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“The Russian people made a special contribution to the elimination of racial tyranny in South Africa and the establishment of democracy. For helping to liberate all the people of South Africa from an inhuman system, we say from the bottom of our heart: “Spasiba Bolshoi!”” On this solemn and joyous day, I extend my heartfelt…
Freedom Day should make us beware of selective memory. Beware the stories that are told too softly. Beware the speeches that turn struggle into sentiment. Beware the version of our history that makes it sound as if freedom arrived because everyone suddenly agreed to hold hands, forgive one another, sing together and build a rainbow…
I tweeted something this week that stuck with a lot of people: “An abandoned, hijacked CBD building turned into a fully let student housing success story.” And honestly, that sentence alone tells you everything you need to know about both the problem and the opportunity sitting in Johannesburg’s inner city. If you’ve spent any time…
“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” I invoke these words of radical revolutionary and iconic statesman, our Foundation’s revered namesake, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, to ground what is an undeniably difficult and deeply unsettling moment in…
As the world marks World Book and Copyright Day on 23 April, I find myself reflecting on a number of issues that lie at the heart of knowledge creation, cultural preservation, and intellectual justice in South Africa. First, I reflect on the transformative power of books. Books have long served as bridges across social, geographic,…
The South African Constitution is hailed as one of the best in the world. Yet among those who praise it, fidelity is often limited to provisions that do not significantly alter the economic architecture inherited from an unjust, unequal past. One of the most important provisions is the right to equality in the Bill of…
There are two kinds of ships leaving for the Middle East right now. The first kind carries coal. It departs from Richards Bay, on the northeastern coast of South Africa. Massive bulk carriers, loaded in the holds, bound for Israeli ports. The companies arranging this trade do not advertise the destination. They do not need…
On 22 April 2026, King Letsie III of the Kingdom of Lesotho, Honourable Prime Minister Ntsokoane Matekane and President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa will meet in Mokhotlong to officiate and co-launch the opening of the Senqu Bridge, an 825m extradosed cable-stayed structure rising 90m above the valley floor, constructed at an estimated cost of…
Wars rarely unfold only on the battlefield. They reshape political dynamics within societies, often in ways that are neither intended nor immediately visible. Recent developments in Iran once again highlight one of the most consistent, yet frequently misunderstood, effects: external pressure tends to consolidate internal political systems rather than weaken them. Prior to the latest…
I read the headline twice because I thought I had misunderstood it. Former prison guard houses on Robben Island may be converted into tourist accommodation. At first, I assumed it was satire. It felt too tone-deaf to be real. But we are well past April Fool’s Day and the proposal is exactly what it sounds…