Some of the influx into South Africa of migrants from failing African countries has been self-inflicted by the ANC government. In its long-standing foreign policy, the party has supported autocratic African governments misgoverning their countries, forcing citizens to search for food and jobs elsewhere
Mzansi is many things: unequal, violent, frustrated, politically volatile and economically strained. But it is not a war zone. Dissatisfaction with governance, fears about crime, frustration with taxation or discomfort with transformation policies do not automatically amount to persecution
The two are a mirror of one another.When democracy declines, societies become divided by race, religion and ethnicity. Leaders tolerate or encourage violence to further their own interests
From John Coltrane’s centenary to the O2 Arena with Black Coffee, Nduduzo Makhathini’s recent world tour was a masterclass in the cyclical, intergenerational nature of black music
Taxi boss Joe “Ferrari” Sibanyoni and his co-accused were granted bail after the National Prosecuting Authority re-enrolled a R2.2-million extortion and money laundering case that was previously struck off the roll amid controversy over a prosecutor’s absence
The rare voluntary state-assisted return for Ghanaians, which comes amid rising anti-immigrant sentiment, has sparked debate on xenophobia, migration policy and precedent
The images are painfully familiar. A mob storms into a tiny spaza shop in Soweto. Shelves are inspected like contraband checkpoints. Foreign shopkeepers are interrogated by self-appointed patriots masquerading as law enforcers. Threats are issued. Deadlines are given. Leave, or else. This is not law enforcement. It is political thuggery. But if Africa wants an […]
A seven-day journey across Côte d’Ivoire reveals cocoa towns, coastal escapes, living history and cultural traditions carried carefully across generations
A sprawling exhibition at the Origins Centre challenges colonial narratives and reframes African cities as spaces of resilience, creativity and constant transformation
Nakba Day invites all of us to think about belonging, about how we treat those who we think do not belong and about the importance of rules in the negotiation of spaces of belonging. Every 15 May the world marks Nakba Day, when mass displacement of Palestinians and the destruction of Palestinian life and homeland […]
Over the years working with communities across Zambia’s expansive Kafue Flats, I have seen first-hand how deeply people’s lives and culture are tied to this vast wetland. Families depend on its waters for fish, grazing land for livestock and fertile soils for farming that sustain livelihoods and economies. While it is home to the endangered Wattled […]
Deputy environment minister insists culling will only be used with approval, but MPs and animal welfare groups say governance failures and delays in humane interventions are escalating risks in South Africa’s elephant reserves
African governments generate vast quantities of citizen data, from health records to tax filings, land registries and school enrolments. Much of it leaves the continent to be processed, modelled and monetised on foreign infrastructure. The insight comes back at a premium, while the economic value remains elsewhere — and AI is accelerating this. However, this […]
Sbahle calls in Afro-Soul royalty for ‘Some More’ Love is loud, dramatic and beautifully vulnerable on Sbahle’s new single Some More, a soulful collaboration featuring Afro-soul queens Nhlanhla Mafu and Naima Kay. At the centre of it all is Sbahle’s romantic lyric about the Drakensberg mountains standing between two lovers as she calls for them […]