The disease we know as Malaria was thought to be caused by breathing “bad air” (mal aria) that emanates from swamps. This was not “fake news” but a lack of understanding and evidence at the time. As you probably know, swamps and stagnant water are excellent breeding sites for mosquitoes that transmit the Plasmodium parasites that cause the disease
Those that are able to combine that local understanding with the level of speed and execution capability expected by international participants are the ones more likely to succeed over time.
Africa can use this window to upgrade standards, build processing capacity, and diversify into higher-value exports. Or it can sprint toward short-term volumes and lock itself more tightly into low-value trade with a single external market
Transformation and growth are not opposing goals. But poorly designed regulation risks achieving neither
Including women in research leadership—and health leadership more broadly—is not charity; it is strategy.
Iran has drawn the line at Hormuz through sovereignty, anti-colonial memory and strategic endurance. Washington, Israel and Europe continue to answer with war, siege and sanctions
As unpredictable as elections may be, the best outcome for voters in the 4 November local government elections would be an electoral system which incentivises and rewards candidates for consistent engagement with communities rather than media engagement for their political party
The most accessible entry point is through real estate investment trusts. Think of them as the ‘Uber of property ownership’ — you don’t need to own the car to benefit from the ride
What the Africa Forward Summit means for the continent in a
new global order.
Faiez Jacobs writes as though JP Smith is concerned about testifying at the Madlanga Commission. The opposite is true
With millions of South Africans unemployed — particularly young people — employers wield enormous power. The message is clear: “If you don’t accept these conditions, there are hundreds waiting to take your place”
We are proud of how far Cosatu has come since it was launched 40 years ago in Durban and the role it has played in ending apartheid, securing our constitutional democracy, uplifting workers and enshrining their rights into law
On Workers’ Day 2026, the typical white worker still stands far above the typical black African worker in a labour market built through conquest, land theft and racial rule
The country presents a clear illustration of how a weak social foundation constrains industrial development and reinforces structural inefficiencies but we can change that
When workers are divided by political loyalty to competing parties, they cannot effectively unite against employers during wage negotiations
Our high unemployment rate is not incidental. It is the outcome of decisions taken, priorities set and in some cases, the absence of decisive action across institutions responsible for shaping economic and labour market outcomes
The road that lies ahead will not be easy. Let us walk it together with unwavering commitment to the total emancipation of the working class
As the country marks another May Day, the central question is not nostalgia for an earlier media moment. It is whether democratic communication can still make workers visible in ways equal to their continuing role in shaping South African society
South Africans should ask a simple question: what does it mean to celebrate workers in a country that keeps producing unemployment?
Recently, a proposed amendment announced by the Tshiamiso Trust — set up to disburse compensation — now threatens to shut out even more former mine-workers with the disease from compensation they were promised after a successful class action
This Workers’ Day, the position of every South African should be to support reform that extends protection to vulnerable workers, recognises exploitative employment practices, strengthens enforcement, protects benefit contributions, improves parental leave, confronts harassment and gives workers meaningful remedies
Section 9 of the Constitution and section 6 of the Employment Equity Act (EEA) prohibit unfair discrimination on a wide range of grounds, including race, gender, religion and culture
In a country where leadership fears dissent and where the spoils system defends itself through intimidation and force, patronage is often mistaken for patriotism. It is therefore necessary to clarify the distinction
South Africa’s experience is not unique. Across Africa and beyond, progressive forces have historically united, often overcoming ideological and organisational differences to achieve common national objectives
South Africans deserve better. They deserve a public service that works, that listens and that cares. They deserve assurance, not uncertainty that when an issue is reported, it will be resolved. They deserve a government that understands that behind every service request is a human story
The war in Sudan, which has escalated into a major humanitarian crisis, has largely been overshadowed by global political and military developments in Europe, the Americas, and West Asia (the Middle East).
The Lego blocks have done what a thousand NGO reports cannot do. They have made it clear that the emperor is butt naked.
Having declared a victory over absolute poverty at the start of the decade, Beijing did not simply declare the mission accomplished and move on
The UN faces a pivotal moment. To stay relevant and advance human rights, reform must move beyond basic housekeeping. It should be based on fairness, inclusivity, and efficiency
The Communists don’t feature as a force of any kind in opinion polls and when it has tried its luck in local by-elections it has been routed, at times struggling to get even a handful of votes. All indications are that it will have zero impact in the local elections
Dual membership was sustainable only while the ANC and SACP shared a single electoral vehicle. Once the SACP declared intent to contest elections independently, dual membership mutated from alliance glue into a conflict of interest
The success of land reform will not be measured by the amount of land transferred, but by how that land improves livelihoods, creates jobs and supports inclusive economic growth