Dylan Brassel

Absolutely elated for Kimi Antonelli! What a phenomenal championship and an extraordinary achievement for such an immensely talented driver and genuinely wonderful human being. A truly deserving champion in every sense of the word. Savour every moment, Kimi. You’ve earned it! #F1

Having seen the iPhone Duo and the mixed reviews it has received, I am even more pleased with my decision to purchase the iPhone 18 Pro. I anticipated that the Duo would experience some teething problems at launch, particularly with app compatibility. While I have little doubt that these issues will improve fairly quickly, the price of the device leaves me with very little tolerance for such compromises. I am simply not the kind of customer who spends a considerable amount of money on a premium device, only to wait for it to reach its full potential through future updates. That is precisely why I am so satisfied with my 18 Pro. It delivers the experience I expected from day one, without the uncertainty that often accompanies a first-generation product. I hope prospective buyers consider these factors carefully before making their own purchasing decisions. Innovation is exciting, but at a premium price, a polished experience should be an expectation, not something customers have to wait for. #Apple #iPhoneDuo

Elon Musk’s announcement that he intends to give every child in America one share of SpaceX in 2027 may sound extraordinarily generous, and perhaps the intentions behind it are sincere. But generosity on this scale demands far more than an impressive headline. We are talking about approximately 73 million children and a proposed transfer of shares worth more than $10 billion. How, precisely, will this be administered? Who determines eligibility? What information will be required to identify each child, and who will have access to that information? Will parents have the right to refuse participation, and what safeguards will prevent children’s personal and financial information from being exploited, commercialised or used for purposes beyond the original promise? If existing government investment accounts are to facilitate this, what assurances exist regarding the separation of private corporate interests from sensitive government-held information? Who provides independent oversight, and what happens when a child reaches adulthood? There is also a fundamental moral question: At what point does philanthropy become an exercise in influence? When one extraordinarily wealthy individual proposes distributing ownership in his own company to an entire generation, we should be entitled to question not only the financial implications but also the potential conflicts of interest, concentration of influence and long-term consequences. None of this establishes that privacy will be violated or that the proposal is inherently unethical. But neither should good intentions exempt an initiative from rigorous public scrutiny. A gift should never come at the expense of informed consent, individual autonomy or the protection of personal information. If this proposal is genuinely intended to benefit children, Musk should publish a transparent, independently scrutinised implementation plan before expecting public applause. Philanthropy should empower its beneficiaries, not leave them dependent on the goodwill, commercial interests or undisclosed decisions of the benefactor. The question is not simply whether Elon Musk can afford to do this. It is whether he can demonstrate that it can be done responsibly, transparently and without compromising the rights of the very children he claims to be helping.

Happy Birthday to the legendary Howard Shore! A musical genius whose extraordinary compositions have profoundly shaped my love for film music. His music has changed my life and continues to inspire and move me in ways words simply cannot express. Thank you for the magic, Maestro! #HowardShore

Yawn 🥱 #F1

Heartfelt congratulations to Justice Navanethem “Navi” Pillay on being awarded the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize. From the injustices of apartheid era South Africa to the highest institutions of international justice, her extraordinary life has been defined by courage, conviction and an unwavering commitment to human dignity. At a time when the principles of international law are increasingly challenged, her recognition is a powerful reminder that justice must never be conditional, human rights must never be selective, and peace cannot endure without accountability. A remarkable achievement for a remarkable South African. As a fellow Durbanite, I feel an immense sense of pride 🇿🇦 Congratulations, Justice Pillay. Your legacy is an inspiration to generations. #NobelPeacePrize

RIP George Fenton. Man, I loved his work. I’d find myself revisiting his incredible discography at least once a year. A wonderfully talented soul and a remarkable composer, gone too soon. His music will live on.

An interesting bit of F1 history: Jody Scheckter won the World Championship with Ferrari in 1979, which meant that throughout the entire 80s and 90s, Ferrari’s last Drivers’ Champion was a South African. It took 21 years, and Michael Schumacher in 2000, to change that. And the South African connection didn’t end there. Rory Byrne went on to become Ferrari’s Chief Designer and one of the key minds behind the incredible Schumacher era, remaining involved with Ferrari as a technical consultant long afterwards, right through to the present day. Then there’s Gordon Murray, another South African and one of the greatest designers in F1 history. Among his many achievements, he designed the legendary McLaren MP4/4, driven by Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost in 1988, with Senna winning his first World Championship that year. South Africa’s influence stretches beyond the cars and champions too. Alan van der Merwe served as the F1 Medical Car driver for more than a decade, while South African engineer Dirk de Beer has held senior aerodynamic roles with several F1 teams. 2027 will also mark 20 years since Kimi Räikkönen last won the Drivers’ Championship for Ferrari in 2007. From Scheckter and Byrne to Murray, Van der Merwe, De Beer and many others, South Africa has left a pretty remarkable mark on Formula 1. So, in my view, that is exactly why Kyalami, or simply a South African Grand Prix, belongs back on the F1 calendar 🇿🇦🏎️. It may bring a drivers title back to Ferrari 😅 #F1 #SouthAfrica #SouthAfricanGrandPrix

Herschelle Gibbs 175 vs Australia 20 years ago remains one of the greatest moments in cricket history and, I reckon, one of the greatest sporting achievements of our time. What a performance. What a day and what a player! Just sensational, brilliant and timeless.🇿🇦🏏. I’ll never forget that day! @hershybru

It’s 2026, and I am thoroughly fed up with the shocking standards of customer service that consumers are increasingly expected to tolerate. Whether a company is a multinational corporation or a small business, the principle remains the same: Consumers deserve fair, reasonable, transparent and professional treatment. I am no longer prepared to accept endless excuses, inadequate responses, unreasonable processes, poor communication or a lack of accountability. Where I believe my rights have been infringed, I fully intend to exercise every appropriate remedy available to me under the Consumer Protection Act and any other applicable legislation, including the regulatory frameworks governing specific industries. I have already escalated certain matters to the relevant regulatory authorities, and I will continue to do so whenever the circumstances justify it. I will document my experiences, challenge practices I consider unreasonable, pursue legitimate complaints through the appropriate channels and, where necessary, seek further recourse. I intend to leave no stone unturned in pursuing fair treatment and accountability, within the bounds of the law. Consumers should not have to exhaust themselves simply to receive the standard of service they were reasonably entitled to expect in the first place. Nor should anyone be made to feel that challenging a company's conduct is somehow unreasonable or that pursuing their legal rights is an inconvenience to the business concerned. My position is simple: I will be reasonable, factual and fair in my dealings with any business. I expect the same in return. No company, regardless of its size, reputation or market position, should consider itself beyond legitimate scrutiny or accountability. Enough is enough. I know my rights, and I intend to exercise them.

The sheer irony, @StandardBankZA. After locking me out of my banking app following a SIM swap, subjecting me to an absurd verification process and failing to resolve the matter within your stated 48 hour period, you now email me tips on banking security? Perhaps focus on fixing your own processes before lecturing customers on theirs. Security should protect customers, not punish them.

Really curious to see who the composer for the upcoming Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum will be. I simply pray Howard Shore returns to Middle Earth. It would be absolutely amazing! ❤️ #LOTR #LordoftheRings

What is going on with South African banks this week? The level of service delivery has been absolutely shocking. It’s almost as if the banks collectively got together and decided to compete for who could inconvenience their customers the most. Honestly, you couldn’t make it up. Terrible. Only @Discovery_SA seems to be stable and supporting us. The others, weh..

What a pole lap by Russell. Obliterated everyone else. Wow! #F1

A huge thank you to @Discovery_SA and @Nedbank for the efficiency with which you handled my banking access following a legitimate SIM swap. Both had me back up and running without this becoming an ordeal. Then there’s @StandardBankZA. More than 48 hours without access to my digital banking, and I remain completely locked out. That means I cannot see my balance, monitor transactions on my account or properly keep track of what may be going off or coming into it. I am effectively in the dark about activity on my own account. Repeated calls. Repeated verification attempts. Still no access. Today, as part of yet another verification attempt, I was asked to identify at least three recent card transactions. I could identify my most recent purchase, but the very transaction history I would need to confidently identify earlier transactions is inside the banking app I AM LOCKED OUT OF. What made the experience even more frustrating was how little understanding or empathy I felt was shown for the situation I am in. I am unable to access or monitor my own account, yet the verification process seemed to take no practical account of that reality. I have genuinely never experienced service this poor from a bank. At this point, “SubStandard Bank” is beginning to feel like a more appropriate name. Formal complaint lodged and escalated. Still no resolution. @StandardBankZA, I simply want access to my own account restored.