Vol 37 No 6 | ZIMBABWE Against the grain 15th March 1996 Mixing privatisation and public policy in food supply is a recipe for scandal and high prices Scams, scandals, sackings and rumours of starvation surround the Grain Marketing Board's transition from public control to the arena of market forces. General Manager Renson Gasela was put...
Vol 37 No 6 | ZIMBABWE More Lon – less Rho 15th March 1996 Nothing is sacrosanct as Lonrho chairman Dieter Bock unsentimentally cuts the conglomerate down to size. In Zimbabwe the disposals have included major ranchlands, Lonrho House headquarters, the Northchart...
Vol 37 No 5 | SOUTH AFRICA Another country, another law 1st March 1996 The ANC wants the new constitution to remake society but the minority parties fear more social engineering Bouncing from crisis to breakthrough and back again, the constitution-making negotiations are running true to South African form. Doubts are growing about the schedule to finalise the new...
Vol 37 No 5 | SOUTH AFRICA Mandela's front line 1st March 1996 The government's key members are as follows. All ministers are ANC unless otherwise indicated
Vol 37 No 5 | SOUTH AFRICA Super-charged Mbeki 1st March 1996 Changes in the hierarchy aim to calm foreign nerves about the economy and the sucession The emergence of Deputy President Thabo Mbeki as a super-minister coordinating economic and development policy strengthens his personal position and points to government concern about the slow pace...
Vol 37 No 4 | SOUTH AFRICAFOOTBALL Viva Bafana Bafana 16th February 1996 South Africa's victories help heal old wounds and highlight Africa's soccer skills It was a political as much as a sporting triumph when South Africa’s national team, Bafana Bafana (‘The boys, the boys’) stormed through to the African Cup of...
Vol 37 No 3 | MOZAMBIQUE A cloudy dawn 2nd February 1996 Bandits and corrupt politicians are more of a threat than guerrillas From outside looking in, Mozambique seems a triumph of conflict resolution and reconciliation. A newly arrived diplomat like Britain's High Commissioner Bernard Everett can claim that trade, not...
Vol 37 No 3 | ZIMBABWE Septuagenarian struggle 2nd February 1996 The old guard's time is almost over but nobody knows who will clear up after them Nobody doubts that President Robert Mugabe will win a fresh six-year term of office at the presidential election on 16-17 March. The real question is how much of...
Vol 37 No 3 | ESWATINI Trumping the King 2nd February 1996 A feudal regime is finding it hard to survive to the big new democracy next door Swaziland is now the only country in Southern Africa in which political parties are now banned. The People's United Democratic Party, the main opposition movement, is therefore illegal....
Vol 37 No 3 | LESOTHO Reigning again 2nd February 1996 The omens are not good for Crown Prince Letsie David Mohato's second coming to the Basotho throne. His first reign started an effective coup when he dissolved the...