The United States has long framed its foreign policy as a defence of democratic values and human rights, but the reality is more transactional and considerably less principled than it presents itself, and its effects are felt directly on Namibia’s economy, its citizens and its institutions. It has become increasingly punitive, targeting those who exercise independent judgment with visa bans, aid cuts and economic pressure, while nations that align with American interests are rewarded. For Namibia, this foreign policy does…

Limpopo Premier and provincial ANC chairperson Phophi Ramathuba has reshuffled her cabinet and snubbed the provincial ANC Youth League (ANCYL), in what has been seen as a sign that the league has lost its influence and been reduced to an “ANC desk”. For more than a year, the Limpopo ANCYL launched a spirited and relentless campaign calling on Ramathuba to appoint its chairperson Faith Sebopela as MEC. The campaign, led by provincial ANCYL secretary Phineas Sebola, was launched in February…

Former President Thabo Mbeki has paid a courtesy visit to Deputy President Paul Mashatile at his home as he continues his recovery from a recent minor medical procedure. Mbeki was accompanied by Thabo Mbeki Foundation chief executive officer Max Boqwana during the visit on Thursday, which Mashatile described as “cordial and assuring”. The visit comes as Mashatile remains on medical leave on the advice of his doctors, with the Deputy President taking time to recover before returning to his full…

Deputy President Paul Mashatile has moved to reassure South Africans about his health, saying his recovery from a recent “minor” medical procedure is progressing well but that his doctors have advised him to continue resting. Mashatile gave the update in a statement released on social media on Tuesday as questions continued over his health and absence from some official duties. In the statement, the Deputy President said he was regaining strength each day and would remain on rest until his…

The African Transformation Movement (ATM) has unveiled its mayoral candidates for Gauteng ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections, promising to tackle what it describes as years of municipal decline, corruption and poor service delivery. The party announced 11 candidates on Monday, saying they had been selected to lead its campaign to take control of municipalities across the province. ATM National Spokesperson Zama Ntshona said the party wanted voters to view the elections as an opportunity to demand greater accountability…

uMkhonto weSizwe Party president Jacob Zuma has ordered an investigation into allegations that legitimate councillor candidates were removed from party lists submitted to the Independent Electoral Commission and replaced with other names. The party announced the investigation on Wednesday, saying the allegations surrounding its recent councillor selection process were serious and required the organisation to establish what had happened. According to the MK Party, allegations had emerged that some duly nominated candidates were removed from lists submitted to the IEC,…

South Africans have perfected a peculiar political art: we speak from both sides of our mouths and have cultivated the habit of knowingly fooling ourselves and anyone else willing to listen. We complain about broken municipalities, collapsing infrastructure, potholes, sewage in the streets, intermittent water, dysfunctional electricity systems, and councils that cannot perform the most elementary functions of government. Then, when election time arrives, we participate in another ritual, as though changing the name on a ballot paper would somehow…

The Democratic Alliance has entered the legal battle over the African National Congress’s disputed candidate nominations, with the two parties, which are partners in the Government of National Unity (GNU), now on opposing sides of a court fight over who should be allowed to contest the 4 November local government elections. The DA has filed papers with the Electoral Court seeking leave to intervene in the ANC’s application to have candidates accepted after the deadline for the submission of candidate…

The African National Congress (ANC) has defended its handling of candidate nominations for the 4 November local government elections, saying it lodged 9 128 candidates but that 181 of its candidates were not recorded by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) as formally submitted before the deadline. ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula made the comments during a media briefing on Tuesday, as the party sought to set out its version of events after days of reports about problems with…

Thirty-five years later, the history of SASCO remains inseparable from the broader struggle for a just, democratic and transformed South Africa. It is a history written not merely in conference resolutions and organisational documents, but in the courage of generations of students who refused to accept exclusion, inequality and injustice as their permanent reality. As former SASCO leaders and deployees who served at the Unisa National SRC from 2014–2016, we carry with us the pride and responsibility of having been…