Amidst the changing political tides in South Africa, shifting U.S. policy under the Trump administration exacerbates longstanding tensions. The withdrawal of crucial aid and contentious public statements have not only influenced domestic policies but also threatened the stability of a nation striving for equitable governance. Since the historic election of Nelson Mandela in 1994, the […]
Tag: South Africa
Africa 2.0: The Rise of African Agency in International Politics
The extensive literature on post-independence African development highlights the challenges and opportunities for African agency in international politics. In essence, agency is the ability to influence or exert power on other parties or coalitions. Between the 1950s and 1990s, African states glimmered in global news as victims of corruption, civil wars, frequent regime changes, brutal […]
South Africa’s Gold Mining Industry and its Conscription for Death
Over the past century, South Africa’s gold mining industry has amassed immense wealth and global recognition, fueling the nation’s economy. . Yet, beneath the glittering surface lies a grim reality: a legacy of chronic illness, poverty, and death. The gold mining industry is built on the systematic exploitation of indigenous laborers from neighboring countries, shaped […]
Echoes of the Earth: A Battle for Sacred Lands
The coast of South Africa’s Eastern Cape, near the Dwesa-Cwebe Nature Reserve, is a picture of calm. Clouds rest on the horizon, and gentle waves turn the sand into a reflection of the blue sky. But this serenity faces a threat—one driven by the demands of a warming climate and an economy rooted in fossil […]
Orania, South Africa: Apartheid as a Protected Right
In Orania, South Africa, white separatism is upheld as a right. Residents will argue that South Africa has turned its back on the white population, a practice they refer to as “reverse racism.” One resident adamantly says, “I see nothing wrong with apartheid.” The chairperson of Orania will tell anyone listening, “Our [white] culture is […]
South Africa Takes on Israel: A New Front in the Gaza Conflict
In a landmark move on December 29th of 2023, South Africa initiated legal action against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), alleging violations of the 1948 Genocide Convention due to Israel’s actions in Gaza. This unprecedented case raises not only complex legal questions but also shines a spotlight on ongoing humanitarian crises and […]
South Africa Claims Genocide
Under the United Nations Convention on Genocide, “genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such: On January 26th, 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) released an interim ruling on South Africa’s case against Israel. In bringing […]
Electricity Shortages Continue to Plague South Africans
Lloyd Albert, who owns two bakeries alongside his brother, is often forced to bake through the night in order to have products to sell during the day. He is in this position because he must plan around South Africa’s regular power outages, which exist as part of a load-shedding program. Like many other South African […]
Who Calls the Shots?: Vaccine Inequity in Africa
Vaccine scarcity. Vaccine famine. Vaccine apartheid. An indictment on humanity. In whatever colorful language it is couched, the conclusion is the same: Africa is not getting vaccinated, and something needs to be done. Since Africa announced its first confirmed case of COVID-19 in February of last year, the pandemic has broken over the continent in […]
State Capture: Corruption Personified
Kevin Ramatsi, an 11th grader from South Africa, says corruption takes children away from schooling. “Gangsterism, violence and bullying is prevalent in schools. Kids are not protected. Some of the libraries and computer centres in our schools are not accessible. Now we are being told about the Fourth Industrial Revolution, but some of us we […]