insert_link Entertainment Brenda Fassie’s 1997 hit song Vulindlela still raises questions about South Africa as a nation By Mbali Mazibuko, University of Johannesburg In 1997, South Africa’s most famous music star had a huge hit. Brenda Fassie’s Vulindlela became a national pop anthem, played especially at weddings and celebrations. Vulindlela can be loosely translated from the Zulu language as an instruction to “make way” or, if you like, “clear the path”. The song is about making way for the groom (and […] todayJuly 12, 2024 49
insert_link Environment Court overturns Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 conviction A New York court has overturned Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction. Judges say the landmark MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with "egregious" improper rulings. According to the Associated Press, the court found the trial judge unfairly allowed testimony against the ex-movie mogul based on allegations that weren’t part of the case. Weinstein, 72, will remain in prison because he was convicted in Los Angeles in 2022 of another rape. But […] todayApril 25, 2024 13
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 11
insert_link Africa Black Panther, Wakanda Forever and the problem with Hollywood – an African perspective Jeanne-Marie Viljoen, University of South Australia Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever were global hits that played out in an imaginary African kingdom and feature a universe of black creative talent. What’s not to love about the franchise? Quite a lot, reckons cultural and literary studies scholar Jeanne-Marie Viljoen. We asked her to explain. What are Black Panther’s limitations when it comes to diversity? Even though the Black Panther […] todayJanuary 10, 2024 27