the white right. The 2026 Sona will be remembered in certain circles as the evening this grouping discovered it has no clothes.”
www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026...
A Sona for (almost) all — Ramaphosa’s masterclass in political crowd-pleasing
Cyril Ramaphosa’s 2026 State of the Nation Address delivers a political balancing act, addressing diverse interests while avoiding contentious issues, showcasing the art of subtle governance.…
www.dailymaverick.co.za
February 13, 2026 at 3:10 AM
A Sona for (almost) all?
“Which brings us to the losers of the evening: the AfriSol lobby for the white right. The 2026 Sona will be remembered in certain circles as the evening this grouping discovered it has no clothes.”
www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026...
“Which brings us to the losers of the evening: the AfriSol lobby for the white right. The 2026 Sona will be remembered in certain circles as the evening this grouping discovered it has no clothes.”
www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026...
Norwegian biathlete wins Winter Olympics bronze and then tells TV interview of affair. www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/f...
Norwegian biathlete wins Winter Olympics bronze and then tells TV interview of affair
Sturla Holm Lægreid broke down in tears after winning bronze in the men’s 20km biathlon and apologised for having an affair
www.theguardian.com
February 12, 2026 at 4:09 AM
Norwegian biathlete wins Winter Olympics bronze and then tells TV interview of affair. www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/f...
🔒Lesufi’s 'let them eat cake' blunder: As some Joburg residents queued for tankers, while others toyi-toyied , Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi's message to them was that if they don't have water, they should go to a hotel. www.news24.com/southafrica/...
Lesufi’s bath blunder: Joburg leaders face growing backlash amid water crisis | News24
As Johannesburg’s water crisis deepens, it’s not just the cracks in the infrastructure that are starting to show; the provincial and national governments seem to be at odds over who is responsible for...
www.news24.com
February 12, 2026 at 3:51 AM
🔒Lesufi’s 'let them eat cake' blunder: As some Joburg residents queued for tankers, while others toyi-toyied , Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi's message to them was that if they don't have water, they should go to a hotel. www.news24.com/southafrica/...
‘A power he doesn’t have’ — ‘Lying’ Gayton McKenzie’s Venice Biennale cancellation slammed in court. McKenzie’s legal counsel argued this was a contractual matter, but could not present evidence of the contract permitting censorship. www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026...
‘A power he doesn’t have’ — Gayton McKenzie’s Venice Biennale cancellation slammed in court
Minister Gayton McKenzie’s legal counsel insisted he had the legal right to veto artist Gabrielle Goliath’s participation in the 2026 Venice Biennale. He struggled, however, to show contractual proof.…
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-02-11-a-power-he-doesnt-have-gayton-mckenzies-venice-biennale-cancellation-slammed-in//?utm_source=socialshare&utm_medium=twitter’Lying’
February 12, 2026 at 3:40 AM
‘A power he doesn’t have’ — ‘Lying’ Gayton McKenzie’s Venice Biennale cancellation slammed in court. McKenzie’s legal counsel argued this was a contractual matter, but could not present evidence of the contract permitting censorship. www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026...
No water for 24 days, Joburg protesters scream at city leaders www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026...
No water for 24 days, Joburg protesters scream at city leaders
Hundreds of angry, frustrated and thirsty residents of Johannesburg’s Melville, Parktown West and Emmarentia suburbs protested against a prolonged water outage in their suburbs on Wednesday.…
www.dailymaverick.co.za
February 12, 2026 at 3:22 AM
No water for 24 days, Joburg protesters scream at city leaders www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026...
Court reverses funding cuts to organisations providing services for decades to about 26,000 people, mostly children, who would lose access to social workers and support services. (Veels geluk Sus, ek is baie verlig. @kraaibos ) groundup.org.za/article/cour...
Court reverses funding cuts for child care
Mahikeng judge ruled that nine non-profit organisations providing child protection services must have their funding restored within ten days
groundup.org.za
February 11, 2026 at 4:11 PM
Court reverses funding cuts to organisations providing services for decades to about 26,000 people, mostly children, who would lose access to social workers and support services. (Veels geluk Sus, ek is baie verlig. @kraaibos ) groundup.org.za/article/cour...
Thought Control www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
February 11, 2026 at 2:32 PM
Thought Control www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Lucian Freud: Drawing into Painting review – no, I don’t want to come up and see these etchings. www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...
Lucian Freud: Drawing into Painting review – no, I don’t want to come up and see these etchings
Freud was a master painter, but his drawings ranged from ordinary to awful. Guess which aspect of his work this show focuses on?
www.theguardian.com
February 11, 2026 at 2:07 PM
Lucian Freud: Drawing into Painting review – no, I don’t want to come up and see these etchings. www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...
The Banality of MAGA Evil. Instead of criminal masterminds we got amoral, stupid grifters like Howard Lutnick open.substack.com/pub/paulkrug...
The Banality of MAGA Evil
Instead of criminal masterminds we got amoral, stupid grifters like Howard Lutnick
open.substack.com
February 11, 2026 at 11:52 AM
The Banality of MAGA Evil. Instead of criminal masterminds we got amoral, stupid grifters like Howard Lutnick open.substack.com/pub/paulkrug...
Graaff-Reinet renaming backlash — claim that ‘McKenzie filed a defective notice in government gazette’. www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026...
Graaff-Reinet renaming backlash — ‘McKenzie filed a defective notice in government gazette’
Residents of Graaff-Reinet oppose the town's name change to Robert Sobukwe, with attorney Derek Light citing procedural flaws and gathering numerous objections, igniting a spirited legal and public ba...
www.dailymaverick.co.za
February 11, 2026 at 5:02 AM
Graaff-Reinet renaming backlash — claim that ‘McKenzie filed a defective notice in government gazette’. www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026...
Gayton vs Goliath — minister’s machinations to cancel Venice Biennale artwork head for court showdown www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026...
Gayton McKenzie makes moves to replace artist Gabriel Goliath’s Elegy at the Venice Biennale
Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie moved to replace Gabrielle Goliath’s Venice Biennale artwork, Elegy, citing political concerns, but missed court deadlines. Email evidence shows attempts to r...
www.dailymaverick.co.za
February 11, 2026 at 4:56 AM
Gayton vs Goliath — minister’s machinations to cancel Venice Biennale artwork head for court showdown www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026...
‘I was never a foreign agent in SA’ — Paul O’Sullivan denies spy suspicion www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026...
‘I never acted as a foreign agent in SA’ — forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan denies spy suspicion
Forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan has told Parliament’s ad hoc committee there have been about 10 attempts on his life in 15 years. And he has insisted that while he has worked in law-enforcing ar...
www.dailymaverick.co.za
February 11, 2026 at 4:52 AM
‘I was never a foreign agent in SA’ — Paul O’Sullivan denies spy suspicion www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026...
🔒O’Sullivan denies being foreign agent in tense parliamentary hearing www.businessday.co.za/news/2026-02...
O’Sullivan denies being foreign agent in tense parliamentary hearing
Parliament grills forensic investigator over citizenship and intelligence past
www.businessday.co.za
February 11, 2026 at 4:49 AM
🔒O’Sullivan denies being foreign agent in tense parliamentary hearing www.businessday.co.za/news/2026-02...
🔒Constitutional Court defers case over Ramaphosa’s NHI Act assent www.businessday.co.za/news/health/...
Constitutional Court defers case over Ramaphosa’s NHI Act assent
The top court first wants to hear of challenges to the public participation process in drafting the law
www.businessday.co.za
February 11, 2026 at 4:48 AM
🔒Constitutional Court defers case over Ramaphosa’s NHI Act assent www.businessday.co.za/news/health/...
Double whammy: Phahlane loses labour court appeal while alleged links to criminal mastermind exposed www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026...
Double whammy: Phahlane loses labour court appeal while alleged links to criminal mastermind exposed
Disgraced former acting National Commissioner, Khomotso Phahlane, lost his Labour Appeal Court bid against his unfair dismissal in the same week that the Madlanga Commission heard of his alleged links...
www.dailymaverick.co.za
February 10, 2026 at 4:26 AM
Double whammy: Phahlane loses labour court appeal while alleged links to criminal mastermind exposed www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026...