insert_link Opinion Pieces South Africa’s genocide case against Israel is the country’s proudest foreign policy moment in three decades By Peter Vale, University of Pretoria and Vineet Thakur On 11 January 2024, South Africa hauled Israel before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the charge of violating the 1948 Genocide Convention. This was for Israel’s indiscriminate bombing and siege of Gaza following the deadly 7 October attack on Israel by Hamas which claimed 1,200 Israeli lives. More than 25,000 Palestinians, at least half of them children, have […] todayJanuary 24, 2024 8
insert_link Entertainment Soul Brothers: the story of a band that revolutionised South African music By Gwen Ansell, University of Pretoria Biographies of important South African musicians often fall into two categories: they either emerge from PhD or other university-based research, or are the fruit of dedicated digging by a fan or family member. The first kind benefit from institutional resources and support; the second from community knowledge of personal details that may be documented nowhere else. Because of that very scarcity of a […] todayJanuary 19, 2024 15
insert_link Namibia Chief’ Assembly condemns violence in Gaza The Chiefs’ Assembly (CA) of the Ovaherero and Ovambanderu traditional leaders expressed its solidarity with the civilian population of Gaza on Monday. “The Chiefs Assembly joins all progressive and peace-loving peoples of the world, in solidarity with the civilian population of Gaza, who are bearing the brunt of Israeli bombardments,” it said in a statement released by co-chairpersons Jeffrey Kavendji and Mbakumua Hengari. The CA acknowledged South Africa’s International […] todayJanuary 16, 2024 28
insert_link Environment Healthy food is hard to come by in Cape Town’s poorer areas: how community gardens can fix that Community gardens can be a boon for residents. Nattrass/Getty Images Tinashe P. Kanosvamhira, University of the Western Cape In 1950, as part of the Group Areas Act, South Africa’s apartheid government banished people of colour to outlying areas, away from central business districts. The Cape Flats are one such area, sprawling to the east of central Cape Town. Today the legacy of apartheid spatial planning endures. The area is home […] todayJanuary 16, 2024 11
insert_link Africa Coca-Cola in Africa: a long history full of unexpected twists and turns By Sara Byala, University of Pennsylvania A new book called Bottled: How Coca-Cola Became African tells the story of how the world’s most famous carbonated drink conquered the continent. It’s a tale of marketing gumption and high politics and is the product of years of research by critical writing lecturer Sara Byala, who researches histories of heritage, sustainability and the ways in which capitalist systems intersect with social and […] todayJanuary 12, 2024 9
insert_link Namibia Apartheid in Namibia: why human rights and women are celebrated on the same day By Henning Melber, University of Pretoria, via the conversation 10 December is worldwide commemorated as Human Rights Day. It marks the anniversary of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted on that day in 1948. Many countries and organisations acknowledge this as a significant marker. It created a lasting, normative framework defining fundamental human rights. UN Member States, while in constant violation, have all ratified the principles. They remain […] todayDecember 8, 2023 10
South Africa South Africa misses the Mandela ‘spirit’ 10 years after icon’s death With murals of his smiling face still covering many buildings, South Africans on Tuesday marked 10 years since the death of Nelson Mandela with a mixture of longing for his integrity and disappointment over what has happened since. While no official ceremonies were planned to recall South Africa's first black president, many spared a thought for the leader who emerged from prison in 1991 to end apartheid. Fellow Nobel Peace […] todayDecember 5, 2023 1
insert_link South Africa Sharpeville: new research on 1960 South African massacre shows the number of dead and injured was massively undercounted Nancy L Clark, Louisiana State University and William H. Worger, University of California, Los Angeles On 21 March 1960 at 1.40 in the afternoon, apartheid South Africa’s police opened fire on a peaceful crowd of about 4,000 residents of Sharpeville, who were protesting against carrying identity documents that restricted black people’s movement. The police minimised the number of victims by at least one third, and justified the shooting by claiming […] todayDecember 1, 2023 5
