Vol 37 No 19 | NAMIBIA No more Nujoma 20th September 1996 The President seems to want five more years, despite what the constitution says President Sam Nujoma seems unhappy about the rule that he must hand over to a successor at the turn of the century. His democratic credentials have not been...
Vol 37 No 18 | SOUTH AFRICA Opening up the ANC 6th September 1996 President Mandela wants to strengthen the party before he hands over to Thabo Mbeki The post-Mandela African National Congress is beginning to take shape, amid jostling between competing factions. President Nelson Mandela wants a 'broad-church' leadership. The party hierarchy lobbies for its...
Vol 37 No 18 | SOUTH AFRICA Gloomy boom 6th September 1996 Speculators talking down the economy have helped create some bargain investments South Africa's mood swings wildly and so do its financial markets. Less than a year ago, equity and bond markets were booming and the rand exchange rate was...
Vol 37 No 17 | MOZAMBIQUE The people's land 23rd August 1996 Frelimo ministers seem keen to sell the land that feeds the people, often to themselves The great southern African land rush is on. President Joaquim Chissano's government is almost half-way towards its target of selling concessions for some 20 million hectares of arable...
Vol 37 No 17 | NAMIBIA Malay straits 23rd August 1996 Namibia is looking eastward and Malaysia is its new friend. In late July, President Sam Nujoma visited Kuala Lumpur, where he announced 'large investments' by Malaysian companies in...
Vol 37 No 16 | SOUTH AFRICA Changing gear slowly 2nd August 1996 The ANC's new capitalist faith is announced in a smart brochure: bankers question the figures while unions question the policies Unveiled in the swish French resort of Cannes, launched in London as part of President Nelson Mandela's quasi-regal tour, the new economic policy of the African National Congress...
Vol 37 No 16 | SOUTH AFRICA White power 2nd August 1996 White Zulus now mastermind Inkatha's tactics but their ultimate aims remain unclear Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi is still the boss. But his management of the Inkatha Freedom Party's closed-door congress in Ulundi on 27-28 July placed him more tightly on the...
Vol 37 No 16 | BOTSWANA Dust on the diamonds 2nd August 1996 Like Mandela and Mugabe, Masire has to settle the succession issue On the face of it, Sir Ketumile Masire's Presidency has been a roaring success. For 16 years, he has run one of Africa's most stable and prosperous countries....
Vol 37 No 15 | MALAWI We split, they split 19th July 1996 President Muluzi's coalition has broken up and so have the rival parties Car crashes, corruption and conspiracies: President Bakili Muluzi's brave new Malawi looks too much like Kamuzu Hastings Banda's old one. Conspiracy theorists rarely allow politicians to die in...