September 22
Lesotho: Lesotho Needs Constitutional Reforms to Help Gain Political Stability
Lesotho, a small country landlocked by South Africa, has been struggling to make constitutional reforms since the advent of coalition politics in 2012. It needs the reforms to… Read more »
September 19
South Africa: South Africa Has a New Education Law - Some Love It, Some Hate It
South Africa has a new law governing education. The Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act changes several aspects of how schools are managed. It was introduced to address… Read more »
September 18
South Africa: South Africa's Gauteng Province Launches Water Data Hub - Residents Can Now Keep Track of Shortages and Repair Issues
South Africa is a water scarce country. In other words it has an excess of demand over available supply. It also has low water security - the ability to ensure sustainable access… Read more »
Sudan: Sudan's Civilians Urgently Need Protection - the Options for International Peacekeeping
In September 2024, the United Nations' independent fact-finding mission to Sudan issued its first report. Citing grave human rights violations amounting to war crimes and crimes… Read more »
Zimbabwe: Lithium Mining in Zimbabwe - a Story of Loss for One Community
Lithium is an essential component of electric vehicle batteries, which are becoming more important as the world moves to a low-carbon energy future. Large deposits of lithium exist… Read more »
South Africa: Joe Modise Biography Dismisses Corruption Claims Against the Former South African Defence Minister
The new biography of Joe Modise, one-time commander of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the military wing of South Africa's African National Congress (ANC), is welcome. Comrade and Commander… Read more »
September 17
Africa: Why China Is Seeking Greater Presence in Africa
China's relationship with Africa is set to deepen. At a summit in Beijing in early September, China's president, Xi Jinping, pledged to deliver US$51 billion (£39 billion) in… Read more »
South Africa: South Africa's Move to Green Energy Was Slowed Down By Govt to Protect Coal Mining
South Africa's Department of Mineral Resources and Energy was split in two after the 2024 general elections: Electricity and Energy and Mineral and Petroleum Resources. Part of the… Read more »
September 16
South Africa: South African Universities Need to Rethink How They Evaluate Research - Social Impact Counts Too
There are many ways university researchers can share their work. Some of these methods are well-established in academia: people write journal articles, book chapters and entire… Read more »
September 15
South Africa: South African Agriculture Needs to Crack the Chinese Market. How to Boost Exports
South Africa's agricultural sector has more than doubled in value and volume terms since 1994. This success has been linked to international trade. Exports now account for roughly… Read more »
September 14
South Africa: Pravin Gordhan - a Lifetime of Service to South Africa - As an Activist and Then in Building the New Democracy
It is hard to give an account of Pravin Gordhan'spolitical commitment in a few words. Read more »
September 12
Sudan: Sudan Is Burning and Foreign Powers Are Benefiting - What's in It for the UAE
The United Nations has accused foreign players of prolonging the war in Sudan, making it harder for the country to find peace. The fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and… Read more »
Africa: African Countries Are Adopting Two Houses of Parliament to Boost Democracy - but That's Not Always What Happens
At independence, most African states had two legislative chambers - a lower and upper chamber - in their parliament. African leaders saw that as a colonial legacy and as… Read more »
Africa: Why Mpox in Africa Was Ignored for Too Long and Children Are Dying As a Result - Podcast
An epidemic of mpox in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), is spreading quickly, particularly among young children. At least 20,000 people are known to be infected in… Read more »
September 11
South Africa: South Africa Is Failing Its Youngest Children - Report Flags Critical Gaps in Early Learning, Social Protection and Health Care
Nearly 10 years ago South Africa outlined its commitment to invest in the health and development of young children. Read more »
Africa: Global Media Tell Only Part of Africa's Story - New Report Shows Which Outlets Perform Best and Worst
Media coverage of Africa has always been dominated by narratives of disease, poverty, conflict and political instability. These portrayals, rooted in colonial histories, continue… Read more »
Africa: Fire Safety Tips At Home - the Risks and How to Avoid Them
In many African communities, fire hazards are a concern due to the materials used for building and daily activities such as cooking and heating. The risks are increased by the use… Read more »
September 10
South Africa: Steve Biko's Murder Exposed Deep Racism in How Medicine Was Taught and Practised in South Africa
In 1966, Steve Biko began studying medicine at the University of Natal in South Africa, the same year that the general assembly of the United Nations declared apartheid a crime… Read more »
Sudan: Looting of the Sudan National Museum - More Is At Stake Than Priceless Ancient Treasures
Reports continue to emerge of the alleged looting of tens of thousands of artefacts from the Sudan National Museum in Khartoum. The museum, near the confluence of the White and the… Read more »
September 08
South Africa: James Matthews - the Rebel Writer Who Was South Africa's Voice of Resistance
World renowned South African poet James Matthews has died at 95. His was the last great voice of an era of writers who worked against South Africa's repressive and racist system of… Read more »
Ethiopia: Demolitions in Ethiopia Are Giving Rise to a New Addis Ababa
A spate of demolitions radically transformed one of the oldest parts of the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, in early 2024. The city is home to an estimated 4 million people. Read more »
September 06
South Africa: Steve Biko, the South African Struggle Hero Who Was Prepared to Sacrifice His Life for Black Liberation
What happens when death becomes the ultimate marker of one's commitment to one's freedom? Jacob Dlamini explores this and other questions in his new book, Dying for Freedom:… Read more »
September 04
Africa: Chinese and Russian Disinformation Flourishes in Some African Countries - Anti-U.S. Sentiment Helps It Take Hold
The spread of disinformation is one of the biggest risks to societies. Recent examples have been conspiracy narratives about COVID-19 vaccinations and false claims about Russia's… Read more »
August 29
South Africa: Rick Turner and Steve Biko Were Leading Liberation Thinkers in 1970s South Africa - Why Their Ideas Still Matter
Steve Biko was undoubtedly the most influential South African liberation struggle theorist and activist of the 1970s. Rick Turner was arguably among the most effectual white… Read more »
August 23
Rwanda: Paul Kagame's Fourth Term As President - What His Agenda Will Need to Cover
Paul Kagame started his fourth term as Rwanda's president in August 2024. He first became president in April 2000. However, as the leader of the Rwandan Patriotic Front, he has… Read more »