Mail & Guardian
Mail & Guardian
Thabo MbekiIn the news
Compromised: Nelson Mandela did his time on the streets, in armed struggle and in prison... he did the best he could. He did not sell out. Photo: NMF

Nelson Mandela did not sell out

It was about two years ago that I discovered the name of one Gibson Makanda, apparently a historical figure of profound consequence the majority of South Africans do not know…

Selfless: Nelson Mandela’s legacy will be celebrated by thousands doing their bit for 67 minutes on 18 July.

Mandela’s dream betrayed by each of his Presidential successors

Nelson Mandela's vision for South Africa is questioned as the article critiques his successors' actions since 1999. From Thabo Mbeki's arms deal and HIV/AIDS stance to Jacob…

Cyril Ramaphosa: waiting for the birth of that constitution

As the world awaited South Africa's new constitution, a last-minute scramble unfolded behind closed doors. With red carpets laid and choirs ready, the nation held its breath as…

The ANC–SACP partnership was forged under conditions of intense struggle. Its future should not be jeopardised in a democratic era where the need for cohesive leadership remains as urgent as ever.

The NDR Is Not Dead — But It Must Be Rescued from Slogans

South Africa faces a critical moment where the National Democratic Revolution (NDR) must either be renewed or risk becoming obsolete. This article explores the NDR's unfulfilled…

What is infrequent, and horrifies us, are the repeated appearances of “criminality” and “xenophobia” conjoined as one event. (Hanna Brunlof)

A call to action against Afrophobic violence

The Beijing+30 Women’s Movement expresses its grave concern and unequivocal condemnation of the rising and increasingly violent wave of Afrophobic attacks unfolding across South…

Former president Thabo Mbeki

To honour Mbeki is to reclaim the African voices history tried to bury

This tribute to President Thabo Mbeki on his 84th birthday goes beyond mere praise, focusing instead on his life's work of returning African people to the centre of their own…

Former president Thabo Mbeki.

Thabo Mbeki: The retired firefighter who arrives at the scene of his own fires

There is a trend, uniquely South African, with retired politicians. Unlike retired teachers, retired engineers or retired surgeons, they never seem to retire. They merely…

 In recent weeks, anti-immigrant violence and intimidation have spread across several communities, forcing migrants to flee their homes, seek shelter in public buildings or even request repatriation to their countries of origin. (Paul Botes)

From victim to vanguard: Is South Africa at risk of becoming a villain?

South Africa's modern history, framed by "V" metaphors from victim to vanguard, now faces a critical juncture. Recent xenophobic attacks against African migrants raise…