The decision by the US Secretary of State to declare RSA Ambassador to the US Ibrahim Rasool, a persona non grata, is unprecedented and consequential in USA-RSA relations. Given the post-Trump inauguration tensions between RSA and the Trump administration, South Africa faces one of its consequential post-1994 foreign policy challenges [...]
Steve Biko stressed the need for South Africans to liberate themselves psychologically and become self-reliant to change South Africa fundamentally. South Africans need to remember that the historical and structural roots of racial inequality and privilege run deep. Notwithstanding that they are less visible, they lie beneath the surface, and [...]
Sunday Times, 23 February 2025South Africa, once a society where the absolute majority ruled, has now transitioned into a consensus-driven democracy. The DA's rejection of the budget is a clear sign of this shift, where all voices that can muster a 51% majority for an issue have a say, marking [...]
The South African political settlement between 1994 and 1996 was a monumental event that reshaped history. It mandated the state to establish a new societal order, challenging existing norms and structures. The success of the pre-1994 state, built on a form of despotism, created a 'normality' that was incompatible with [...]
When reality sets in, history compels men and women to react thoughtfully. Leaders in crisis face a pivotal moment that will shape their legacy. Like falling off a cliff, once you begin to descend, the ensuing narrative will revolve around how you landed or were crushed upon impact. Only your [...]
The ANC, a resilient entity, has weathered 113 years of existence. It has triumphed over British Colonialism, apartheid, the homeland system, and the Cold War's hottest moments. Despite facing assassinations, detentions without trial, long prison terms, and economic marginalisation, it has persevered as an organisation and movement. The ANC has [...]
Economic reform, inclusivity, and transformation are the most frequently bandied concepts to articulate the solution to RSA's economic justice woes. While these might suit the demands of politically correct rhetoric or nomenclature, they are not the real problem behind the economic justice challenges of RSA. The real challenges are the [...]
Previous State of the Nation Addresses over the past fifteen years have been reports on what the government, mainly the National executive, has been doing to contribute to South Africa's performance. This has come across as being mechanical. Ignored often is that in RSA, the significant progress issue to be [...]
This was published in TimesLive on 05 February 2025Since his election as President of a Government of National Unity (GNU)-governed South Africa, President Cyril Ramaphosa will face his first State of the Nation Address (SONA). This triggers an opportunity to reflect on the direction an otherwise fragile GNU coalition will present to [...]
Dr FM Lucky Mathebula Throughout history, the US has consistently exerted its influence on other democracies, employing a range of strategies from soft power, where it asserts ideational superiority, to hard power, where it dictates policy options through it hard power. This pattern of behaviour underscores the extent to which the [...]
