South Africa is in crisis and the intra-elite battles about how to move forward do not offer any viable path towards a just way resolution
The struggle stalwart debunks narratives about racial discord in South Africa
This is an edited extract from the book Darkest Before Dawn: Writings, Testimonies and Correspondence from the Life of Robert Sobukwe
A national dialogue offers the opportunity to unite South Africans around a common vision, thereby giving rise to a people of national unity
The majority of 1994’s voters recognised the GNU script because they co-authored it, and were assured of explanations if deviations were unavoidable
It is vital for stakeholders to be involved in the discussion on the government’s medium-term priorities
Madiba’s dream of national unity refuses to die decades after he was our first democratic leader
This extract from The Lost Prince of the ANC: The Life and Times of Jabulani Nobleman ‘Mzala’ Nxumalo 1955 – 1991 by Mandla J Radebe is based on the publication in July 1987 of Nxumalo’s article ‘Towards people’s war and insurrection’ in the ANC’s publication Sechaba, in which he argued that, under prevailing conditions, the ‘armed insurrection’ was possible. For him, anything less was a conservative approach that failed to read the situation correctly
The ANC must revisit the Freedom Charter and loosen its grip on centralised control that puts the party first
Ignoring the voices of the people they claim to represent, the ANC has veered far from its guiding principles in pursuit of its own financial interest
Peter Magubane, whose images set him on a collision course with the apartheid government, pays tribute to his colleagues in this foreword to a new book
‘This would be a very serious disincentive to investment,’ says Thabo Mbeki in a document arguing that the ANC should not proceed with the Constitutional amendment of section 25
The blame for our current crisis must be laid at the door of the ANC — but it can still redeem itself
Rebuilding is crucial, but democracies cannot allow themselves to be held to ransom by the destruction of anarchists in dictating where public funds should be spent
In the introduction to his book, author Ebrahim Harvey says the social crisis we have today is the result of the false understanding the ruling party has of our society and history
Labelling them in the same way as youth in the US leads to false perceptions and misunderstanding
The human rights of migrants are not protected by the country’s legislation
Judy Seidman responds to Athi Mongelezi Joja’s expanded assessment of her ‘Drawn Lines’ exhibition
We should be wary of taking theories of commitment and agency as self-evident; we should instead question their unspoken assumptions as we also question the motivations attendant to them
A resurgent conspiracy theory that Nelson Mandela died in 1985 reveals the growing hopelessness in South Africa that rampant inequality is irreversible
The ANC proposes to continue working with large agricultural businesses, an approach that has to date marginalised small-scale farmers
Its social and economic focus was in step with its emancipatory role before its 1993 volte-face
A new book on public interest litigation sets the stage for a more informed debate on the topic
History often ignores the role played by women and their struggle against the problems they face
As Mandela said, education is the most potent weapon we have to create a truly free and equal South Africa
A World Bank report aims to help the country to eliminate poverty by 2030 and to boost shared prosperity
Oliphant condemned criticism of the bill as “nothing but pure electioneering and attempts to score cheap political points”
‘Don’t give land to people who don’t know how to use it; give it to people who you have prepared’
The campaign for free higher education fails to consider who actually pays for it
The leader of the Black Consciousness movement would have demanded that those who stole funds meant for the poor answer for their misdeeds
The brand of South Africa’s ruling party, the 104-year-old ANC, is in serious decline. The party needs to act decisively to stop this.
Political analyst Steven Friedman – who features on one of the M&G Lit Fest panels – looks at a critique of South Africa’s Freedom Charter.