Transformational Mafia State by Dr Mzukisi Qobo, 25 November 2014, Thai Theatre, New Academic Building
From Transformational Leadership to Mafia State? Observations from South Africa's Two Decades of Democracy
Band Aid: Stop the Stereotypes by David Coles, December 4th, 2014, Africa
As the controversy continues over the stereotypes perpetuated by fundraising initiatives like Band Aid 30, David Coles highlights some commendable efforts that have been made to counteract stereotypes.
Apartheid Inc. – Profile of a racist corporation, June 9, 2010
22 January 2015
In 1914 J.B.M. Hertzog forms the National Party. The following year Nasionale Pers i.e Naspers is formed by the same man, along with a daily newspaper, De Burger, later known as Die Burger.
D F Malan, a former minister in the conservative Dutch Reformed Church is persuaded to become editor and is the main supporter of Hertzog’s National Party.
In 1916 Naspers publishes its first magazine Die Huisgenoot.
In 1918 the company takes a further step towards expansion when its book publishing operations is founded as Die Burger Boekhandel.
From Transformational Leadership To Mafia State? Observations From South Africa's Two Decades of Democracy by Connor Vasey (LSE), December 10th 2014, South Africa
21 January 2015
From Transformational Leadership To Mafia State? Observations From South Africa’s Two Decades of Democracy
LSE’s Connor Vasey uses the recent LSE Ideas lecture delivered by Dr Mzukisi Qobo as a springboard to discuss ways in which South Africa’s democracy exhibits features of a so-called “mafia state”.
Burkina Faso: Echoes of a Revolution Past by Ernest Harsch, December 22nd, 2014
21 January 2015
Burkina Faso: Echoes of Revolution Past
Ernest Harsch discusses the enduring appeal and influence of the revered revolutionary leader, Thomas Sankara.
There is probably no time when people are more aware of history than when they are in the midst of making it. In Burkina Faso, President Blaise Compaoré had scarcely fled from huge crowds of angry demonstrators when protesters and commentators alike began drawing parallels with other momentous uprisings.
To understand SA's History Curriculum change in Democracy, lets first look at this change during Transformation by Maluleka Paul, 15 January 2015, news24.com
15 January 2015
South Africa is currently transforming its education system as the last traces of the apartheid (history) curriculum are being phased out and a new (history) curriculum is introduced.
Neo-patrimonial politics in the ANC by Tom Lodge
1 January 2014
Following Jacob Zuma's ascension to the presidency in South Africa, the African National Congress (ANC) has been dogged by rumours of escalating corruption and the personalization of power. This article documents these trends and explores three ways of understanding neo-patrimonialism in South Africa's ruling party. First, the article addresses the possibility that such political habits have a long history within the ANC but were restricted during its years in exile and have begun to resurface now that the armed struggle is over.
Mahatma Gandhi and South Africa by Syerramia Willoughby
Syerramia Willoughby describes how Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence evolved and influenced events in South Africa. Read more articles in the “Why India-Africa relations matter” blog series.
Numsa's United Front: Forward to the Past? by Jane Duncan
19 November 2014
The country’s largest trade union federation, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), has expelled the National Union of Metalworkers’ of South Africa (Numsa), for not supporting the African National Congress (ANC). Anyone in South Africa who doesn’t know this news must have been living under a rock for the past week.
When the split hits the fan: Vavi’s future at a crossroads by Stephen Grootes
10 November 2014
The expulsion of metalworkers’ union NUMSA is a seismic event. It will eventually rock the foundations of our politics and will probably become the split of COSATU. As predictable and well-signposted as Friday night’s decision was, the shockwaves are still reverberating. One person whose future is now at a crossroads is obviously Zwelinzima Vavi. As General Secretary of COSATU, he appears to have sided with the union that was expelled, and Numsa’s prediction that he could be next is probably accurate. But he also has a choice to make himself.