In 1912, on this day, a group of Black Middle-Class men convened to establish what would become Africa’s most influential liberation movement, the ANC, laying the foundation for a movement rooted in African nationalism and democracy. The intellectual prowess concentrated in Mangaung crafted a vision whose reach remains elusive to [...]
The succession contest to lead the ANC after Ramaphosa is more about leveraging the advantage of such a victory than securing the country’s presidency, which is the ultimate goal in South African politics. Since the 2016 Local Government elections, when the urban vote began showing signs of a possible coalition [...]
To understand the season of a Paul Mashatile-generation ANC presidency, essentially an act of post-liberation alchemy, we must first understand the world that summoned this generation into existence. At its birth, this generation was born to parents at the crucible of human change. They are the babies who boomed for [...]
The trigger event for the ultimate colonisation of Southern Africa is, among other factors, the global trade demands driven by the pursuit of better trade routes to the East. The Dutch East India Company (VOC), one of the earliest multinational corporations involved in global trade, established a refreshment station at [...]
Politicians rely on credibility, credentials, and past performance or history to establish their right to seek legitimacy as public representatives. Conversely, societal leadership preferences have evolved beyond routine choices; they now reflect evidence and the ability to steer prospects, which is crucial for understanding current political dynamics. Because society has [...]
South Africa has entered its proverbial hall of mirrors, where everyone must be brave enough to face a mirror and reflect on their origins, especially those who benefited from past injustices. This is because our South African identity stubbornly remains a point of discontent regarding the arrangements of economic and [...]
The Democratic Alliance has made Black Economic Empowerment an election issue. it has put the BEE policy of government in the centre of its campaign message. This matter has morphed to a level where it is now defining the empowerment of Black people as a strategic existential issue for the [...]
The era of lawfulness and politics in South Africa has commenced. The Madlanga Commission is undeniably focused more on scrutinising prerogative and arbitrary government actions, which are decisions made by those in power without proper regard for the rule of law, than on what is publicly displayed. Executive authority overreach [...]
The scale and persistence of public-sector and, acutely, police malfeasance are getting the necessary societal attention. Laws, regulations, fines, jail sentences for offenders and ethics courses in business schools, to the contrary, illegal actors, bad players, toxic organisations and unprofessional corporate cultures inflict quite a toll. Unless society, in all [...]
The edited version was published in TimesLive on 26th October 2025The African National Congress is in a phase of renewal and rediscovery, grappling with its ongoing political issues, particularly the integrity of its influential leaders. Over the past decade, very few of its top six, and later seven, leaders at [...]
