Vol 55 No 6 | SOUTH AFRICA The ANC’s top hundred 21st March 2014 The ANC has drawn up a candidates list that is a messy compromise of effective campaigners and die-hard presidential loyalists The rows over state spending on Nkandla and recurring protests at the lack of public services prompted the governing African National Congress leadership to look very carefully at...
Vol 55 No 6 | RWANDASOUTH AFRICA The last straw 21st March 2014 Any escalation of the tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats after the 4 March attack on the Pretoria home of the exiled Rwandan General Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa now looks improbable....
Vol 55 No 5 | SOUTH AFRICA Which ANC will win? 7th March 2014 Jobs, living standards and the liberation legacy will dominate the elections but it’s the political aftermath that counts Although the victory of the African National Congress is not in doubt, general elections on 7 May will show the pace and extent of political realignments (AC Vol...
Vol 55 No 5 | SOUTH AFRICA The political costs of Nkandla 7th March 2014 Just how important the cost of Jacob Zuma's Nkandla homestead has become for his presidency and the elections was clear from the way it dominated a private meeting...
Vol 55 No 5 | SOUTH AFRICA Restrained budget could be Gordhan’s last 27th February 2014 The Finance Minister faced the challenge of keeping public sector pay down while increasing state investment in infrastructure Pravin Gordhan confounded widespread predictions that this would be a feel-good budget aimed at assuring African National Congress victory in the May election. The Finance Minister took most...
Vol 55 No 4 | SOUTH AFRICA Zuma talks up the state 14th February 2014 The strain of the last five years seemed to show on the President's face as he gave his final State of the Nation Address before the elections Nearly 6 million rand (US$560,000) was spent on the ceremony for the State of the Nation Address as a tired-looking President Jacob Zuma put a brave face on...
Vol 55 No 3 | SOUTH AFRICA Kissing cousins no more 7th February 2014 After Public Service Minister Lindiwe Sisulu and Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande, both African National Congress loyalists, disengaged from an ostentatious clinch on 4 February, they predicted they...
Vol 55 No 2 | SOUTH AFRICA Poll shock alarms ANC 17th January 2014 Anger over broken promises is slashing the party’s once unassailable lead. With elections at most six months away, the opposition is more hopeful than ever The governing African National Congress is seeing a sharp decline in support in recent opinion polls, less than six months before legislative and local elections. South Africans...
Vol 55 No 1 | SOUTH AFRICA Zuma fights for his job 10th January 2014 April's elections will be more about the standing of President Zuma than about loyalty to the governing ANC There is no serious doubt that the governing African National Congress will easily win the general election likely to be held in the last two weeks of April....
Vol 7 (AAC) No 2 | SOUTH AFRICA Mamphela Ramphele 30th November 2013 Leader, Agang South Africa According the party’s website, ‘Agang, which means “build” in Sesotho, stands for clean government to restore the promise of freedom to all South Africans: equality, dignity and hope...