THOUGHT LEADERSHIP - The African Mirror

Jun

15

2023

Senegal’s internet shutdowns are another sign of a democracy in peril

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

SENEGAL’S government began blocking several digital platforms – including Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram and YouTube – in certain areas on 1 June. Days later, it extended the disruptions to all mobile internet and several television stations. The social networks were shut down for two days. This was followed by a four-day mobile internet shutdown. Author JEFF CONROY-KRUTZ, Associate Professor of Political Science, Michigan State University Given that nearly all Senegalese internet users access it through their mobile phones, these moves constituted a near-total block on digital communications and information. Internet penetration in Senegal has exploded in recent years. A decade…

Jun

14

2023

By The African Mirror

Rwanda genocide accused Félicien Kabuga is ruled unfit to stand trial: this will further erode trust in international justice

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

THE International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals recently concluded a two-year court hearing on Félicien Kabuga. Kabuga is accused of crimes against humanity during the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda in 1994. The court ruled that he was not mentally fit for trial. Author JONATHAN BELOFF, Postdoctoral Research Associate, King's College London The court proposed that the tribunal judges find an “alternative procedure that resembles a trial as closely as possible but without the possibility of a conviction”. What this “alternative procedure” will look like is still not fully known. Rwanda’s ambassador to the Netherlands, Olivier Nduhungirehe, has suggested…

Jun

12

2023

By PALI LEHOLHLA

“Those who lack empathy cannot out of nowhere imbue political will”

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

THE Bapedi have a saying to those not yet born and to be born that Kgaka Kgolo sena Mabala, ha e fofa e nts’o, Mabala a na le Likgakana which means success of a leader is not in herself or himself. Success is seen in their succession. This Sepedi idiom places the burden of trust on future generations. How those not yet born manage public affairs. My lecture embeds this Kgaka Kgolo philosophy as a principle and hope to guide us in our current as we reflect on our management of public affairs. For Tsietsi Mashinini was a man of…

Jun

10

2023

By MAMETLWE SEBEI

UNISA must be purged of corrupt elements if it is to survive

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

THE appointment of the Independent Assessor, Prof Mosia to investigate the state of UNISA following the Ministerial Task Team Report in 2021 was widely hailed as an opportunity to make an objective assessment of the university, the challenges it faces and the changes it needs to make to preserve the integrity of its academic programme, quality assurance and financial sustainability. Nothing could be more disappointing than this report. Independent Assessors Report failed to answer the fundamental question: In what direction is the University travelling under the new VC Prof Lenkabula? The failure of the report to deliver on these expectations…

Jun

11

2023

By The African Mirror

Ethiopia: how a lucky village in Tigray survived the devastating war

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

JAN Nyssen, Ghent University; Biadgilgn Demissie, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB); Emnet Negash, Ghent University; Hailemariam Meaza, Mekelle University; Sofie Annys, Ghent University; Tesfaalem Gebreyohannes, Mekelle University, and Zbelo Tesfamariam, Mekelle University The war waged by the Ethiopian Federal Government and Eritrea against the Tigray regional government, which lasted from November 2020 to November 2022, caused massive devastation. Multiple war crimes were reported and there were claims of genocidal intent. A starvation campaign led to the death of at least 300,000 civilian victims. One of the places that managed to escape the destruction was the Dabba Selama village. Located in…

Jun

09

2023

By The African Mirror

South Africa has changed its electoral law, but a much more serious overhaul is needed

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

SOUTH African President Cyril Ramaphosa recently signed into law a change to the country’s electoral act to allow individuals to contest national and provincial elections independently of political parties. The change follows a June 2020 constitutional court judgment that the Electoral Act was unconstitutional because it didn’t allow independent candidates. Author MASHUPYE HERBERT MASERUMULE, Professor of Public Affairs, Tshwane University of Technology But in my view, the change corrects one wrong by creating another, especially concerning the principle of proportionality. For instance, it does not matter how many votes independent candidates get. Once they have reached the electoral threshold to…

Jun

06

2023

By The African Mirror

Russia-Africa relations key in the drawing of a new world order

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

RELATIONS between Russia and the African continent have always been cordial and mutually beneficial. This trend has stood the test of time and continues to this day. ABBEY MAKOE Historically, Russia can pride itself in that it has never colonised Africa, not even an inch. When the West was involved in the “Scramble for Africa” between 1833 and 1914 when WWI broke out, the Soviet Union was assisting Africa’s liberation movements to win their battle against the “New Imperialism” of the time. Although in 1970 only ten percent of the African continent was under formal European control, by 1914 the…

Jun

06

2023

By The African Mirror

South Africa’s role as host of the BRICS summit is fraught with dangers. A guide to who is in the group, and why it exists

BRICS NEWS, THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

SOUTH Africa will host the BRICS summit in August 2023. The event could offer the country an opportunity to exercise leadership in the BRICS’ efforts to reform the arrangements for global economic governance and in supporting sustainable and inclusive development in Africa and the Global South. However, the opportunity has morphed into an international challenge because Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, who has been indicted by the International Criminal Court, has indicated that he will attend. South Africa could face the wrath of its BRICS partners if it fulfils its international obligation and arrests him. On the other hand, if it…

Jun

06

2023

By The African Mirror

Eusebius McKaiser played a transformative role in talk radio in a democratic South Africa

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

SOUTH African broadcaster, author and political analyst Eusebius McKaiser passed away suddenly on 30 May 2023 at the age of 45. News of his death reverberated through media channels. Tributes bore witness to the impact of his voice and the enduring significance of radio as the medium through which many first encountered his outspoken, insightful commentary. McKaiser blazed a trail that helped inform public debate in contemporary South Africa. Author SISANDA NKOALA, Senior Lecturer, Cape Peninsula University of Technology Radio in South Africa has long been acknowledged as a significant arena for engaging in meaningful public discourse. This is extensively…

Jun

04

2023

By The African Mirror

West African countries show how decades of working together build peace, and stop wars breaking out

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

AFRICA is often portrayed as a continent ravaged by war, terrorism, poverty and political instability. But over the past five decades few violent conflicts have occurred between states. In Europe, for comparison, there have been more than 25 inter-state conflicts since 1945. It’s true that Africa has seen 214 coups, the most of any region; 106 have been successful. Out of 54 countries on the African continent, 45 have had at least one coup attempt since 1950. Author ABUBAKAR ABUBAKAR USMAN, Researcher, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (National University of Malaysia) West Africa, a region of 16 independent states, has experienced 53…