Vol 54 No 21 | MALAWI Banda's fortunes turn 10th October 2013 The President is reaping political benefit from an improving economy but stands accused of planning underhand ways of winning the 2014 polls The political fortunes of President Joyce Banda have seen an unexpected turnaround. A win in the May 2014 parliamentary, presidential and local elections had looked highly unlikely but...
Vol 54 No 20 | SOUTH AFRICA Political mould starts to break 3rd October 2013 The poorest people and the middle class are voicing growing doubts about the ANC – even though its rivals don’t look much more convincing The African National Congress approaches elections next April-May – and the 20th anniversary of majority rule – with party and country alike in poor shape. Social and economic...
Vol 54 No 20 | SOUTH AFRICA How the parties will go into 2014 3rd October 2013 If the Economic Freedom Fighters took just 5% of the national vote, that could be a significant and lasting breakthrough None of the opposition parties can seriously challenge the African National Congress for power at the centre in the next elections but growing political volatility gives them opportunities...
Vol 54 No 20 | SOUTH AFRICA Coming to the aid of the party 3rd October 2013 In New York, President Zuma sings Happy Birthday to ANC Chairwoman Baleka Mbete, who is currently at the centre of a major political row On the evening of 24 September in New York, President Jacob Zuma was in high spirits. Earlier that day, he had addressed the United Nations General Assembly debate...
Vol 54 No 20 | MOZAMBIQUE Tender mercies 3rd October 2013 Insisting that major infrastructure contracts go to competitive tender has got Transport and Communications Minister Paulo Zucula the sack, say senior political sources. President Armando Guebuza moved him...
Vol 54 No 20 | ESWATINI 'Failed feudal state' 3rd October 2013 The widely discredited 20 September election saw pro-royal politicians take nearly all 55 parliamentary seats. Traditional chiefs loyal to King Mswati III had vetted all the candidates. Media...
Vol 54 No 20 | ZIMBABWE Gems make friends 3rd October 2013 After intense lobbying by Belgium, on 24 September the European Union lifted its ban on diamond imports from the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation and its partners – Marange...
Vol 6 (AAC) No 12 | SOUTH AFRICA Jan Steenkamp 2nd October 2013 Chief Executive, ARM Exploration and Technical Services As African policymakers call for greater industrialisation on the continent, South Africa-based African Rainbow Minerals is defending its decision this year to set up a processing plant in...
Vol 6 (AAC) No 12 | ZIMBABWEASIA Look East again 1st October 2013 Chinese investment will dominate Zimbabwe’s economic policy as President Mugabe’s new government finds itself short of friends in the West President Robert Mugabe’s government has announced that it will be putting even more business the way of its Asian trading partners. This is after refusals by the United... READ FOR FREE
Vol 6 (AAC) No 12 | ZIMBABWEASIA Ex-army officers fast-track power plant 1st October 2013 Military connections may have helped China Africa Sunlight Energy overcome the opposition of bureaucrats and activists In May 2012, when the Movement of Democratic Change’s Elton Mangoma was still Energy Minister, he worried that the China Africa Sunlight Energy deal could be a case...