Umamah Bakharia

Johannesburg, South Africa

News Reporter at Mail & Guardian

Journalist @mailandguardian

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Articles

Sterkfontein Caves reopened after safety upgrades

3 days ago | mg.co.za | Umamah Bakharia

After a two-year closure prompted by safety concerns and conservation efforts, the Sterkfontein Caves—one of South Africa’s most celebrated paleoanthropological sites—have officially reopened to the public, the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) has announced.
The God Edition | Prayer and the spirit of ubuntu

4 days ago | mg.co.za | Umamah Bakharia

In these times, what does it mean to be human? It is the ability to pray that fundamentally distinguishes human beings from animals. Serious and sincere prayer in the present moment can change the effects of the past and create a new future. Prayer enables each of us, individually and collectively, to fuse with the energy of compassion that pours forth from the deepest sources of cosmic life.
The God Edition | Secularism is the bridge to harmony and democracy

5 days ago | mg.co.za | Umamah Bakharia

Some provinces call their members of executive councils ministers, and I can truly say that this is the second time that I have held the title, although the previous time, I was on a pulpit, not a podium. But my road has taken me from preaching the gospel to social work and into public works and infrastructure.
The God Edition | On public schools shifting to inclusivity

5 days ago | mg.co.za | Umamah Bakharia

For decades, education in public schools was controlled by Christian National Education (CNE) — an apartheid-era ideology that placed Christianity at the centre of learning. It aimed to promote a worldview rooted in religious principles and national identity through the teachings of Christian values and Afrikaner nationalism. For learners from other religious and cultural backgrounds, this system felt exclusionary, rigid and alienating.
It no longer takes a village to raise a child, it takes a nation

6 days ago | mg.co.za | Umamah Bakharia

In South Africa, millions of children are born into circumstances that limit their access to quality early education. The belief that it takes a village to bring up a child guided our social fabric. But in today’s reality, amid deep inequality, widespread poverty and a persistent education crisis, it takes far more. Early childhood development (ECD) is not just an education issue; it is a national emergency.
Muneyi: A decade of storytelling and musical integrity pays off

6 days ago | mg.co.za | Umamah Bakharia

For years, Muneyi’s music has felt like a quiet promise. If you were listening closely, you could hear it — in the tenderness of his lyrics, in the way he carried his Venda heritage without flinching, in the softness he refused to hide. But now, after nearly a decade of slow-burning releases, performances, collaborations and prayerful patience, that promise has bloomed.
The God Edition | Losing my religion to find my faith

6 days ago | mg.co.za | Umamah Bakharia

My values and principles were initially cultivated by the Catholic Church. Jesus’ honesty in representing the poor and downtrodden resonated with me. His teachings allowed me to understand that, for my life to mean something, I had to place the needs of those less fortunate than me above my own. Jesus’ life and teachings gave me hope that mine could mean more than my station in society allowed.
Nomfundo Moh’s new track has it all rapped up

1 week ago | mg.co.za | Umamah Bakharia

By now, South African songstress Nomfundo Moh has cemented herself as a household name — known for her ethereal voice, soul-stirring lyrics and the kind of sound that feels like a warm embrace on a cold morning. But on her latest single Ndizamshini, featuring the ever-electric Blaq Diamond, she takes a bold detour. And it’s not just a flirtation with a new sound — it’s a full-blown creative reintroduction.
Play the diplomacy game properly

1 week ago | mg.co.za | Umamah Bakharia

The furore over the appointment of Mcebisi Jonas as special envoy to the United States has forced us to confront the reality of the situation with which we are confronted. Jonas’s dedication to the country — and in representing South African interests — has never been in doubt. His refusal of a R600 million bribe is national legend and solidified his reputation as a good-faith actor. But his honesty now has repercussions.
Union demands pension fund for domestic workers

1 week ago | mg.co.za | Umamah Bakharia

The Progressive Domestic Workers Union of South Africa (Prodwusa) wants the treasury to develop a pension fund for domestic workers so they can retire with a measure of financial security. The union is still drafting the proposal and will hand it over to the department of employment and labour during a demonstration next month on the plight of domestic workers.