The bare minimum: Dignity, equality and freedom

[Atvance academy 2 July]( [Mail & Guardian Newsletter logo](#) [mg.co.za]( [The Ampersand Daily Newsletter from the M&G team](#) [Divider Strip] July 02 2020 | [View in browser]( [Divider Strip] [Facebook icon]( [Twitter icon]( [Instagram icon]( [LinkedIn icon]( Hi there, The South African Constitution is relatively unique in its emphasis on the right to dignity. This right is not always easy to define, but our democracy was built on the idea that everyone has that inalienable right. That is something we should never forget, no matter what lapses of madness the world descends into. We issue this reminder because there is no reason why a man should be dragged naked from his soon-to-be-demolished shack. This scene was filmed and has since been widely circulated on social media, to the appropriate disgust of many. As Lester Kiewit reports, the City of Cape Town has [suspended the law-enforcement officers]( who were involved in the incident in Khayelitsha on Wednesday. "We are in the process of suspending four staff members involved in the incident, pending the outcome of the investigation," said Richard Bosman, the City's executive director for safety and security. "The suspension also ensures that staff are not targeted while on duty. We are saddened by the conduct depicted on the video footage, and we do not condone any forceful and dehumanising conduct by our staff members." The City has much to answer for. Denigrating a human being does not happen in a vacuum and serious questions continue to be raised about how Cape Town treats people without homes, or people with homes that it deems to be in the wrong place. However, we must ask their hired muscle to look within themselves; to acknowledge that "following orders" is a cop-out. What happened to the four police officers that allowed them to believe accosting a naked man was a good idea? We all know how following orders has, in the past, been the explanation for a number of atrocities. In case you missed it: He got it from his papa: Stanley Johnson, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's dad, has jetted off to Greece despite Foreign Office guidance saying Britons should only embark on "essential" trips. When he arrived at his Greek villa in Pelion, the sprightly 79-year-old told his Instagram followers his reason for jetting to the south-eastern part of Thessaly in northern Greece and insisted it was "[essential business](. He said: "I'm in Pelion on essential business trying to Covid-proof my property in view of the upcoming letting season." A safe haven: Find out how sanctioned Israeli billionaire, Dan Gertler, who allegedly amassed a fortune "through hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of corrupt mining and oil deals", found a [haven in a tiny Congolese bank](. #StopHateForProfit: For the first time in its history, Facebook is facing an organised boycott from advertisers. It's not from small companies, either -- large corporations, including Lego, Honda, Coca-Cola and Diageo, have [stopped their spending](. What is happening in the virtual newsroom? While there's doom and gloom and things go boom, to bring a change of pace to your day, we highly recommend you check out Refiloe Seiboko's look into the legacy of Manu Dibango's [immortal Soul Makossa](. The Cameroonian saxophone legend is believed to be the most sampled African musician of all time, with his instantly recognisable Mama-ko, mama-ssa, makomako-ssa chant appearing in a number of Billboard hits. Here's a [little playlist]( to brighten up your day. Don't forget to sign up for [The Continent](. The 12th issue is coming out this Saturday. Want to subscribe to the M&G? Well you're in luck. We have a discounted subscription promo running. Click the button below to get a digital subscription for as little as R69 a month. Until tomorrow, Kiri Rupiah & Luke Feltham [Divider Strip] [Eusebius McKaiser: Let's slay some academic freedom myths]( [Eusebius McKaiser: Let's slay some academic freedom myths]( Bigoted academics and shoddy or racist work are not above criticism -- nor should they be. [Divider Strip] [Hachalu Hundessa's murder sparks unrest in Ethiopia]( [Hachalu Hundessa's murder sparks unrest in Ethiopia]( The singer was a political activist, using his music to advocate for the rights of the Oromo. [Divider Strip] [AU must keep momentum to end structural racism]( [AU must keep momentum to end structural racism]( The parallels between the African and African-American struggles for equality and justice are striking. The African Union needs to engage more vigorously with human rights entities to address global anti-black racism. [Divider Strip] [Clubs brace for rushed PSL restart]( [Clubs brace for rushed PSL restart]( Football will return, but the players are likely to have very little time to acquaint themselves with the "new normal". [Divider Strip] [Facebook icon]( [Twitter icon]( [Instagram icon]( [LinkedIn icon]( You are receiving this email on {EMAIL} because 1.) You're a member of "Mail & Guardian" or 2.) previously subscribed [M&G logo] 25 Owl St, Braamfontein Werf, Johannesburg, 2092 Want to be removed? No problem! [UNSUBSCRIBE]( Email support: help@media-connect.co.za - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -