South Africa
Reports on South Africa See all →
South Africa lurches toward uncompensated land seizures
The politically explosive land question has been revived in South Africa at an awkward moment. A motion by the Marxist-Leninist opposition to allow farmland to be expropriated without compensation hit the ruling African National Congress (ANC) as it was beset by corruption scandals, a slumping economy, and widespread voter disillusionment with the vision of a “rainbow” society. Racialized land seizures may serve as a brief political diversion, but as the case of Zimbabwe shows, it will only make the underlying problems worse.
South Africa’s new leader launches plan to accelerate growth
Following South Africa’s “lost decade” under the chaotic, often controversial leadership of former President Jacob Zuma, his successor faces challenges that are both daunting and delicate. President Cyril Ramaphosa needs to restore basic functionality of the South African state while its ruling party, and its multiethnic society, are increasingly divided ...
Will South Africa’s president survive the latest political storm?
South African President Jacob Zuma’s ill-advised government reshuffle and influence peddling scandals have alarmed financial markets, angered the opposition and put the country’s political system to its hardest test in decades. Even if Mr. Zuma manages to weather the crisis, he will emerge from it battered and at the mercy ...
A ray of hope for South Africa
South Africa’s municipal elections, held in early August, resulted in huge losses for the African National Congress. The Democratic Alliance, under the leadership of Mmusi Maimane, gained a majority in several important metropolitan areas. The new local governments will likely manage to reduce corruption and improve administrative efficiency – to ...
South Africa: faded dreams, difficult choices
Slowly but inevitably, South Africa is approaching the end of a political era as veterans of the anti-apartheid struggle face increasing criticism from voters. The country’s mismanaged economy and a widespread realization that the ruling African National Congress has not delivered on its promise of a more equal and unified ...
