Is SA the next Mexico or Brazil when it comes to contract killings? 

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There are some signs that South Africa is heading down the Latin American route, following the recent assassinations of some key societal figures. From Babita Deokaran to Bouwer van Niekerk, global crime experts warn that the targeting of whistleblowers, prosecutors, activists, and even journalists weakens the very foundation of democracy. To take stock of the lessons one can learn from Mexico, for example, The Lead’s Graeme Raubenheimer interviews Julian Rademeyer, the East and Southern Africa director for the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime (GI-TOC). Later in the show, is SA/US trade dead in the water or is it all systems AGOA for a new agreement? And finally, we remember the Tulbagh earthquake of 1969 with “On This Day in SA History” courtesy SA History Online. You can send host Graeme Raubenheimer a voice note with your questions or thoughts on this live to 072 562 3179. Mail your comments to: thelead@24.com. Full editions drop Monday through Thursday at 19:00 on Spotify, Apple and YouTube.
Chapters
  • 00:01 Graeme's intro
  • 01:30 Interview with Julian Rademeyer
  • 16:58 Our WhatsApp line
  • 30:16 Trending topic: Is AGOA a goner?
  • 31:47 On This Day in SA History
29 Sep 2025 English South Africa News · Society & Culture

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