After some legal wrangling (and what would current South African politics be without at least some legal wrangling?) around the issue of the voting status of South Africans living abroad, President Kgalema Motlanthe has announced that South Africa’s elections will take place on 22 April. By the way, is it just me, or has Motlanthe […]
So there is a deal in Zimbabwe. Robert Mugabe has yielded enough to allow Morgan Tsvangirai finally to take his place in government, as Prime Minister to Mugabe’s President. Tsvangirai’s MDC and Mugabe’s ZANU-PF will govern together. Tsvangirai was even able to appoint his chosen finance minister, Tendai Biti, the MDC’s General secretary, and he, at […]
allAfrica has the full text of President Kgalema Motlanthe's State of the Nation Address.
Troops opened fire on political protesters near the presidential palace in Antananarivo, the national capital, on Saturday. Reports indicate that thirty people died and many more were wounded. As a result, the country's defense minister, Cecile Manorohonta, has resigned, saying the violence to weighed on her conscience. Ever since opposition leader Andry Rajoelina publicly challenged President […]
Cakewalk Sonar 7.02 + Adobe Premiere Elements 4.0 + SPSS 16 The life-or-death question that dominates Somalia right now: Can newly elected President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed “boost security and stability”? If so, maybe there is at least a dim ray of hope. I would not stake my future on it, but perhaps the new […]
After all of the machinations and missed deadlines and bureaucratic holdups, Jacob Zuma's corruption trial date has been set for August. The timing of this could not bode worse either for justice or for South African politics. Despite the very real political threat from the Congress of the people (COPE) the reality is that the […]
At Pambazuka News Shailja Patel looks at last year's Kenya crisis, crediting the country's left with saving the country from the precipice and pulling no punches in apportioning blame .
South Africa's economy is sending mixed signals. One of the positive signs is that manufacturing activity was stable last month after record lows at the end of 2008. The global economic crunch will likely continue to play out over the next year and more, but at least South Africa has not succumbed right away and […]
The leaders of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) were set to meet with those from Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF in order to hammer out an agreement on a power-sharing settlement. yet I still am unclear why, exactly, Mugabe would yield now on issues he was not inclined to yield on at any point in the […]
Over at The New Republic, Eric Reeves fears Another Bloodbath in Darfur. Reeves is deeply committed, incredibly passionate, and has been more right than wrong about Darfur in recent years. But he also can be a bit shrill, and among some prominent Sudan observers is not considered a particularly reliable voice, especially when it comes […]
How should you feel about the latest alleged deal in Zimbabwe? The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has apparently signed on, but at best cautious optimism seems wise. My bet? Within ten days the deal falls apart amidst Robert Mugabe's and ZANU-PF's double dealing, threats, thuggery, and general malfeasance.
The trajectory may not follow a straight upward angle, but generally speaking, the course of South African politics from now to the elections will generally increase in intensity on a near weekly basis. How that intensity manifests itself will make all the difference. It is one thing for parties to jockey for position. It is […]
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