In the lead-up to the 2025 G20 Summit in Johannesburg, the city launches a massive crackdown on inner-city informal traders, suddenly enforcing long-ignored bylaws and introducing a strict verification and new permit system. Hundreds of street vendors – many of whom have traded legally for years – are forcibly removed from prime spots such as De Villiers and King George streets, accused of trading illegally or lacking proper facilities. The episode follows several traders, including Mama Felani Kheswa (a food vendor with a valid city-issued permit and certificate of acceptability) and Miriam Gabone, who are bewildered and financially devastated after being barred from their usual pitches despite holding documentation. At the heart of the story is the politically charged verification process ordered by the High Court: thousands of traders – especially non-South Africans – simply do not come forward, fearing deportation or because they lack the required paperwork. The programme exposes the growing influence of nativist movements: Patriotic Alliance activist Victoria Mogoba openly calls for mass deportation of African migrants, while Operation Dudula’s Thabo Moeketsi (of the now-banned “SA Standard” TikTok account) is shown blocking foreign nationals (including parents with sick children) from accessing public clinics in Soshanguve – actions later interdicted by the Gauteng High Court. Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero insists the clean-up is purely about bylaw enforcement and creating a “clean, safe city ahead of the G20, rejecting claims it is an anti-foreigner campaign timed for political gain before the 2026 local elections. Yet the South African Informal Traders Forum accuses him of using the operation to counter the rising popularity of Operation Dudula and parties like the Patriotic Alliance. With nationalist rhetoric surging, foreign nationals increasingly scapegoated for crime and unemployment, and traders left unable to feed their families, “Traders” asks whether Johannesburg’s historic promise of hope and opportunity – the very essence of the City of Gold – is being permanently rewritten in favour of a narrower, more exclusionary vision.

They thought they were buying homes, not confusion. Sectional title or Full title? The truth behind Windmill Park’s ext. 17 housing disputes

A 20-year-old rape victim from Tsolo in the Eastern Cape recounts her ordeal after she was allegedly raped repeatedly by her pastor, who was also a teacher. The teacher impregnated his victim and allegedly gave her pills to terminate the pregnancy without her knowledge. He continued to rape her while using protection afterwards and only stopped after the victim’s family eventually opened a case at the Tsolo Police Station early in 2025. Police say the arrest is looming. The victim has been granted permission by Rhodes University to study from home so that she can attend psychological therapy sessions, as she has been diagnosed with depression. In the second case study, a learner from St John’s College in Mthatha says she contemplated taking her own life after she was allegedly offered a lift by a teacher—older than her father—who touched her inappropriately along the way. The teacher allegedly demanded a hug and a kiss before allowing her to leave. The incidents occurred in 2022 and 2023 respectively. A case has been opened, and investigations are underway. Seven teachers have been suspended from St John’s College alone, accused of engaging in sexual relationships with learners—an act that is unlawful under the Educators’ Act of 1998. Learners from St John’s College recently raised alarm over an increasing number of such incidents, alleging that some of these relationships were non-consensual. A teacher from Ngangelizwe High School is among those suspended by the Eastern Cape Department of Basic Education after he allegedly lured a learner to his house and raped her. SADTU in the province has condemned the implicated teachers, saying their actions bring the profession into disrepute. Children’s Rights Organisation KHULA has called on the Department of Education to ensure that both the SACE Code of Ethics and the Department’s regulations are fully implemented to dismiss those found guilty of misconduct

In the Eastern Cape, broken roads and missing bridges have cut communities off from the world. After years of empty promises, one village took matters into its own hands and built its own bridge. A story of struggle, resilience, and survival.

Since the dawn of democracy, South Africa has established numerous commissions of inquiry — from the historic Truth and Reconciliation Commission to the forthcoming Madlanga Commission. But what function do these commissions truly serve? Are they legitimate tools in the pursuit of justice, or mechanisms that can be manipulated to protect those in power?

"Where are our children?” From shocking confessions to unanswered police questions, Cutting Edge investigates South Africa’s unresolved cold cases of missing people

The pain behind botched circumcision in the Eastern Cape and why the Penile Reconstruction Program to save young li lives was suddenly stopped.

The episode takes you inside the Diepkloof Hostel, following the recent protests that saw residents take to the streets, burning tires and looting trucks. We'll delve into the heart of the community to shed light on what drove these hostel dwellers to protest and what they are fighting for.