South African troops are dying in the DRC: why they’re there and what’s going wrong: The death of South African soldiers on a Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has sparked fierce debate about the deployment of South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers there. Some, including political …
South African telescope discovers a giant galaxy that’s 32 times bigger than Earth’s: Inkathazo's glowing plasma jets are shown in red and yellow. The starlight from other surrounding galaxies can be seen in the background. K.K.L Charlton (UCT), MeerKAT, HSC, CARTA, IDIA, CC BY You may not know it, but right now there’s a huge …
Peacekeeping armies: what are they, why do African states build them and what impact do they have?: Since 1948, more than two million uniformed peacekeepers have served in over 70 United Nations (UN) peacekeeping missions. They have come from over 120 UN member states. But a few countries have regularly contributed a significant proportion of …
African Union to get a new chair: 6 key tasks they must tackle: The African Union (AU) member states will elect a new senior leadership of the AU Commission in February 2025. The commission was originally conceived as the secretariat of the AU. Over the years it has become the driving force behind the pan-African …
Rock art acoustics: South African study suggests that a distinct echo attracted ancient artists back to one site: Physics does not adequately explain reflected sound and echo effects. Take as example the echo-producing Echoplex, a magnetic tape device that influenced the soundtrack of a generation. Think of Led Zeppelin’s Whole Lotta Love (1969) and the …
‘Don’t touch my pocket!’ South African passengers say airlines must pay for reducing their carbon footprint, not them: Airline travel is a major contributor to anthropogenic climate change, amounting to about 4% of all global greenhouse gas emissions every year. Airlines must take specific measures to reduce, and ideally neutralise, their greenhouse gas emissions and …
6 best African sci-fi and fantasy books to read this holiday: Speculative fiction is booming and several African authors are staking a claim in the market. Donald Iain Smith/Getty Images Science fiction, fantasy, horror and other forms of speculative fiction are breathing new life into African writing. International awards, TV deals, new publishing imprints, a …
Gladiator II: a historian on the real north African kingdom of Numidia – and the men who ruled it: The Battle of Zama by Cornelis Cort (circa 1600). Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts Gladiator II opens with a Roman fleet brutally laying siege to a city in the north African kingdom of Numidia. On the …
Rape is still rape even if you’re married – report finds some South African men don’t believe it is: Sexual violence, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), includes any sexual act or attempt to obtain sex through coercion, regardless of the relationship between the parties. This encompasses rape, unwanted sexual touching, and non-contact …
Russian mercenaries have a bad reputation but some African regimes still employ them: study explores why: Russian mercenaries, like the Wagner group, have an awful reputation. Multiple western outlets have reported on their military ineffectiveness, their abysmal human rights record, and their exploitative nature. For example, in July 2024, the Wagner Group faced a military …
Which animals carry mpox? Our study identified African forest dwelling rodents as one source: Mpox is a disease caused by the highly infectious monkeypox virus. It’s quite easily passed on from one person to another. But it originally came from infected animals. The virus was discovered in 1958 when two outbreaks of pox-like infection were …
Being black in the world: a tribute to pioneering South African psychologist Chabani Manganyi: Professor Noel Chabani Manganyi, who has died at the age of 84, was a torchbearer in psychology, literature and African intellectual thought. He was the first registered black clinical psychologist trained in apartheid South Africa, and among the first black South …
African countries shouldn’t have to borrow money to fix climate damage they never caused – economist: As we approach the global annual climate change conference, COP29, the need for increased public finance from the global north to address climate adaptation in Africa has become more urgent than ever. However, framing the finance debate solely around …
African publishing is being revolutionised – report explores trends in six countries: Moyo Studio/Getty Images African book publishing is in a rare moment of transformation, according to a new report. It’s an industry that has historically survived at the mercy of multinational publishing houses and donor funding. These arrangements, subject to the dictates of capitalism …
Ancient human DNA from a South African rock shelter sheds light on 10,000 years of history: Oakhurst rock shelter is an archaeological site near the town of George on the southern coast of South Africa. It is set into a sandstone cliff above a stream in a valley forested by towering old yellowwood trees. Archaeologists …
Why pay tax? African study finds trust in government is key: Taxes are important. They’re a primary way in which governments fund essential services like healthcare, education, infrastructure and social protection programmes. They are vital to the economic development of countries. In sub-Saharan African countries, the need for public services is great and fiscal resources …
UN security council: African countries face hurdles and dangers in getting permanent seats: There is growing global consensus among the members of the United Nations that the UN security council, responsible for maintaining international peace and security, requires reform or restructuring to reflect the current balance of forces, and to improve its working methods and …
Fungi to the rescue: South African scientists use innovative approach to protect apple trees: Woolly apple aphids are destructive pests, threatening South Africa's apple-growing industry. Westend61/Getty Images Gardeners the world over dread the appearance of aphids on their plants. There are around 4,000 species of these sap-sucking insects and about 250 are pests that can …