Zuma and his cohorts appear to have little understanding of the true nature of the troubled grouping.

“I was poisoned and almost died just because South Africa joined Brics under my leadership,” Zuma told supporters in his native KwaZulu-Natal.

There is no doubt the Ibsa forum was one of the seminal diplomatic achievements of the Thabo Mbeki presidency.

The links between higher education and innovation need more careful scrutiny if we are to achieve a shift to "use-inspired basic research".

Once again, China has scored points in Africa. Beijing wants South Africa to become the fifth member of the Bric countries.

South Africa’s ascension to the Bric group of major emerging economies was more about politics than economics.

South Africa has received a formal invitation to join the Brazil, Russia, India and China (Bric) group of large emerging economies.

Africa had the potential and advantages to become the next big success story and emulate the successes of Asia, Absa CEO Maria Ramos said on Tuesday.

South Africa has "applied" to join the four-member "BRIC" grouping of fast-growing emerging markets, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Friday.

South Africa’s economic growth, currently below 4%, was "insufficient", the Minister of Human Settlements Tokyo Sexwale said on Friday.

SA’s foreign minister said on Thursday the grouping of fast-growing emerging economies known as BRIC, should add South Africa to become BRICSA.