August 16, 2022
South Africa: Proposed Fracking Regulations Should Do More to Protect Groundwater
South Africa is extremely water scarce, and water supply will become more challenging in the future. The population and economy are growing, increasing demand. Rainfall is variable… Read more »
South Africa: Marikana 10 Years On - Survey Shows Knowledge of Massacre Is Low
To explore the patterns of collective memory in South Africa after nearly three decades of democracy, we set out to establish how much of the country's recent history people in the… Read more »
South Africa: The Key to Treating TB May Be in a Common Carbohydrate. What We Know So Far
Curdlan is a popular carbohydrate in the food industry. Its name is derived from the word "curdle", and as it suggests, it's widely used as a thickener and stabiliser in everything… Read more »
August 15, 2022
South Africa: Legal Claims for Medical Mistakes Are On the Rise in South Africa - What's Behind the Trend
Medico-legal claims - claims based on medical negligence or malpractice - have skyrocketed in South Africa. Recent figures indicate a growth rate of 23% for medico-legal claims in… Read more »
South Africa: Auto Manufacturing Is Changing - How South Africa Can Adjust to Protect Workers and Jobs
Technological changes in industry have given rise to contending schools of thought about their impact on work and workers. Automation is rapidly deepening and widening, reaching… Read more »
August 14, 2022
South Africa: South Africa Doesn't Need New Cities - It Needs to Focus On Fixing What It's Got
South Africa is a dominantly urban country, with almost 70% of the population living in cities and towns. But urban services and infrastructures are coming under increasing strain… Read more »
August 11, 2022
South Africa: Marikana Massacre - South Africa Needs to Build a Society That's Decent and Doesn't Humiliate People
On 16 August mine workers, activists and no doubt a few politicians will gather on the now infamous rock outcrop near the former Lonmin Platinum mine in Marikana, North West… Read more »
South Africa: The Right to Food - Activism and Litigation Are Shifting the Dial in South Africa
Even before the pandemic and the recent global rise in food prices, millions of South Africans were hungry. In 2019, nearly 18% of households could not access enough nutritious… Read more »
August 10, 2022
South Africa: Higher Electricity Connection Fees? A Good, and Necessary, Next Step
There's been outrage from some quarters in South Africa about reports that the power utility Eskom and some municipalities intend to increase the connection fee for electricity… Read more »
South Africa: South Africa's Proposed Electricity Industry Reform - Lost in Translation?
South Africa's ruling party recently proposed establishing a second state-owned power company. The purpose is to offset the "grave strategic risk" of relying on Eskom, the… Read more »
South Africa: Flipper Traces Reveal the Presence of Ancient Seals On South Africa's Coast
The world's largest and heaviest living carnivore is not a big cat, a bear or a wolf: it's the southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina). Bulls of this species can be 5 metres long… Read more »
August 08, 2022
South Africa: Women Have Always Trailed Men in Research Output - How Covid Made the Situation Worse
The under-representation of women in research is well documented. Emerging evidence suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated this inequality and disrupted the research… Read more »
Angola: Angola's Eduardo Dos Santos - An Unlikely Leader Known for His 'Judicious' Use of Violence
José Eduardo dos Santos, the former Angolan president who died on 8 July 2022 five years after relinquishing power, was an unlikely leader. Read more »
August 09, 2022
Angola: How Not to Respond to Drought - Lessons From Angola
Three years after a severe drought in southwestern Angola, people in the area continue to suffer. Hunger remains pervasive and they are still losing livestock. Read more »
Mozambique: Unions Hit Snooze On a National Strike - Why It's a Bad Thing for Workers
The surge in food and fuel prices has led to calls for national shutdowns across southern Africa. In Mozambique, trade unions issued a statement denouncing the rising cost of… Read more »
August 08, 2022
South Africa: Lilian Ngoyi - an Heroic South African Woman Whose Story Hasn't Been Fully Told
Despite her key role in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa, details about Lilian Ngoyi's life remain sparse. The short paragraphs on her legacy repeat a few well-worn… Read more »
August 07, 2022
South Africa: New Book On Mapungubwe Archive Contests History of South African World Heritage Site
Mapungubwe is a world heritage site and national park located on the border between South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana. From about 1000 AD the settlement there developed into a… Read more »
August 05, 2022
South Africa: Vacuum of Ideas At ANC Policy Conference Bodes Ill for South Africa's Governing Party
South Africa is in the throes of an unprecedented, multifaceted socio-economic crisis requiring substantive, impactful policy interventions. Yet, having attended the governing… Read more »
August 04, 2022
South Africa: Rape Is Endemic in South Africa. Why the ANC Government Keeps Missing the Mark
Rape in South Africa is systemic and endemic. The country's annual police crime statistics confirm this. There were 42,289 rapes reported in 2019/2020, as well as 7,749 sexual… Read more »
South Africa: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's Visit Aims to Reset Relations With South Africa
US secretary of state Antony Blinken has embarked on a five nation tour of Cambodia, the Philippines, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. Read more »
Africa: Racism in South Africa - Why the ANC Has Failed to Dismantle Patterns of White Privilege
One of the sources of social discontent in post-apartheid South Africa is the legacy of white racism. This toxic legacy is evident in racialised poverty and inequality. Read more »
South Africa: Why 'Political Will' Isn't the Magic Bullet That Can Fix Country's Energy Crisis
South Africans gave a warm welcome to President Cyril Ramaphosa's recent announcement about a "set of actions" to respond to the energy crisis in the country. Read more »
August 03, 2022
South Africa: Country Needs Stronger Security to Stop the Sabotage of Its Power Supply
South African president Cyril Ramaphosa recently outlined plans to solve the country's devastating electricity supply crisis. But he didn't mention the country's ability to protect… Read more »
South Africa: Artisanal Gold Mining Is Out of Control. Mistakes That Got It Here
Illegal and unregulated artisanal gold mining on the Witwatersrand Basin, located south of South Africa's Gauteng province, is an increasing threat to community, industrial and… Read more »
August 02, 2022
South Africa: Bilingual Education Can Work in South African Schools - Here's How
From the fourth year of schooling, the majority of South African schools teach all subjects in English only. The devastating learning consequences of this for children who speak… Read more »