Wordsmith back on the attack

Former print journo now chief of staff for Cape Town mayor.

- Hein Kaiser

You can leave journalism behind, but journalism will never leave you. James Styan, former journalist and now chief of staff for Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, is evidence of that.

And while his news beat is now on a different kind of drum, Styan's side hustle as a wordsmith has produced four best-selling non-fiction works thus far. And he is no stranger to controversy.

With a reputation for journalistic depth during his print media career and his relentless pursuit to understand and expose the corporate world, Styan's latest book, Dirty Secrets of the Rich and Powerful, might kick some serious butt and flame a round of intense public discourse, because he unpicks some serious issues, again.

Following controversial works on Eskom and the Steinhoff scandal, Styan's fifth non-fiction title digs into the mechanics of inequality and the covert influences shaping people's lives.

In this book, Styan tackles 18 significant issues that impact people globally and within South Africa. These range from corporate tax avoidance tricks to recycling and green energy risks, as well as looking into bread cartels and artificial intelligence.

The book includes revelations, such as the financial dealings of Formula One driver and popular culture folk hero Lewis Hamilton and the tax implications of King Charles' inheritance from the late queen.