Leaders need to study what has worked in Africa
In this article I will borrow from Professor David Moore’s characterisation of the Zimbabwe Crisis to be one of “primitive accumulation, nation-state formation, and democratisation”, simply…
Articles
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All the President’s men and women
It turns out there are clouds on the horizon in the ‘new dawn’ announced by President Ramaphosa in his State of the Nation Address….
Zuma is not enough. The ANC itself must be cleansed of corruption
Jacob Zuma, South Africa’s unpopular president, has finally been removed. Yet the terms of his departure were deeply problematic. In what was a painfully tortuous process,…
Inheriting a divided ANC
Once Jacob Zuma finally steps down, Cyril Ramaphosa will inherit a deeply divided African National Congress (ANC) which many supporters have abandoned, a public…
Is a truly global democratic future possible?
There is an assumption that when we use the word ‘democracy’, we all have a common understanding of what the word means and how…
Zexit: The formidable risks to weigh up
There are formidable risks preventing ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa and his allies from outrightly firing South African President Jacob Zuma. It is forcing him…
African democracies badly need a new generation of leaders – where are they?
In every single African country, young people make up the majority of the population – and they are generally very ill-served by their ageing…
Coalitions as the best options for African countries
Given the widespread failure of dominant party governments in Africa since the end of colonialism, coalitions, even in cases where parties win outright majorities,…
Democracy, racism and other long-held beliefs
Changing long-held beliefs, perceptions and values are not easy. Such change can either take place at the individual, community or societal level. At the…
The International Criminal Court and Accountability in Africa
Lack of accountability has been one of the single biggest reasons for Africa’s continued underdevelopment, failed states and civil wars. In Africa, the protection…