THOUGHT LEADERSHIP - The African Mirror

Apr

19

2025

What if we stopped aid altogether?

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

This story was originally published by The New Humanitarian.By Micheal Gumisiriza OVER the years, I’ve heard all the buzzwords – localisation, refugee participation, decolonisation: They sit proudly on international NGO websites like badges of honour. Yet step with me into Uganda’s so-called refugee settlements in Nakivale, Rwamwanja, or Bidi Bidi. Talk to the refugees, witness their daily struggles. You’ll quickly realise that the reality on the ground is far removed from the eloquent language in the INGO strategy documents. The truth? Much of this aid work is piecemeal. Cosmetic. Let’s say it as it is: Aid has become a well-dressed…

Apr

18

2025

By RIBIO NZEZA BUNKETI BUSE

Culture can build a better world: four key issues on Africa’s G20 agenda

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

THE cultural and creative industries are a growing source of income and job creation around the world, generating tens of millions of jobs. The cultural sector is also linked to soft power, to relations between countries. Because of this, culture is an active part of the agenda of the G20 global economic forum. Under the presidency of South Africa in 2025, the G20 has chosen four key cultural focus areas: heritage restitution; socio-economic strategies for inclusivity; digital technologies, and climate action. Here, as a scholar of the sector, I outline why these four priorities are relevant to both the G20…

Apr

17

2025

By The African Mirror

A Tribute to Herman Sipho Mashapa: Architect of Dreams

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

IN the crucible of South African apartheid, where dreams were meant to wither, Herman Sipho Mashapa stood as an unyielding beacon of possibility. This Mathematics and Physics teacher, short in stature but towering in spirit, transformed Thabo High School in Naledi into sacred ground where dreams took flight against all odds. Mashapa's very presence in the classroom represented a triumph against systemic oppression. For him and his contemporaries, merely surviving apartheid and qualifying as teachers constituted remarkable achievements in themselves. The educational barriers erected to prevent Black South Africans from advancing academically were formidable and deliberate. Yet these educators not…

Apr

16

2025

By JOVIAL RANTAO

SAHEL in Transition: Democracy’s Retreat and the Pivot Eastward

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

THE SAHEL region has emerged as a critical flashpoint of geopolitical upheaval in Africa, where military takeovers, shifting international alignments, and escalating jihadist violence are reshaping the continent's security landscape. Since 2020, the democratic backsliding in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger has fundamentally altered the region's political trajectory, with implications extending far beyond Africa's borders. In December 2024, the military regimes of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger formalized their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), establishing the Alliance of SAHEL States (AES) as an alternative regional bloc. This unprecedented fragmentation has severely weakened ECOWAS's influence and…

Apr

15

2025

By KENNEDY MBEVA and REUBEN MAKOMERE

Power drives global affairs today, not rules – what Africa’s strategies should be

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

A new world order is emerging. The United States is no longer the sole force shaping global events; countries like China, Russia, India and the Gulf states are growing in influence. This shift has intensified global competition and made international cooperation more challenging. In today’s world, power, not rules, is the key driver of global affairs. What is Africa’s role? Drawing on our research, we argue that the continent should adopt a pragmatic strategy involving two elements. First, identifying issues suitable for collective action, like climate diplomacy and a seat at the UN Security Council. Second, recognise those that require…

Apr

12

2025

By JOVIAL RANTAO

The Unbreakable Lion of South African Journalism: Joe Thloloe’s Legacy

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP, MULTIMEDIA

THE clouds hung low over Wilro Park that April morning, pregnant with rain and possibility, mirroring the weight of history gathered in the perfectly manicured garden of Joe Thloloe's Roodepoort home. At 83, the lion of South African journalism sat among his pride - journalists young and old who had travelled from across the country to celebrate not just a birthday, but a living legend who had defied death, detention, and despair to help birth a free press in a democratic South Africa. Thloloe former colleagues and mentees, arrived bearing gifts and warm smiles. They found Thloloe seated in a…

Apr

11

2025

By CYRIL RAMAPHOSA

“Gender-Based Violence Requires a Legal and Social Response”

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

THIS year marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Signatories to this historic agreement were enjoined to domesticate its principles, commitments and goals, and translate them into concrete national actions. South Africa, like many of the countries represented in the IAWJ, is a signatory to the Declaration. The impact of this landmark document has been profound and far-reaching in shaping our country's policies and practices around gender equality. We saw and continue to see this document as outlining a comprehensive agenda for addressing key challenges that women face in areas like health, education, economic participation,…

Apr

10

2025

By CLAVER GATETE

Africa’s development challenges and strategic solutions

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

STRUCTURAL vulnerabilities, including the lingering effects of COVID-19, climate shocks, conflicts, geopolitical tensions, and mounting debt burdens, continue to stifle Africa's progress. The continent is grappling with a substantial debt burden amounting to 64.3% of GDP, which significantly limits fiscal space for critical investments in education, health, infrastructure, and other essential sectors. Furthermore, our average GDP growth since 2019 has hovered around 3%, far below the 7% needed to achieve SDG 8 on work and economic growth. In light of current global developments, it is clear that aid can no longer be considered a reliable or sustainable solution, and traditional…

Apr

10

2025

By JIM STENMAN and BONFACE ORUCHO

A conversation with ousted TPLF leader Getachew Reda on war, politics, and the fate of Tigray

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP, EDITORS CHOICE

TIGRAY is a mountainous region in northern Ethiopia, holding deep historical, cultural, economic and geopolitical significance. The 'birthplace of the ancient Aksumite civilization,' according to National Geographic, this region is home to archaeological wonders like the towering obelisks of Aksum and the Church of St. Mary of Zion—reputedly the resting place of the Ark of the Covenant. Interview by Jim Stenman with reporting by Bonface Orucho for bird story agency Just northeast lies Adwa, the historic battlefield where Ethiopia’s forces triumphed over Italian colonial troops in 1896. As the northernmost regional state in Ethiopia, the area is highly strategic, bordering…

Apr

09

2025

By GEDION ONYANGO

Kenya’s courts are corruption hotspots – radical actions the chief justice must take

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

KENYA’S chief justice, Martha Koome, announced a change of strategy in March 2025 to fight corruption in the judiciary. The country’s courts are some of the hotspots of corrupt practices, from bribery of judges to obstruction of justice. The judiciary will now partner with the National Anti-corruption Commission and the National Intelligence Service to identify patterns, hotspots and individuals for early intervention. Gedion Onyango, who researches public accountability, anti-corruption and whistleblowing reforms, examines the new multi-agency approach. What is the context in which this multi-agency strategy was announced? The Kenyan judiciary has been tainted by corruption for decades. More than…