South Africa
South Africa and the global economic downturn
By Latief Parker, March 7, 2008
In South Africa, we swing wildly between believing that everything is doomed or imagining that the financial sun will always shine. Because of our mineral resources, it often seems—for a short p...
South Africa hit by power cuts
By Chris Talbot, January 29, 2008
For more than two weeks, South African cities have suffered electricity power cuts lasting several hours. The mainly black townships have often had power cuts in the past, but the present round of bla...
South Africa: conflict in ANC signals deepening social tensions
By Chris Talbot, December 22, 2007
The election of Jacob Zuma as president of the African National Congress (ANC) over current South African President Thabo Mbeki expresses the growing social tensions in South Africa. But neither Mbeki...
Zuma’s election heralds instability
December 22, 2007
On December 14, more than 4,000 African National Congress (ANC) delegates in the city of Polokwane in Limpopo Province cast their votes at the ANC’s 52nd annual conference to decide between the ...
National miners strike in South Africa
By Barry Mason, December 7, 2007
Miners belonging to the 250,000-strong South African National Union of Miners (NUM) took one-day strike action on Tuesday, December 4. The strike, the first national walkout by miners since the bringi...
Behind Mbeki’s sacking of South Africa’s deputy health minister
By Chris Talbot, August 23, 2007
The sacking by President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa of his deputy health minister, Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge, has produced outrage amongst AIDS activists in South Africa and consternation among polit...
South Africa: COSATU calls off public service strike
By Barbara Slaughter, July 14, 2007
The longest public service strike in South African history has been called off by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) after 28 days. The dispute began on June 1, when workers from 17 u...
Tutu, COSATU and the “powder keg” of South Africa
By our South African correspondent, December 14, 2004
A vicious spat between Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the African National Congress (ANC) has erupted in the wake of the Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture delivered by Tutu on November 29.
United Nations report highlights growing inequality in South Africa
By our South African correspondent, May 21, 2004
The tenth anniversary of the end of apartheid and the first democratic elections in South Africa has been widely celebrated throughout the country. The government has used the occasion to congratulate...
ANC wins South African elections in low voter turnout
By Chris Talbot, April 17, 2004
The African National Congress (ANC) gained a clear lead in South Africa’s April 14 general elections, taking nearly 70 percent of the votes cast—more than the 66.4 percent in 1999 and 64 p...
South Africa: Farmworkers murdered by employers
By our correspondent, March 3, 2004
The murder of two farmworkers by their employers has placed the spotlight on the awful plight of this section of the South African working class.
South Africa: Court ruling forces only tactical retreat over AIDS drugs
By Barry Mason, April 26, 2002
Following a five-hour cabinet meeting on April 17, the South African government announced it would make antiretroviral drugs available to victims of rape and would give the drug Nevirapine to pregnant...
