Category: South Africa

South Africa is Facing an Ecological Disaster


Environmental justice is a travelling discourse, which has taken on distinctive meanings in different parts of the world. South Africa is no exception. As a mobilising force, the concept emerged from the US where it developed 50 years ago in opposition to practices identified by black communities as “environmental racism.”

The introduction of the concept in South Africa took place at a conference of environmental activists in 1992. Tackling environmental racism was central to the process of democratisation, especially between 1992 and 1994.

South Africa has Tough Questions to Answer


South Africa is facing slow economic growth, high sovereign debt, a high unemployment rate, and inequality. Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene recently delivered a conservative midterm budget. Business and Economy editor Andile Makholwa asked Fiona Tregenna, Professor of Economics at the University of Johannesburg, about Nene’s choices.

Given the challenges South Africa’s economy faces, should the government be exploring a more expansionary policy instead of fiscal discipline?

Breaking South Africa’s Education Inequality Cycle


Students across South African universities have embarked on protests against planned fee increases and they are demanding free education. Business and Economy editor Andile Makholwa put questions to Nicholas Barr, Professor of Public Economics at the London School of Economics and Political Science, about the best ways to fund university education.

The Cost of ‘Free Education’ in South Africa


Free education in South Africa is a goal worth pursuing, especially for students who are poor and want access to tertiary institutions and those who correctly see it as a right and developmental imperative for the country. Germany has attained it.

The huge challenge is to make the slogan of “free education” a reality. There is not enough money from any source. In addition, government, as the biggest subsidy provider, is not doing well.

The Future of Digital Rights Management in South Africa


In mid-July 2009, in a twist of irony, online retailer Amazon unilaterally removed digital copies of George Orwell’s classic novel 1984 from a number of Kindle e-readers. Customers were outraged.

If not for the fact that it really happened, it would surely be a fitting allegory for the pervasive influence of modern technology and how easily it allows for tampering in our lives.

South Africa’s Offshore Economic Solution


The South African government plans to use the potential of the oceans economy to address the challenges of poverty, unemployment, and inequality. The ocean covers 70% of the earth’s surface and is an important source of food, energy, and minerals.

In Africa, the ocean borders South Africa on three sides. With the inclusion of Prince Edward and Marion islands in the southern ocean, the coastline is about 3 924 km long. This is equivalent to the distance between Johannesburg, South Africa’s biggest city, and Kampala, the Ugandan capital.

Is Education the Answer to South Africa’s Inequality?


South Africa is often referred to as the most unequal society in the world. Business and Economy Editor Andile Makholwa put a few questions to Haroon Bhorat, Professor of Economics, and Director of the Development Policy Research Unit at the University of Cape Town.

Is it true that South Africa is the most unequal society in the world? How unequal is it?

South Africans are Still Waiting for Anti-Competitive Laws to be Enforced


Changes to South Africa’s competition law have widened the scope for the country’s antitrust bodies to punish anti-competitive behaviour. However, implementing the changes, passed into law five years ago, is proving to be fraught.

Achieving Coherent Governance in South Africa


In May 2014, new immigration legislation, which has been widely contested for its potential negative impact on tourism, came into force. The electronic tolling of the highways between Johannesburg, the financial capital, and Pretoria, the seat of government, has been so widely resisted by drivers that forced the government to cut the tariff by half.

Now, the City of Cape Town has taken the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) to court for its allegedly unlawful decision to toll 180km of a highway in the Western Cape.

Shedding Light on South Africa’s IP Laws


Throughout history, intellectual property has been a contested terrain. Recent legal disputes involving big companies such as Apple and Samsung have brought the subject down to an everyday conversation.