June 1

• Lesotho: Voters Choose Policy Over Personality

  Lesotho's opposition parties have put an end to the fourteen-year rule of Phakalitha Mosisili by forging an uneasy coalition, aided by a large chuck of the kingdom's voters... Read more »

May 10

• South Africa: A Divided, Limping League [analysis]

  Any efforts by the deeply divided ANC Youth League to forge a "political solution" aimed at reversing the expulsion of its former president Julius Malema from the ruling party are... Read more »

• Lesotho: Prime Minister Set For Rocky Time at Polls [analysis]

  Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili's ruling Democratic Congress (DC) looks set for a rocky time at the polls. Factionalism is already blighting the new party, which may well find... Read more »

• Zambia: The Banda Identity [analysis]

  Henry Banda, son of Zambia's ex-president Rupiah Banda, lives in South Africa in self-imposed exile. And depending on who you speak to, he is either a refugee or a fugitive, the... Read more »

April 26

• South Africa: Julius Malema - the End

  Youth leader Julius Malema was finally expelled from South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) late on Tuesday evening (24 April 2012). Read more »

• South Africa: The Decline & Fall of a Youth Leader

  The campaign fronted by ANC Youth League President Julius Malema to oust South African President Jacob Zuma will in time be recalled as an interesting sidelight to the broader ... Read more »

April 15

• South Africa: Ruling Party Youth Leader's Defences Crumble

  The delaying tactics adopted by ANC youth league leader Julius Malema in his fight with the party's disciplinary machine has backfired. Read more »

April 13

• Africa: Malawi Tumult Changes African Union Game

  South Africa's Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma will be an unexpected beneficiary of the death of Malawi's Bingu wa Mutharika last week, and of the consequent major changes in SADC's poorest... Read more »

• South Africa: Politics Meets the Law [column]

  Suspended African National Congress (ANC) member Julius Malema - who also happens to have been ANC Youth League president - has threatened to take the ANC to court if the mother... Read more »

• Zimbabwe: Mugabe's Health Stories Muddy Waters [analysis]

  The Easter global media frenzy over the apparently terminal state of President Robert Mugabe’s health has obscured growing concerns over his wellbeing. Read more »

March 30

• South Africa: The Buck Stops Here [analysis]

  What else can the watching world expect from the fourth summit of the Brics countries, wrapping up on Friday (30 March 2012) in New Delhi? Read more »

• South Africa: Much Ado About Nothing [analysis]

  You have to feel sorry for the minister of justice and constitutional development, Jeff Radebe. It has become quite clear in the past two months that there has been a shift inside... Read more »

• Africa: Pretoria & Abuja Flirt [analysis]

  The African Union (AU) is headed for a prolonged period of limbo as South Africa and Gabon fail to come to a compromise to choose a new chair to lead the AU Commission. Read more »

• South Africa: Malema's Last Kicks [analysis]

  Julius Malema's threats to take the African National Congress (ANC) to court if it goes ahead with plans to expel him is an attempt to force a political settlement after his legal... Read more »

March 12

• South Africa: Labour Pushes for Role in Govt Decisions

  Mass South African protests against labour brokers and inner-city road tolls will be good for morale as trade union federation Cosatu gears up for its elective conference in... Read more »

• South Africa: Partnership With Brazil, China, India, Russia Gathers Pace

  The five-nation Brics partnership begins its fourth summit - the second attended by South Africa - in New Delhi (29 March 2012) with a momentum and sense of common purpose it has... Read more »

March 9

• South Africa: Youth Leader's Support Crumbles

  Behind the weekend's defiant show of unity by the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL), the ruthless control by expelled president Julius Malema continues to crumble. Read more »

• Swaziland: Unions Moot Bigger Political Role

  The first national conference of Swaziland's unified trade union federation Tucoswa this weekend (10-11 February 2012) will potentially see the union movement adopt a more... Read more »

• Lesotho: Mosisili Bounces Back Ahead of Polls

  Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili has bounced back from his effective axing last month as head of the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) to take control of the government with... Read more »

February 23

• South Africa: The Concourt Debate

  South Africa is about to experience another unhealthy public spat between the government and civil society. Read more »

• South Africa: Towards Mangaung

  Preparations begin in earnest next week for the June policy conference of the ruling African National Congress (ANC): the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) holds a special... Read more »

• South Africa: Zuma Targets Growth Through Infrastructure

  Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan's 2012-13 budget is the first that President Jacob Zuma can accurately call his own. Read more »

February 10

• South Africa: Report Gives Options for Mining to Help End Poverty [analysis]

  Nationalisation of South Africa's mining sector has not been in prospect for more than a decade, despite a massive push by the youth league of the ruling African National Congress... Read more »

• South Africa: Ruling Party to Debate Sweeping Changes to Mining Industry

  The 600-page State Intervention in the Minerals Sector (Sims) report submitted to African National Congress (ANC) leaders in Johannesburg on Friday (3 February 2012) is not about... Read more »

• Lesotho: Ruling Party Splits Ahead of Election

  Months of immobilising factionalism in the ruling Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) finally split the party this week. Read more »