Vol 65 No 9 | SOUTH AFRICA Zuma challenges the ANC in his base 25th April 2024 With the ex-president as a figurehead, the uMkhonto we Sizwe party threatens the ruling party’s national prospects The complex arithmetic between provincial and national votes means that former President Jacob Zuma's new party could wreck the ruling African National Congress's (ANC) chances of ...
Vol 65 No 9 | MALAWIUNITED STATES Chakwera furious at US visa ban 25th April 2024 The United States government has slapped a visa ban on four former senior Malawi government officials, including the former Head of the Malawi Police Service, George Kainja, over c...
Vol 65 No 9 | ZIMBABWEUNITED STATES Washington targets Mnangagwa for rights abuses and corruption but sends mixed messages 23rd April 2024 More focused US sanctions against ZANU-PF leaders will still deter investors – along with the regime's bad policies On the sidelines of the IMF and World Bank meetings in Washington on 19 April, Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube said he had asked United States Treasury officials to let the country's...
Vol 65 No 9 | ZIMBABWE Shaky new ZiG money undermines IMF talks 12th April 2024 Mounting doubts on the credibility of the latest currency relaunch and politicisation of economic policy The chances of Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube and new Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) governor John Mushayavanhu making progress in talks for a staff-monitored IMF programme in Washi...
Vol 65 No 8 | SOUTH AFRICA Coalition talks divide ANC leaders 11th April 2024 South African and African National Congress (ANC) President Cyril Ramaphosa has proposed to the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) that it consider going into opposition if it fails to secure a majority in the elections in May, instead of forming coalitions, political sources told Africa Confidential. South African and African National Congress (ANC) President Cyril Ramaphosa has proposed to the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) that it consider going into opposition if...
Vol 65 No 7 | ZAMBIA A debt deal redux 28th March 2024 Zambia has finally reached an agreement to restructure its US$3 billion of Eurobonds after more than three years in default, the government announced on 25 March. The three Eurobon...
Vol 65 No 6 | SOUTH AFRICA Parties prepare for the costliest election 14th March 2024 Businesses and wealthy individuals are stepping up political donations and their influence on policy Ahead of the most competitive election ever in South Africa on 29 May, local and foreign political donors are trying to influence the outcome within – and sometimes outside &...
Vol 65 No 6 | ZAMBIA Can mega discovery end debt impasse? 14th March 2024 Bad management and lack of accountability – not the lack of new finds – have held back the mining business After its two year-long attempt to restructure US$4 billion in dollar bonds fell apart last November, President Hakainde Hichilema's government has been turning to its mining indus...
Vol 65 No 6 | SOUTH AFRICA Ramaphosa and Mashatile clash on election date 1st March 2024 The tussle over the vote schedule is part of a wider battle for the presidential succession Fresh tensions have blown up within the ruling party after Deputy President Paul Mashatile appeared to pre-empt President Cyril Ramaphosa on the timing of the elections. The two me...
Vol 65 No 5 | SOUTH AFRICA Enoch pulls a rabbit out of his fedora 29th February 2024 The ANC government is struggling to raise revenue and fund vote-winning social programmes ahead of elections in May Sustained low growth is haunting the policy calculations of Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, who presented his budget to parliament on 21 February. He conceded that revised 2023 ...
