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Over the years, one of the key contributors to South Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP) has been mining, heralded by economic growth and the involvement and interest in the communities in which they operate. With South Africa’s low employment rate, particularly among young people, mining continues to make a valid contribution towards job creation, amid…
On the very morning we were waking to the devastating news of veteran politician Raila Odinga’s death, Kenyan President William Ruto signed into law the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime (Amendment) Bill, 2024. This is a draconian piece of legislation that effectively criminalises dissent. The law states that if you post something that “offends” someone online,…
It was all cigars for Zimbabwe’s lithium exporters for the first six months of this year following a reported 30% surge in exports. For the government it was a more sober moment as the boom repeated an age-old pattern where unrefined commodities escaped Africa without being processed. No wonder the government of Zimbabwe has announced…
Nineteen ninety-one was the year the Cold War came to an end. In that same year, two major events took place that attempted to reorder the Horn of Africa. Those events symbolise two opposing answers to the question of how the region should be governed. What we have learned from them is that we need…
On a bright October 2025 morning, viewers of Malawi’s state broadcaster watched a scene that appeared theatrical — until its coercive undertone became unmistakable. George Kasakula, director general of the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), looked into the camera and apologised to President Peter Mutharika for remarks he had made about him and his political candidature….
An American think tank is calling for the US to pressure South Africa into punishing organisations and individuals who advocate for Palestinian rights. In August, the Foundation for Defence of Democracies (FDD) urged the US government to impose “diplomatic pressure and targeted sanctions that would restrict the operations of key Hamas supporters in South Africa”…
On 14 September, President Cyril Ramaphosa called for greater accountability in local government. He emphasised the need for a stricter vetting process for ANC councillors and stronger performance management. His remarks were met with mixed reactions. Some welcomed the call from the president while others dismissed it as “election-talk” with the president having no intention…
In 2018, I shared an idea with a few friends and colleagues. To deal with systemic corruption, in the context of weakened state capacity and a dangerous shift of national attention away from development towards outrage about crime and corruption, a truth and amnesty process — a truth and reconciliation-type intervention — might be a…
The dismantling of USAid’s global education programmes has sent shockwaves through the development sector. But for African universities, it should serve as a wake-up call — not just to mourn lost funding, but to seize the moment and lead. Speaking at a recent Higher Education Media Services roundtable hosted by the University of Johannesburg, Professor…
On 16 September, Malawians headed to the polls in what should have been a critical moment for the country’s future. They voted for their next president, members of parliament and local councillors. The economy is reeling. Inflation is pushing food prices beyond reach. Last year’s severe drought has devastated livelihoods and left one in every…