As we reach the tail end of 2025, we remember a year of revelation in South Africa, a year when long-whispered truths found their way into the open, and accountability finally began to knock on powerful doors.
Few moments captured this more explicitly than a single media briefing by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi in July, which sent shockwaves through the country and led to the establishment of both a commission of inquiry and a parliamentary ad hoc committee.
It was a reminder of the enduring power of truth and of how one moment of courage can shift the national conversation.
Yet 2025 was not only a year of exposure; it was also a year of endurance.
This season is particularly heavy for many. For those battling mental health challenges, the festive period can magnify feelings of isolation, grief, and self-doubt.
Some will look back at the year and feel they fell short, labelling themselves underachievers in comparison to others. But the end of a year is not the end of purpose. It is not the end of plans, opportunities, or dreams. Survival itself, in difficult times, is an achievement that deserves recognition.
As a nation, we now stand on the threshold of another defining moment. South Africa heads into local government elections next year, a reminder that democracy is not a destination but a continuous act of participation, vigilance, and hope. The choices ahead at the polls demand scrutiny and wisdom.
As the year winds down and many take a moment to breathe, rest, and reconnect, let us be gentle with ourselves and gracious to others. Let us extend kindness to those with less, patience to those struggling, and understanding to those whose journeys are unseen.
If 2025 taught us anything, it is that truth matters, but so does humanity. And as we step into a new year, may we always keep our eyes open to possibilities and our hearts gently filled with hope. A prosperous 2026 to you, dear reader, and to your loved ones as well.