In my industrial sociology class with the late Prof Eddie Webster in the mid 90’s, I was introduced to how the South African apartheid workplace was racialised with the intention of creating profit for the White capitalist system. Webster amply writes about how this racialised workplace manifests in disciplinary control of workers. In the work of Jacklyn Cock, and later Malehoko Tshoaedi, we also see how this disciplinary control is also gendered, where black women suffer this toxicity in often…

On the morning of 8 June 2026, a judgment landed quietly in the Gauteng Division of the High Court. No fanfare. No public broadcast. Just 18 pages from Judge Anthony Millar that, in my reading, redraw the legal boundaries of South Africa’s electricity sector more definitively than anything that has come before — including the Electricity Regulation Amendment Act. The case is City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality v National Energy Regulator of South Africa & Eskom Holdings SOC Limited [1].…

As we commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Soweto Uprising Revolution of June 16, 1976, a Pan-Afrikan intellectual’s thoughts are mixed, vexed with ongoing conflicts, governance challenges and cultural relations amongst the youth and students of the African Continent. Be that as it may, one is inspired by these lyrical texts and content of the song by Stimela -South African Band when they echo “See the world ( through the eyes of the child)”, attempting to highlight the challenges of…

When we speak about apartheid history, we often turn to legislation, political speeches, court records, and the biographies of prominent leaders. Yet some of the most revealing histories and herstories exist elsewhere, in memory, in lived experience, and in the observations of ordinary people who stood at the intersections of power and everyday life. Oftentimes, we do not even speak of the cultural workers who helped in liberating this country from the clutches of the most brutal regime, apartheid. Their…

There is a famous observation by civil rights activist Malcolm X that “the most disrespected person in America is the Black woman.” Decades later, the sentiment still resonates deeply, even beyond America. Across all societies, black women continue to face disproportionate scrutiny, exclusion and doubt, particularly when they occupy positions of power. Leadership spaces remain contested terrains for women.  In academia, where intellectual authority and institutional influence have historically been concentrated in male hands, women leaders are often expected to…

In her latest book, “White Privilege. Black Pain: The Power of Race in Democratic South Africa “, Kim Heller builds on her earlier book, “No White Lies: Black Politics and White Power in South Africa”. I write from the vantage point of having reviewed that book in 2021. The latest publication, “White Privilege. Black Pain: The Power of Race in Democratic South Africa”, like her earlier work, tackles the theme of white supremacy in the post-1994 society in South Africa.…

In a country grappling with high unemployment, gender-based violence, and limited economic opportunities for women, a movement is emerging that is proving that meaningful change can begin with something as simple as a sanitary pad. Dignity is more than a sanitary pad brand. It is a movement founded by women, for women, with a vision of restoring dignity, creating economic opportunities, and empowering communities across South Africa. At the heart of the movement is a simple but powerful mission: ensuring…

Annually, Africa Day celebrations across the continent are filled with reminders of the promises of unity and solidarity for the continent. In South Africa, Africa Day is commemorated by a diversity of commemorative activities propagating this very idea of unity, started by the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), the precursor to the African Union (AU), on the 25th of May 1963.  Within the South African Higher Education milieu, the celebrations continued this year despite ongoing tensions of Afrophobia in the…

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is pursuing its Gaza investigation at remarkable speed and is reportedly preparing arrest warrants for Israeli officials. Yet it remains conspicuously silent on Iran’s direct role in the conflict—a silence that becomes harder to defend as the evidence mounts. Iran has achieved a singular and damning statistic. After launching more than 400 missiles and drones toward Israel over nearly a month, Tehran has apparently failed to hit a single military target. The result is a…

From 8 – 12 June 2026, the International Council on Archives will celebrate International Archives Week under the theme #ArchivesForJustice. The theme explores how archives can support rights, preserve memory and shape a fairer future. Indeed, in order to promote justice, protect rights, preserve memory and facilitate accountability, archives are essential. They support legal, social, cultural, environmental, historical, and intergenerational justice by acting as reliable sources of information on choices, obligations and histories. This year’s theme positions archives as spaces…