In recent years, universities have come under scrutiny for adopting an authoritarian leadership style and culture characterised by hierarchy, command-and-control decision-making, and rigid adherence to authority. This leadership, inspired by authoritarian efficiency, poses significant challenges when applied to academic institutions. Universities, as hubs of knowledge and creativity, require leadership styles that align with their unique missions of fostering critical thinking, innovation, and inclusivity. An authoritarian leadership style thrives on hierarchy, discipline, and a clear chain of command. While such structures…

Donald Trump’s Executive Order (EO) on ‘Addressing Egregious Actions of the Republic of South Africa’ (07/02/2025) is not a new development but a continuation of racist United States policies implanted on South Africa dating back decades. America is and has remained the godfather of oppression of Africans, Indigenous People and others within its borders, and these heinous policies were exported to South Africa to strengthen subjugation and ‘apartness’. Therefore, Trump’s EO is not an anomaly but a reflection of embedded…

In 2022, the French military was forced to leave Mali, and in 2023 it also withdrew from Burkina Faso and Niger at the request of the countries’ authorities. In November 2024, Chad ended its defense cooperation agreement with France, which pulled out its troops last week. This week, Paris reportedly began withdrawing its forces from Senegal. African peoples, previously oppressed by the West, no longer want Western domination, president of the Black African Defense League, an international antiracist organization for…

The rugged coastlines of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape conceal secrets beneath the waves secrets that challenge longstanding narratives about South Africa’s past. Among these are persistent myths: that white settlement began in 1652, that Africans had little engagement with the outside world before colonial conquest and that the Atlantic slave trade was the most important conduit for African enslavement. These narratives have shaped mainstream historiography and even Pan-African ideologies, obscuring deeper truths about interaction and our view of the…

Humming factories, bustling ports, and shuttling merchants highlight the vibrancy of China-Africa economic and trade cooperation. Over the years, this partnership has grown significantly, optimising trade structures and fostering mutual development. This deepening collaboration is evident in China’s role as Africa’s largest bilateral trading partner for 15 consecutive years.  During the first seven months of 2024, trade between China and African countries reached $167 billion, reflecting a 5.5-percent increase compared to the same period in 2023. According to the International…

The world in 2024 was far from peaceful. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has persisted for over 1,000 days. Meanwhile, a new wave of violence in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, ongoing for more than a year, spilled over into Lebanon, Iran, and even Syria.  Africa also faced new challenges to peace and security over the past year. Armed conflicts continued in various regions, particularly in the Horn of Africa, while terrorism and external interference exacerbated regional instability. These challenges made…

In his keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in September 2024, Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasised that China will enhance people-to-people and cultural exchanges with Africa, champion mutual respect, inclusiveness and coexistence of different civilisations on the way to modernisation, and strive together for more fruitful outcomes under the Global Civilisation Initiative.    Civilisations are enriched through exchange and grow through mutual learning. The exchange between Chinese and African civilisations…

For centuries, Europe was the architect of global imperialism, carving up foreign territories and subjugating populations in pursuit of dominance. Driven by a potent cocktail of ambition, religious zeal and racial superiority, the expansion of the European empire ranks amongst the worst human disasters, especially for the world’s subalterns. The empire was built on exploitation, enslavement and violent subjugation and birthed the dreadful, unequal and racist modern world.  Now, the tables have turned in the face of US Imperialism or…

The BRICS nations are constructing a fresh model for cross-border e-commerce. Through initiatives like the BRICS Pay System and a proposed independent financial infrastructure, BRICS is moving beyond merely participating in the global economy. BRICS Pay: secure, cost-effective solution for global digital tradeThe 14th BRICS Trade Ministers Meeting in July 2024 affirmed this direction, recognising that “E-commerce has become one of the most important drivers of global economic growth.” With the aim to expand its presence in global e-commerce through…

It’s that time of the year again when we find ourselves reflecting on the year that was and the year ahead. On the African continent, many countries are still recovering from the aftershocks of the COVID-19 pandemic and are doing so amid a fraught geopolitical environment. These tensions have, to some extent, created hurdles in the path of Africa’s recovery.  The African Development Bank has attributed the economic slowdown on the continent to astronomical inflation caused by soaring food and…