Critics of “transformation” in South African society often argue that the transformation process, ostensibly intended to redress the injustices of apartheid, is in reality designed to entrench the ANC’s hold on political power. Without weighing in on that particular debate, I will say how I surprised I am that Cosatu’s own press releases have taken [...]

(Note: I’m back! My sincere thanks Mayibuye Magwaza for maintaining this blog in my absence.)
Eusebius Mckaiser in the Mail & Guardian discusses the future of COPE, a political party that has been so quiet since the election that most people could be excused for forgetting its existence.
Although his diagnosis is pessimistic, I think Mckaiser nevertheless [...]

Should opposition parties treat Jacob Zuma with a certain degree of respect simply because he occupies the office of the presidency? Michael Trapido, Pierre de Vos and the DA’s own Athol Trollip seem to think so, and I agree. Politeness is one mark of a virtuous and civilised society, and while it is not always [...]

I think Pierre de Vos mostly gets the better of David Bullard in this exchange, although it’s hard to tell because they’re arguing different things. Here’s De Vos, arguing (correctly) that Bullard’s forced exit from the Sunday Times was not a case of “censorship”, because the Sunday Times is not the South African government:
No one [...]

Everybody knows Floyd Shivambu after his (in)famous interview with Redi Direko. But did you know that he also has a blog?
For a sample of his writing, check out this post, in which he likens COPE to (among others) the Lord’s Resistance Army in Uganda and rebels in the Niger Delta.