March 19
South Africa: South Africa's Election Management Body Has Done a Good Job for 30 Years - Here's Why
More than in previous elections, South Africa's Electoral Commission (IEC) will be tested to the hilt in this year's national and provincial elections on 29 May. For the first time… Read more »
March 18
Malawi: Malawi and Maize - Prices Have Spiked On the Back of Bad Weather and Trade Bans
Maize is the leading staple food in Malawi and crucial for food security. Typically, local production from smallholder farmers meets and exceeds annual requirements of around 3… Read more »
March 17
South Africa: Almost 50% of Adult South Africans Are Overweight or Obese. Poverty and Poor Nutrition Are Largely to Blame
Malnutrition, in all its forms, includes undernutrition (wasting, stunting, underweight), inadequate vitamins or minerals, overweight and obesity. Read more »
March 14
South Africa: Sewage Leaks Put South Africa's Freshwater At Risk - How Citizen Scientists Are Helping Clean Up
Across South Africa, sewage systems are leaking and contaminating the country's freshwater. Involving the affected communities can help prevent this pollution hazard, as a group of… Read more »
March 13
South Africa: Are You Sitting Too Long in Your Office Job? South African Study Offers Some Health Tips
Sedentary behaviour can result in chronic health conditions such as obesity and heart diseases, bad news for the millions of office workers who are forced to sit behind their desks… Read more »
South Africa: South Africa's Master Pianist Abdullah Ibrahim Going On a World Tour At 90
Abdullah Ibrahim, South Africa's most distinguished pianist, was born on 9 October 1934 in Cape Town. This year marks not only his 90th birthday but also the start of a world tour.… Read more »
March 12
Africa: What's Behind the Worldwide Shortage of Cholera Vaccines? for Starters, They're Only Made By One Company
In February 2024 the World Health Organization announced southern Africa was suffering the deadliest regional outbreak of cholera in at least a decade. At the epicentre of the… Read more »
South Africa: Is My Water Safe to Drink? Expert Advice for Residents of South African Cities
In early March 2024 the residents of Johannesburg, South Africa's largest city and the economic capital of the country, were hit by extended cuts in water supplies. This was a new… Read more »
March 08
South Africa: Edward Webster - South African Intellectual, Teacher, Activist, a Man of Great Energy and Integrity, and the Life and Soul of Any Party
Eddie Webster (82), sociologist and emeritus professor at the Southern Centre for Inequality Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa, who died on 5 March… Read more »
March 11
South Africa: Technology to Protect South Africa's Oceans - Experts Find That a Data-Driven Monitoring System Is Paying Off
Nine years ago South Africa put in place an innovative information management system designed to monitor and protect its seas. The country is surrounded by the Atlantic and Indian… Read more »
March 10
Zimbabwe: Happy Smiling African Children - Why School Tourism in Zimbabwe Shouldn't Be Encouraged
A large, air-conditioned bus draws up outside a school. Tourists, most from Europe and the US, disembark, cameras at the ready. Some have brought gifts: packages of pens and… Read more »
March 07
South Africa: Women Battle When Trying to Take Climate Change Cases to Court - South Africa and Nigeria Study Shows Why
Across domestic courts in Africa, climate cases have been decided in South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya, with some cases pending in Uganda. However, climate litigation is still fairly… Read more »
South Africa: South Africa - Women Play a Key Role in Early Childhood Learning and Care - but They Need Help Accessing University
In South Africa, the early childhood development sector is dominated by women who build creches from the ground up. These women offer services to communities that go far beyond… Read more »
March 05
South Africa: These Tiny Worm-Like Creatures in the Soil Can Destroy Pests but They Can Also Kill Crops
Whether you're a gardener growing food for your household, a small scale farmer or a commercial producer, soil matters. You cannot really tell the difference between healthy and… Read more »
Africa: Drought Hits Southern Africa's Farmers, Putting Key Maize Supplies At Risk - How to Blunt the Impact
South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe have recently published reports indicating a potential decline in grain harvest because of intense El Niño-induced dryness. These… Read more »
March 04
South Africa: South Africa Has More Than 4 Million People Living With Diabetes - Study Shows Many Aren't Getting Proper Treatment
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects how the body turns food into energy. Read more »
March 03
South Africa: Big Companies, Like Nestlé, Are Funding Health Research in South Africa - Why This Is Wrong
In 2021, the director of the African Research University Alliance Centre of Excellence in Food Security at the University of Pretoria was appointed to the board of the… Read more »
February 29
South Africa: South Africa's Business Students Want Their Own Industry Superheroes and Success Stories in the Syllabus - Study
In the past few years there's been much discussion globally about the need to decolonise education. Decolonisation is the process of undoing the impact of colonial thinking and its… Read more »
February 28
South Africa: It Took 16 Years but South Africa Has Impeached a Senior Judge
Former Western Cape judge president John Mandlakayise Hlophe has become one of the first two members of South Africa's judiciary to be impeached since the country became a… Read more »
February 27
South Africa: Expert Explains Why the Taps Keep Running Dry in South Africa's Biggest City
Since the latter part of 2023 hardly a week has gone by without some residents of Johannesburg, South Africa's commercial capital, losing their water supply. Notices of planned… Read more »
February 26
Mozambique: Mozambique's Unstable and Expensive Power Supply Is Devastating Small Businesses
Inside a small bakery in Maputo, the morning's batch of 150 loaves of bread has just gone into the oven. But there's a problem: the electricity has gone out without warning for the… Read more »
South Africa: South Africa's Apartheid Legacy Is Still Hobbling Research - a Study of Geography Shows How
Knowledge matters. It informs how we think about the world around us. It informs our decisions and government policies, supporting economic growth and development. Read more »
February 24
South Africa: Pregnant Women in South Africa Should Be Offered Social Grants - It'll Save the State Money in the Long Run
A baby's first 1,000 days, from the time of conception until their second birthday, is a crucial window of opportunity to optimise their potential - through healthy nutrition for… Read more »
February 22
South Africa: Kalahari Weaver Birds Lay Bigger Eggs When They Have Female Helpers to Feed Nestlings
Tswalu Kalahari Reserve is a protected nature reserve at the southern edge of the Kalahari desert in South Africa's Northern Cape province. It's an arid area with high daytime… Read more »
South Africa: Protecting Your Image Online Is the Key to Fighting Them
Leanne Manas is a familiar face on South African televisions. Towards the end of 2023 the morning news presenter's face showed up somewhere else: in bogus news stories and fake… Read more »