insert_link Africa Colonialism and apartheid stripped black South Africans of land and labour rights – the effects are still felt today By Marthinus van Staden, University of the Witwatersrand Land dispossession among South Africa’s majority black population remains a thorny issue 30 years into democracy. Labour law scholar Marthinus van Staden’s new research examines the historical relationship between land dispossession and labour control in South Africa. It explores how the systematic seizure of indigenous people’s land during colonisation and apartheid reduced them from landowners to labourers, under exploitative […] todaySeptember 23, 2024 21
Local Namibia Condemns AFD Deputy Leader Sven Tritschler for Wreath Laying at Infamous Schutztruppe Officer’s Grave The Government of the Republic of Namibia condemns in the strongest possible terms the deplorable and repugnant act by Mr. Sven Tritschler, Deputy Leader of the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) Parliamentary faction from the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Germany, and his colleague, by laying a memorial wreath at the grave site of an infamous officer of the notorious “Schutztruppe”, while on a recent visit to Namibia as a member […] todayAugust 1, 2024 27
insert_link Africa ZAPU skeptical of Zimbabwe Government’s role in Gukurahundi hearings The Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU) is skeptical of the government's involvement in the ongoing Gukurahundi hearings, citing concerns about transparency and impartiality. In a statement to Future Media, ZAPU spokesperson, Brian Ncube expressed reservations, pointing out the historical implications of current leaders in the atrocities under review. "As ZAPU, we view the government's role in the Gukurahundi hearings with skepticism," said Ncube. "We have consistently advocated for justice for […] todayJuly 18, 2024 46
insert_link South Africa How the Mandela myth helped win the battle for democracy in South Africa By Jonny Steinberg, Yale University Political history scholar Jonny Steinberg’s 2023 book Winnie & Nelson: Portrait of a Marriage is a double biography of South Africa’s most famous political figures – Nelson Mandela and Winnie Madikizela Mandela – and their role in the country’s struggle for democracy. It’s also a book that shatters countless myths about the couple and the liberation struggle that have been formed in popular […] todayApril 29, 2024 20
insert_link Opinion Pieces After the euphoria of Nelson Mandela’s election, what happened next? Podcast By Gemma Ware, The Conversation and Thabo Leshilo, The Conversation It was a moment many South Africans never believed they’d live to see. On 10 May 1994, Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as president of a democratic South Africa, ending the deadly and brutal white minority apartheid regime. To mark 30 years since South Africa’s post-apartheid transition began, The Conversation Weekly podcast is running a special three-part podcast […] todayApril 11, 2024 19
Africa 30 years after genocide: Rwanda’s older generations fear a return of ethnic tensions, but youth feel more united By Jonathan Beloff, King's College London It’s 30 years since a genocide ripped through Rwandan society, leaving up to a million Tutsi and non-extremist Hutu dead. Every year in early April, the country enters a 100-day period of commemoration during which Rwandans are asked to remember and reflect on historical divisions between the country’s main ethnic groups: Tutsi, Hutu and Twa. This is done under the banner […] todayApril 5, 2024 11
insert_link Africa What are Sabaki languages? How people formed ethnic groups along the coast of east Africa By Daren Ray, Brigham Young University A new book called Ethnicity, Identity and Conceptualizing Community in Indian Ocean East Africa tracks the history of the coastal communities of east Africa and how the Sabaki family of Bantu languages was formed, shaped in part by the sea and the arrival of visitors from other shores and within the continent. We asked historian Daren Ray to tell us […] todayFebruary 20, 2024 22
insert_link Africa Oromia makes up a third of Ethiopia’s landmass and is key to its fortunes: expert unpacks its significance By Bizuneh Yimenu, University of Birmingham Ethiopia’s largest and most populous region, Oromia, has been in the news following reports of a rise in kidnappings for ransom. The region is no stranger to war and strife. Its people have long fought against political marginalisation. But the region is more than just the site of conflict. We asked Bizuneh Yimenu, who’s researched the region for over a decade […] todayFebruary 19, 2024 30
insert_link World Senegalese urged to turn out to oppose presidential election delay By Alice CHANCELLOR and Soule DIA Dakar, Feb 9, 2024 (AFP) - Senegalese were urged on Friday to turn out and show their opposition to a last-minute delay of presidential polls, in a test of the balance of power between President Macky Sall and opponents. On Monday parliament backed Sall's sudden decision to postpone the February 25 election by 10 months, sparking a fierce opposition backlash and international concern. […] todayFebruary 9, 2024 8