The persistent and structural crisis of gender-based violence (GBV) in South Africa necessitates an analytical hermeneutic that decisively anchors its genesis within the enduring colonial matrix of power (colonialidad del poder), Foucauldian modalities of power/knowledge, and spatialized dispositifs of oppression and resistance. This colonial matrix establishes and sustains the racialised and patriarchal hierarchies that subsequently consign specific subjectivities and corporeal realities, particularly those of Black women, queer, and trans persons, to the necropolitical calculus and the status of social death…

Ukraine is facing one of the largest anti-corruption scandals since the outbreak of the war. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) has announced the disclosure of a criminal network linked to Ukrainian top officials. This network has withdrawn about $100 million from the country’s energy sector through kickbacks and shady corruption schemes. The Reuters news agency reported that the scope of the scheme and the involvement of individuals close to President Volodymyr Zelensky caused political shock and tension in…

As the G20 Leaders’ Summit wrapped up in Johannesburg, South Africa delivered a strong and assured finish to a historic gathering that placed Africa at the centre of global decision-making for the first time. Despite geopolitical tensions, a high-profile boycott by the United States, and heavy scrutiny of South Africa’s leadership approach, the summit ended with a clear declaration, a united front among participating nations, and renewed momentum behind the priorities of the Global South. A declaration secured early, signalling…

The decision by United States President Donald Trump to boycott the 2025 G20 summit in South Africa signifies more than just a political gesture; it symbolises a profound and meaningful rupture within the global colonial power structure. This action calls for a decolonial analysis that explains how it disrupts and redefines the key mechanisms of power rooted in what Quijano describes as coloniality, the ongoing system of racialised, economic, and epistemic domination. Drawing on Foucault’s concept of discursive regimes further…

The release of the fifth volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, consisting of 91 of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s spoken and written works from 27 May 2022 to 20 December 2024, has further provided clarity on the issues in the contemporary governance of China, a major country whose domestic dynamics and international outlook are hugely consequential to the world. Such clarity is especially important because some intellectuals in the West have framed China as esoteric and its governance “opaque”…

Africa’s strategic position in the world has seen a continuous rise in recent years. From the growing importance of Global South cooperation to the surging demand for strategic resources such as critical minerals, multiple factors have converged to make Africa a focal point of international attention. According to data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, Africa attracted $97 billion in foreign direct investment in 2024, marking a year-on-year increase of 75 percent. This remarkable growth underscores the…

Two decades ago, an important development philosophy emerged that would redefine prosperity: “Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets.” Known as the “Two Mountains” theory, it challenged the conventional trade-off between development and the environment by arguing that they are inseparable.  I recently visited Zhejiang Province in east China to see how this philosophy works in practice. What I found, beneath the canopy of a 200-year-old camphor tree in Xiaogucheng Village, was a model of green development that seamlessly…

President Donald Trump’s foreign policy pronouncements present a chaotic search for meaning. His threats against South Africa, Nigeria and Afghanistan, coupled with the termination of AGOA and “crazy” tariffs, seem inconsistent. However, reading this as a complex strategy grants it undue sophistication. The driving force is not a nuanced doctrine but a raw thirst for critical minerals. These resources underpin modern economic development, technology, and national security. The strategy is not complex but a bare-knuckled attempt to bargain cheaply. The…

Large multinationals hate to be taken to court, this announcement was quite expected. For matters involving justice and human dignity, they’d rather settle out of court. The recent court outcome, where the court imposed a R13m legal bill, may have had something to do with forcing the expensive Mr Nkosana Makate to sign. This corporate strategy is quite simple and straightforward, if companies agree to go to court they “weaponise” legal processes to drain the complainant. In terms of this…

The Summer School of Global Development & Country and Region Studies at China Agricultural University brought together scholars, students and practitioners in development from all corners of the globe to critically examine the complexities of development from an interdisciplinary perspective. The programme comprised a mix of theoretical and practical educational activities that enhanced my understanding of global development, South-South cooperation, and China’s growing involvement in global affairs.   Each activity helped me to understand the changing global context and the imperative…