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How South Africa's gambling law created a dangerous new addiction.

Small R5 spins on fixed odds slots feel harmless, but a legal loophole in the National Gambling Act allows them to quickly drain savings and cause significant financial hardship. Learn how.

By TheSerpent September 4, 2026 6 min read

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Finances

Getting SMS threats for a dead TV licence? Here's why they won't quit.

By TheSerpent August 20, 2026 5 min read

Despite most people ignoring their SABC TV licence, a thriving industry of outsourced debt collectors continues to pursue South Africans, leveraging intimidation tactics for a levy on life support.

Culture

The Springboks are playing in the US – but at what cost to South African fans?

By TheSerpent August 8, 2026 5 min read

SA Rugby's choice to move a key match to an NFL stadium in Maryland for financial gain is alienating the very fans who treat Springbok rugby as a national religion. Is the price too high?

The Serpent

What really powered Britain's post-war comeback? Hint: It wasn't virtue.

By TheSerpent July 29, 2026 6 min read

The clean myth says America saved Britain. But the truth involves economic humiliation, imperial prying, and the brutal extraction of South African gold.

The Serpent

South Africa's economic ladder is gone. What happens next for its youth?

By TheSerpent July 26, 2026 5 min read

The country's traditional routes to prosperity have vanished, leaving young people without the skills needed for today's advanced economy. Can South Africa escape this trap?

Culture

Apartheid demanded loyalty. One white man chose prison instead.

By TheSerpent July 21, 2026 5 min read

Billy Paddock's refusal to serve in the SADF shattered apartheid's carefully constructed narrative of white unity. His story reveals the difficult ethical choices made.

The Serpent

680,000 families wait for homes. Where did the Western Cape's R821 million go?

By TheSerpent July 21, 2026 5 min read

The Western Cape government points to illegal invasions and extortion, but the article reveals a systemic delivery failure behind the R821.5 million shortfall, leaving thousands in dire conditions.

Inside The Serpent

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From the archive

3 years ago

Finances

How South Africa's gambling law created a dangerous new addiction.

Small R5 spins on fixed odds slots feel harmless, but a legal loophole in the National Gambling Act allows them to quickly drain savings and cause significant financial hardship. Learn how.

By TheSerpent September 4, 2026 6 min read

How South Africa's gambling law created a dangerous new addiction.

Latest

Getting SMS threats for a dead TV licence? Here's why they won't quit.

The Springboks are playing in the US – but at what cost to South African fans?

What really powered Britain's post-war comeback? Hint: It wasn't virtue.

South Africa's economic ladder is gone. What happens next for its youth?

Apartheid demanded loyalty. One white man chose prison instead.

680,000 families wait for homes. Where did the Western Cape's R821 million go?

Inside The Serpent

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From the archive

How South Africa's gambling law created a dangerous new addiction.