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IOL News
2 days ago
- IOL News
Epstein and the collapse of the empire
A protester sits with a sign outside Manhattan Federal Court. The Donald's reign will soon disintegrate, brought down by a Schrodinger cat called Jeffrey Epstein, which is both dead and alive at the same time. Image: Mike Segar / Reuters JEFFREY Epstein is a particularly unique individual. In his rudely interrupted yet controversial life, he has been associated with so many impactful episodes of our contemporary history that have conspiratorially, if not fortuitously, led to the occupancy of the White House by the most divisive political figure, Donald J Trump. And there is no convenient starting point. In 1975, Epstein was looking furtively at His Excellency, Al Hadji, Big Dada Idi Amin Oumee, the Conqueror of all Beasts on Land and in the Seas, at a press briefing at the United Nations (UN) saying things about the illegality of Israel's creation in 1948, the wholesale murder of Palestinians and a two-state solution. It must have been Jeffrey in the shadows of the pictures or persons who subsequently gave him and his friends the instruction to promote Zionism in France, the United States and everywhere else besides. To the question of whether or not Epstein can collapse the most violent empire in the 21st century, Epstein himself has not disagreed. He is busy spending his money in the British Virgin Islands, or so it seems. A whole $800 million has been spent from his bank account by last Friday since he was declared dead. He spends a lot of dough for a dead man, or at least for a guy who is said to have committed suicide in prison, where cameras seldom work. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ He and his Italian friends, at least those he gratuitously introduced to Trump, were selling atomic munitions to Libya. But Hillary Clinton, the war-mongering lady, angered by a beret-wearing intern having sex with her husband in the Oval Office, had to murder Gaddafi, no matter who was in the White House. And live on technicolour, the Lion of Sirte was violated with a sword, prompting her to declare chivalrously, that 'we came, we saw and murdered him' to her derisive laughter. Big Dada Idi Amin and Gaddafi were wondering, who was Jeffrey Epstein, and why was he doing all these things? Neither of them could rationally cohere his designs. They were already dead. But before Ronald Reagan could interject and give a full address on his knowledge of Epstein's machinations and Robert Maxwell, Ghislaine's father, in the entire Iran-Contra scandal, Trump couldn't wait to interrupt. His friend, Epstein and Flávio Briarote were busy organising Bunga Bunga parties for the Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, with underaged girls who were trafficked from modelling agencies owned or facilitated by those implicated in the ring. But Epstein had no stomach for arms dealings in the former Soviet territories or Iran, nor was he competent in said respect, Mossad operatives claimed. Rather, he chose a somewhat unique intelligence facility. Sex for political blackmail. There was a lot of sex organised by this non-descript circle, so much of it resembling the 1926 Traumnouvelle translated into Stan Kubrick's last epic movie starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman titled Eyes Wide Shut. The plot was simplistic in its objective more than it was simple in its operandum. It is to organise sex orgies for the powerful and thereafter 'remind' them to do whatever it is that was required for the purpose. This was a powerful instrument at Epstein's disposal, as old as Methuselah. You know, Suzie Wong style! It is not certain that during his reign, Epstein had Afrforum and AWB in contemplation. But the method of his operation and the gruesome death of Eugene Terre Blanche, especially associated with targeting Zimbabwean male farm workers on his North West farm, are not dissimilar. As for Afriforum, which regularly jets into the US for consultations with Trump, Epstein's major associate and his allies or both, they may find that at the hands of acute historic analysts, their relationship with such characters will forever burden their conscience. And for those who need reminding, relying on the US is a terrible gamble. In 1975, Washington DC instructed the apartheid regime to attack Angola, turning them into a Ukraine-like facility against what they called Soviet expansionism into Africa. When misadventure turned deadly and became the most epic military defeat in modern African warfare, South Africa and all the young blood and treasure that was lost could not be replaced. Ask Elon Musk! Again, in 1988, in a secret meeting in Washington DC, apartheid South Africa was instructed to open a forward assault front in Cuito Cuanavale in Southern Angola. They lost at great cost to men and material. The US simply shrugged in exasperation and told them to surrender to the Cubans, in what is now known as the Washington Agreement. Namibia got its independence, and so did the South Africans a few years thereafter. Pity our home-bred neo-Nazis and other Ossewa Brandwag leaning Afrikaner far-right parties! Now they have been promised something even greater than Angola and Namibia by the same people. ANC Regime change! Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, shame on apartheid! Is this thrice? But Epstein had a lot of secrets. Small wonder the billionaire who made him a billionaire, bothered about a girl called Virginia Giuffre. With all those peccadilloes lingering carelessly around, the free billions launched a brand called Victoria's Secret. Lord, mother of God, whatever Victoria were they hiding? Trump came into power with a secret. The empire had to go. He had powerful friends to help him out, Epstein and Netanyahu. It is possible to imagine that these two were obsessed with sex, or Monica Lewinsky for that matter. But so many things point to the contrary, however. Probably JP Morgan as a bank and Ehud Barack, former Prime Minister of Israel and former Israeli Defence Minister, or most of the billionaires who entrusted their money to Epstein, had no inclination towards the secrets of the undergarment. This may be the reason for Kash Patel, the CIA head, to declare that there is no Epstein list. Patel may be responding to a different enquiry. Sad though that hitherto, nobody had let him into the secret yet. Whitney Webb has the list. The quintessential question is which one? But in the terrifying circumlocution of the scandal and the preoccupation of the White House to arrest Barack Hussein Obama, Kash Patel and his deputy, Dan Bongino, cannot find Whitney's phone numbers. Yet, Epstein, dead or cash lavishly alive, speaks with a voice of the dead. He is beyond the reach of mortals and speaks with impunity. When Jean Luc Brunel got arrested for Epstein-related crimes, he too is said to have committed suicide, much the same way the New York Post came with the scoop of Epstein pics on his deathbed. Have pity for the New York Post. If they had the scoop on Epstein's death, they are struggling to come up with the scoop on Epstein's funeral. Trump is worried, however. And President Emmanuel Macron of France knows it. For reasons which Candace Owens has shared with the world, Trump knows what Macron is worried about. Trump wants the Epstein story to go away. And Macron, for his part, wants the Candace story to go away, also. Both men are convinced that filing litigation, meritoriously or otherwise, may yield miraculous results. After meeting at the White House, Trump announced on Truth Social that he will be suing the Wall Street Journal. And Macron, in his irritation, serves legal notice against Candace Owens from the state of Delaware. But that is just the quid. The pro quo is a whole 'nother story. Both leaders may win if they were to somehow skip the pre-trial discovery obligation. Court process or not, both leaders imagine that no court will compel them to reveal facts material to the facts in issue, especially because they are world leaders. And there is a reason why. Discovery will undress both Trump and Mrs Macron. That's a lot of balls, one would imagine. Simply, it would be ugly. South Africans keep wondering, however, what Epstein told Donald Trump about them? No matter the gods, South Africans pray too, whether the real ones or the ones referring to some Palestinian fellow of immaculate conception, the sanctions are coming. Harsh. Deep. And escalatory. First, President Cyril Ramaphosa and his top six in the people's liberation movement may be targeted. So would be Julius Sello Malema. They would be barred from going anywhere, also. This would include all the places where uncle Johan Rupert would not be able to negotiate their entry without them being arrested. The only hope is that Jacob G Zuma would not be included on this targeted sanctions list, especially if Israel's proxy, Morocco, would seek his absolution from the Donald on his behalf. The Nigerian senators, for their part, are wondering in silence. They were probably right all along that there are hundreds of offshore accounts hosting laundered proceeds from MTN operations in Nigeria. Eric Holder, former US Attorney General under President Barack Obama, convinced them otherwise. So did Muhammadu Buhari. May His Soul Rest in Peace. Epstein knows about all that laundered money in all those offshore accounts, but so does the CIA. The sooner such money moves and the accounts are closed, the better! The South African story keeps unfolding. The Donald's reign will soon disintegrate, brought down by a Schrodinger cat called Jeffrey Epstein, which is both dead and alive at the same time. The South African neo nazis and their leaders in the GNU will meet their ultimate US betrayal. The only victors who will savour the taste of triumph will be the South African people. * Ambassador Bheki Gila is a Barrister-at-Law. ** The views expressed here do not reflect those of the Sunday Independent, Independent Media, or IOL. Get the real story on the go: Follow the Sunday Independent on WhatsApp.
IOL News
3 days ago
- IOL News
Community leaders call for action against illegal cannabis stores in Chatsworth
Residents said outlets were "freely selling" cannabis products close to schools and religious organisations. Image: Reuters COMMUNITY leaders in Chatsworth are urging authorities to take action against the proliferation of illegal cannabis stores, highlighting concerns about public safety and the impact on local youth. They said outlets were "freely selling" cannabis products close to schools and religious organisations. This comes soon after Mmamoloko Kubayi, the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, confirmed that regulations required for the Cannabis for Private Purposes Act to be implemented would be finalised by March 2026. In a parliamentary response to DA MP Tobias Chance, Kubayi said the Act could only be implemented once her department had received feedback from all concerned departments. Video Player is loading. 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Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ These include the departments of health; agriculture; trade, industry and competition; social development; small business and development, the Presidency, and the SAPS. Yugen Pillay, chairperson of the Chatsworth Community Policing Forum (CPF), said despite the use of cannabis being decriminalised for private use, the public needed to remember that the sale of cannabis was still illegal. 'People are openly selling cannabis. The law regarding the sale of cannabis is quite clear. I have tried many times to get law enforcement to act on this, but they are still awaiting direction from their legal department. A directive that was unfortunately not forthcoming. 'It seems that the legal departments cannot decipher the legislation, and in the meantime, these stores are mushrooming all over. 'The use of cannabis can act as a gateway drug, and because it is so easily available, more and more people are using it. We are calling on the police to clamp down on these stores and start shutting them down," said Pillay. He said SAPS had issued a stern warning that the establishment of illegal dispensaries or outlets, online sites and social media platforms, which are marketing and selling cannabis and cannabis-related products to the public, remained illegal, except where specifically allowed in terms of the Medicines and Related Substances Act. 'Despite warnings, cannabis stores continue to open everywhere. Some of these illegal businesses, purporting to operate legally, are also being sold to members of the public as franchises authorised to deal in cannabis and cannabis-related products. 'Dealing in cannabis remains a serious criminal offence. Police are mandated to and will act, not only against businesses that sell cannabis illegally, but also against the customers who buy these products." Cyril Pillay, the chairperson of the Chatsworth Spiritual Crime Prevention Forum, said: "The increase in cannabis stores in our community is adding to all the social ills we are facing. It is compounding our problems and leading to the degradation of our society. This is also adding to the social economic challenges that already exist. 'People are complacent and due to poor monitoring, we have more than one cannabis store per area. We need proper monitoring and more police operations to curb this." Denzil Devan, a community leader in Mobeni Heights, said the sharp increase in cannabis stores across communities highlighted a significant gap in legislation. 'While liquor outlets are bound by strict zoning laws, such as maintaining a set distance from schools, cannabis stores are exploiting the absence of similar regulations, allowing them to operate virtually anywhere. This loophole poses serious concerns for public safety and urban planning,' he added. Devan said it was more concerning that outlets have included smoking lounges and cannabis bars. 'Many of these outlets have evolved into cannabis smoking lounges or cannabis bars, which likely goes far beyond what Parliament intended when it moved to decriminalise cannabis for personal use and regulate products like cannabis oil and hemp. Without clear policy direction and enforcement, we risk creating unregulated environments that normalise public consumption and weaken community standards." Jakes Singh, the former chairperson of the Chatsworth CPF, said various cannabis stores have opened near schools and religions institutions over the last two years. 'Not enough checks are done. While a few of the stores are operating legally, most are illegal. Tuck-shops are even selling cannabis. Stores are mushrooming everywhere. Raids are done, and regulators are visiting to check, but it is not done all the time. Too many loopholes are leading to the increase of cannabis stores,' said Singh. Colonel Booysie Zungu, the spokesperson for metro police, said the rapid increase of unlicenced cannabis stores and dispensaries within the municipal area was a serious concern. 'We are working together to identify and dismantle illegal cannabis operations, including unregistered dispensaries, storage facilities, and unlicenced retail stores. These establishments often operate outside the boundaries of national legislation, posing a threat to public health and safety. 'This is in line with our crime prevention mandate and the provisions of the Drugs and Drug Trafficking Act and Medicines and Related Substances Act. 'We are committed to enforcing municipal bylaws, disrupting illegal trade, and working to ensure that all cannabis-related businesses comply with applicable laws. We encourage the public to report suspicious activity through official channels." Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela, the chief executive officer of the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra), said cannabis dispensaries were mushrooming and blatantly displaying copies of Sahpra licences, which were issued authorising cannabis cultivation and exporting of the cannabis flower. "Such licences do not authorise these so-called cannabis dispensaries. This is a matter of concern," said Semete-Makokotlela in a statement. 'It is highly unethical and illegal for any individual or company to claim Sahpra authorisation through forged documentation. We take this matter seriously, and we will work with law enforcement agencies to ensure that offenders are dealt with swiftly and decisively. The public must be protected from such deceptive behaviour." Sahpra warned the public to be vigilant and cautious when engaging with service providers that claimed to be licenced by the authority. Semete-Makokotlela said Sahpra wasin the process of sourcing a system that used barcoding as a means of authenticating these certificates. If you suspect that a provider is using a fraudulent Sahpra licence, you can call the authority on 0800 204 307. THE POST
IOL News
3 days ago
- IOL News
Thailand and Cambodia's deadly border dispute: What We Know
Evacuees line up for food they take shelter in a gymnasium on the grounds of Surindra Rajabhat University in the Thai border province of Surin on July 25, 2025. More than 100,000 people have fled the bloodiest border fighting between Thailand and Cambodia in a decade, Bangkok said on July 25, as the death toll rose rises and international powers urged a halt to hostilities. (Photo by Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP Thailand said on Friday it has evacuated more than 100,000 people along the Cambodian border as the two countries fight their bloodiest military clashes in over a decade. The interior ministry said 100,672 people from four border provinces had been moved to shelters, while the health ministry announced that the death toll had risen to 14. Thailand launched air strikes on Cambodian military targets on Thursday as Cambodia fired rockets and artillery, in a sharp escalation of a long-running border dispute. The two countries are locked in a bitter feud over parts of the Emerald Triangle, where their borders meet Laos and several ancient temples stand. How did it start? The territorial row has dragged on for decades, but the latest flare-up between the two countries began with military border clashes in May that left one Cambodian soldier dead. Since then, the two sides have hit each other with retaliatory measures, with Thailand restricting border crossings and Cambodia halting certain imports. Five members of a Thai military patrol were wounded by a landmine blast on Wednesday in the Nam Yuen district of northeastern Ubon Ratchathani province, according to the Thai army. The Thai Ministry of Public Health said Thursday that at least 11 civilians had been killed in cross-border strikes by Cambodia. A spokesperson for Cambodia's defence ministry declined to comment on Thursday when asked about casualties on its side. What happened? The conflict blazed on Thursday as Cambodia fired rockets and artillery into Thailand, and Thai F-16s carried out strikes on two Cambodian military targets, officials said. A Cambodian shell hit a Thai house, killing one civilian and wounding three, including a five-year-old. The clashes erupted near two temples on the border between the Thai province of Surin and Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey, with both sides trading blame. Thailand condemned Cambodia as "inhumane, brutal and war-hungry", accusing it of targeting homes and civilian infrastructure. What is the state of diplomacy? The violence came hours after Thailand expelled the Cambodian ambassador and recalled its own envoy in protest after the landmine injuries. Thailand's embassy in Phnom Penh urged its nationals to leave Cambodia "as soon as possible" unless they had urgent reasons to remain. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet on Thursday requested the UN Security Council convene an "urgent meeting" to address what his foreign ministry called "unprovoked military aggression". China, a close ally of Cambodia, said it was "deeply concerned" about the clashes, calling for dialogue. Anwar Ibrahim, the prime minister of Malaysia, which currently chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, called on its fellow ASEAN members, Thailand and Cambodia, to "stand down". Thai political crisis? The border dispute has also triggered a domestic political crisis in Thailand, where Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended from office pending an ethics probe over her conduct. In an attempt to defuse the row, Paetongtarn held a diplomatic call with Hun Sen, Cambodia's former longtime ruler and father of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet. The phone call was leaked from the Cambodian side last month, sparking a judicial investigation. Cambodia's future conscripts? Hun Manet announced this month that Cambodia would start conscripting civilians next year, activating a long-dormant mandatory draft law. He cited rising tensions with Thailand for the decision. Cambodia's conscription law dates back to 2006 but has never been enforced. Hun Manet has proposed conscripts serve for two years to bolster the country's 200,000 personnel, requiring citizens aged 18 to 30 to enlist in the military. AFP
