Vol 37 No 7 | SOUTH AFRICA Banker is as banker does 29th March 1996 Foreign money is flooding in but Finance Minister Chris Liebenberg's low risk strategy is yet to cut unemployment There are two sets of statistics on South Africa's economy. One tells an economic story only marginally less miraculous than that of the political transition: foreigners investing a...
Vol 37 No 7 | LESOTHO Break for the border 29th March 1996 The mountain kingdom has to forge a new relationship with South Africa As politicians and soldiers in Maseru snipe (sometimes literally) at each other, they are unable to tackle the biggest issue in the kingdom: its relationship with South Africa....
Vol 37 No 6 | SOUTH AFRICA Which foreign policy? 15th March 1996 New diplomats and some new policies may help Pretoria's lack-lustre diplomacy A much praised political transition, a President of unimpeachable moral authority, and a core of skilled and experienced diplomats should have given South Africa a dynamic foreign policy....
Vol 37 No 6 | ZIMBABWE Against the grain 15th March 1996 Mixing privatisation and public policy in food supply is a recipe for scandal and high prices Scams, scandals, sackings and rumours of starvation surround the Grain Marketing Board's transition from public control to the arena of market forces. General Manager Renson Gasela was put...
Vol 37 No 6 | ZIMBABWE More Lon – less Rho 15th March 1996 Nothing is sacrosanct as Lonrho chairman Dieter Bock unsentimentally cuts the conglomerate down to size. In Zimbabwe the disposals have included major ranchlands, Lonrho House headquarters, the Northchart...
Vol 37 No 5 | SOUTH AFRICA Another country, another law 1st March 1996 The ANC wants the new constitution to remake society but the minority parties fear more social engineering Bouncing from crisis to breakthrough and back again, the constitution-making negotiations are running true to South African form. Doubts are growing about the schedule to finalise the new...
Vol 37 No 5 | SOUTH AFRICA Mandela's front line 1st March 1996 The government's key members are as follows. All ministers are ANC unless otherwise indicated
Vol 37 No 5 | SOUTH AFRICA Super-charged Mbeki 1st March 1996 Changes in the hierarchy aim to calm foreign nerves about the economy and the sucession The emergence of Deputy President Thabo Mbeki as a super-minister coordinating economic and development policy strengthens his personal position and points to government concern about the slow pace...
Vol 37 No 4 | SOUTH AFRICAFOOTBALL Viva Bafana Bafana 16th February 1996 South Africa's victories help heal old wounds and highlight Africa's soccer skills It was a political as much as a sporting triumph when South Africa’s national team, Bafana Bafana (‘The boys, the boys’) stormed through to the African Cup of...
Vol 37 No 3 | MOZAMBIQUE A cloudy dawn 2nd February 1996 Bandits and corrupt politicians are more of a threat than guerrillas From outside looking in, Mozambique seems a triumph of conflict resolution and reconciliation. A newly arrived diplomat like Britain's High Commissioner Bernard Everett can claim that trade, not...