Life is stranger than fiction - the global weirdness makes me feel like I’m watching a movie

There was a time when I loved watching movies and TV. Lately, there has been so much to write that my viewing has taken a real back seat. I’m also conscious of using my time productively.

However, some of the things that have been happening of late in South Africa and abroad make me feel like I’m still watching a movie. As Business Maverick editor Tim Cohen is fond of saying – you can’t make this shit up.

For some reason, the murky world of drugs is fascinating to most people. Breaking Bad started out with 1.4 million viewers and had racked up 10.3 million viewers by the time it aired its final episode five years later.

And Caryn Dolley’s lead story this week about drug cartel connections to South Africa makes for an engrossing read.

Looking further, to international shores, US politics became a bit sexy when Barack Obama took over as the first black president in 2009. The bar has sunk very low since then, but, in just a matter of weeks, there have been some incredible changes.

First, there was the Trump shooting, and now Joe Biden has finally stepped down in favour of Kamala Harris. A woman of colour in the White House would be something to behold. I think women all around the world are waiting with bated breath.

As for the Trump alternative … well, you can read all about that in Phillip van Niekerk’s article (page 12), as well as Marianne Thamm’s (page 33) and Zukiswa Pikoli’s (page 34) columns. They each offer a different perspective, so it’s well worth reading all three.

On page 10, we feature the sleepy town of Stanford springing to life with a recreation of South Africa’s award-winning 2024 Chelsea Flower Show exhibit. It’s really cool to see our fynbos and succulents finally recognised on the global stage. Not only are they beautiful and long-lasting, they are much appreciated by people like me who are allergic to pollen and flowers.

Speaking of health, some clever researchers in KwaZulu-Natal are looking at people with great genes to find solutions to HIV and Covid (page 9). They’re exploring genetic mutations that result in extreme resistance to disease – it sounds like a sci-fi movie, but one I’d love to watch come to life.

In politics, the Government of National Unity is making some positive changes, not least of which is the new Public Procurement Bill, which Ray Mahlaka unpacks (page 19). May this be the light at the end of what has been a very dark corruption tunnel for South Africa.

And to end off the show with some inspiration, the Olympics have kicked off in France. My son and I heard the Chariots of Fire theme on the radio this week and, I recalled how, at my high school, we had our “sports day” at night.

My teen looked at me with a blank face while I tried to convey the emotions I felt as I listened to Chariots of Fire at Kings Park Stadium in Durban, watching the top school athlete run around the track with the torch. Sigh … kids today just have no idea sometimes.

Also in this edition, Tim Cohen ponders the financial pros and cons of hosting the Olympics – and I hope new Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie takes up his challenge.

In our sports section, our writers have outdone themselves with their coverage of cycling, Paralympians, swimming and cricket.

Speaking of which, I think I’m going to kick back this weekend and watch Chariots of Fire.

Yours in defence of truth.

Heather will be back next week. Send her your thoughts about our stories and what’s happening in the world by emailing [email protected]. She may just feature your letter on our readers’ page.

This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.