The World Economic Forum held its annual meeting (the Davos of Africa) in Cape Town last week. It was the biggest so far – yet another sign that business is taking Africa more and more seriously – but beyond the

Read the rest of Bob Diamond, Uhuru Kenyatta and the rise of Afro-confidence: WEF 2013, Cape Town – By Richard Dowden »

One of the tangential aspects of the deteriorating situation in the Central African Republic is the controversial role of South African Defence Forces (SANDF). Sent in via a bilateral agreement between Presidents Bozize and Zuma, the SANDF forces (originally called

Read the rest of Bozize Falls and Zuma Fails in the CAR – By Michael Keating »

Walmart’s recent arrival in South Africa was in many ways like the company’s arrival in any other market: contested and controversial. Nonetheless it was also a milestone for retailing in the country and for Africa as a whole. Whilst the

Read the rest of Walmart in Africa: Unpacking the Monolithic Market – By Matt Mossman »

Having worked as a journalist for 33 years and having taught journalism and analysed the processes and performance of journalism for the last five, it is very revealing watching and analysing the development of major stories.  There have been two

Read the rest of Framing news in Africa – how journalists approach stories and reinforce stereotypes – By Keith Somerville »

Have Africa analysts overcooked their ‘house views’ such that they are now tending to exaggerate the relative downsides of South Africa while overstating the upsides of other African destinations? Four recent events and experiences prompt this post: Reactions to President

Read the rest of ‘Defending’ Zuma: why South Africa remains most attractive place to do business in Africa – By Jolyon Ford at Oxford Analytica »

“In the Wise words of Nelson Mandela, there is no easy walk to freedom there will certainly be no easy walk socio-economic freedom”.  Impressive words from President Jacob Zuma at the closing day of the Mangaung Conference in the Free

Read the rest of South Africa: post-Mangaung the ANC talks the talk but can it walk the walk? – By Renee Horne »

This week in South Africa it seems like an entire nation’s hopes are pinned on the decision 4500 delegates will make at Mangaung in the Free State.  More than 50 million South Africans at the mercy of policy resolutions determined

Read the rest of South Africa: ANC leadership debate swamps meaningful discussion of policy – By Renee Horne »

This is a book ANC-ologists will pore over (or maybe pour things over), dissect, discover what’s new, what’s already out in the open but newly contextualised, by a tireless student of the liberation movement and South Africa’s Communist party. Twenty

Read the rest of External Mission: The ANC in exile, 1960-1990, by Stephen Ellis – Review by Denis Herbstein »

South African political life is currently on hold as the nation waits for the ANC’s conference to be held in Mangaung – the metropolis around Bloemfontein.  Ordinary men and women look on with a mixture of anticipation, concern and more

Read the rest of Zuma Exposed: a tale of power, corruption and lies – Reviewed by Martin Plaut »

South Africa has spent over a decade defining itself as different from the rest of Africa. Now, as its foreign policy pivots back to Africa and seeks to cash in on the continent’s growth, the country has sought to define

Read the rest of Does South Africa really understand Africa? – By Eliot Pence »