October 24, 2022
South Africa: Parliament Fails to Hold the Executive to Account - History Shows What Can Happen
In South Africa's apartheid era from 1948 to 1994, the executive arm of government dominated over parliament. In any system, this allows a small group of politicians to dominate… Read more »
October 19, 2022
South Africa: Killings of Johannesburg Sex Workers Show Why the Trade Must be Decriminalised
The decomposed bodies of six women, four of whom were identified as sex workers, were recently discovered at a panel beating factory in Johannesburg. A 20-year-old man has been… Read more »
October 13, 2022
Africa: 'Restitution' of Looted African Art Just Continues Colonial Policies - Much More Is At Stake
The violence of the past is far from over. But it is disguised in many ways, made invisible and normalised. What started with the Spanish, Portuguese or the Ottoman empires… Read more »
October 11, 2022
Africa: DNA Is Often Used in Solving Crimes. but How Does DNA Profiling Actually Work?
DNA profiling is frequently in the news. Public interest is sparked when DNA is used to identify a suspect or human remains, or resolves a cold case that seems all but forgotten. Read more »
Somalia: What Drives Al-Shabaab - Foreign Forces Out, Sharia Law in and Overthrow the Government
In response to external - and at times internal - pressure, Al-Shabaab's insurgency in Somalia has evolved over time. So have its motivations and goals. Read more »
October 09, 2022
South Africa: What Is Cultural Appropriation and Why Is It So Harmful?
Die Antwoord is a South African band that uses hip-hop music to create a style it calls "zef". Since it first appeared in 2009, Die Antwoord has been criticised for cultural… Read more »
October 08, 2022
Uganda: Fuel Smugglers - Are the Opec Boys (Anti-)heroes of the Marginalised?
Smuggling in the Ugandan border region of West Nile has a long and chequered history. It straddles the fine line between legitimacy and legality. Governance and conflict researcher… Read more »
September 30, 2022
Kenya: Kenya and the ICC - Law Expert Answers 4 Questions Following Death of a Key Lawyer
Kenyan lawyer Paul Gicheru, one of the people accused of interfering with witnesses in the case involving President William Ruto before the International Criminal Court (ICC), was… Read more »
September 28, 2022
South Africa: Child Custody in South Africa - What to Do When Co-Parenting Goes Wrong
The COVID-19 lockdowns severed many families, where they found themselves having a limited period to decide who would live where and with whom. In other instances, it cemented the… Read more »
Nigeria: 'Gutter Water', 'Monkey Tail' and Smoked Faeces - New Drug Dangers
New, unconventional drugs are becoming popular in Nigeria, designed by dealers and users to replicate the effects of illegal substances like cannabis, cocaine, and ecstasy. They… Read more »
September 23, 2022
Africa: How Money and Technology Are Militarising the Fight Against the Illegal Wildlife Trade
Thousands of animals and plants are bought and sold each year globally as food, medicine, clothing and furniture - even in the form of musical instruments. Wildlife, it seems, is… Read more »
September 25, 2022
South Africa: 5 Xenophobic Myths About Immigrants in South Africa Debunked By Researchers
In South Africa, immigrants are often scapegoated as the root of socio-economic problems. In the post-apartheid landscape, Black African immigrants, mainly, from other African… Read more »
September 22, 2022
South Africa: South Africa Has a New Traditional Courts Bill. but It Doesn't Protect Indigenous Practices
After 14 years of highly controversial amendments, South Africa's parliament has finally approved the Traditional Courts Bill. The Bill now awaits the signature of the President to… Read more »
South Africa: Why Courts Are Quick to Declare Dishonest Directors of Non-Profit Companies Delinquent
The Johannesburg High Court in South Africa recently declared a dishonest director of a non-profit company delinquent. This case shows how important it is for non-profit companies… Read more »
September 21, 2022
Africa: The Scourge of Sexual Volence in West Africa, Unveiled
When Zougba's husband fled the jihadist violence crippling Burkina Faso, she soon found herself with her young son, daughter and other women on the road in a mission to join him.… Read more »
September 20, 2022
Kenya: Why Has Kenya Not Abolished the Death Penalty? Habit and Inertia
In recent months two African states have announced their intentions to abolish the death penalty - Zambia and the Central African Republic. Read more »
June 12, 2019
Botswana: Court Ruling Is a Ray of Hope for LGBT People Across Africa
Botswana's High Court has ruled that private consensual sex between adults of the same sex is no longer criminal. The decision gives hope to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender… Read more »