South Africa

President Jacob Zuma's ally Siphiwe Nyanda, a former head of the defence force, was appointed Communications Minister; his numerous defence-related business interests disqualified him from the Defence Ministry....

There is some truth in Jacob Zuma's insistence that he owes no favours after the African National Congress's sweeping election victory on 22 April. It was the culmination...

First off of the blocks to congratulate Jacob Zuma on the African National Congress's win in the 22 April elections was British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. This was...

Jacob Zuma's inevitable ascent to the presidency has been achieved at considerable cost. The governing African National Congress has been absorbed for the last year in faction-fighting, dealing...

The economy contracted in the first quarter of 2009 and South Africa is entering its first recession in 17 years. The South African Reserve Bank has cut its...

Claims that the World Bank’s Vice-President for Integrity and former head of South Africa’s Scorpions anti-corruption unit, Leonard McCarthy, used his position to pursue political vendettas against African...

There remains one main unanswered question about the elections due on 22 April : the size of the African National Congress’s vote. Most estimates put it at 55-65%...

Born-frees: This is the generation that has grown up in the 19 years since Nelson Mandela walked out of gaol and the African National Congress was unbanned –...

Western Cape: The opposition parties – probably in a coalition of the Democratic Alliance, Independent Democrats and Congress of the People – will win. Northern...

The collapse of the world economy, and of demand for raw materials, has brought down the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, rocked South Africa's carefully regulated financial sector and endangered...