Politics Archives - Page 4 of 6

FIGHT THE LABOUR BILL, SMASH AUSTERITY, BUILD WORKERS’ POWER: Workers And Socialist Party (WASP) and Socialist Youth Movement (SYM) statement for May Day 2025

1May

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FIGHT THE LABOUR BILL, SMASH AUSTERITY, BUILD WORKERS’ POWER: Workers And Socialist Party (WASP) and Socialist Youth Movement (SYM) statement for May Day 2025

News South Africa Workers' action (Image: Wasp website) This May Day, we stand in struggle and solidarity with workers across the world resisting exploitation, oppression, and austerity. May Day is not a holiday—it is a day of rebellion. It commemorates the Haymarket martyrs, workers executed in 1886 in Chicago for demanding an eight-hour workday. They died fighting the same capitalist system that we confront today. From the mines of the DRC to the factories of China, from the farms of Mpumalanga to the gig economy of Gauteng, working-class people still endure brutal conditions so that a small elite can live in obscene luxury. Today, global capitalism is in terminal crisis. Its contradictions grow sharper every day. Climate collapse, mass unemployment, war, genocide, pandem...

STAGED OR SOVEREIGN?: Paris protests against Ibrahim Traoré spark claims of French interference

23Apr

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Politics

STAGED OR SOVEREIGN?: Paris protests against Ibrahim Traoré spark claims of French interference

Sitha Maliwa Burkina Faso’s President Ibrahim Traore (Image: Facebook) Many believe the protests against Burkina Faso’s President Ibrahim Traoré, held in Paris this week, were not a spontaneous act of dissent, but rather a coordinated attempt backed or staged by France to undermine a leader increasingly seen as a threat to Western influence in West Africa. In footage that quickly went viral, hundreds of demonstrators, allegedly from the Burkinabè diaspora, marched through the streets of Paris calling for Traoré’s resignation and arrest. Clad in red ribbons symbolising resistance and holding placards denouncing authoritarianism, the protesters accused the 36-year-old leader of clinging to power through undemocratic means. But behind the chants and signs, many in Africa and beyo...

THE UDF IS BACK: A people’s movement returns to unite South Africa

22Apr

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Politics

THE UDF IS BACK: A people’s movement returns to unite South Africa

Jo Mboweni UDF delegation led by national convenor, Jo Mboweni meets the leadership of St Oak Global Church (Image: Courtesy of UDF) The United Democratic Front (UDF), a historic force in the struggle for democracy and justice, is officially back. Not to contest political power or serve any party-political interest, but to reignite a unifying, people-driven movement for social transformation in South Africa. As the country faces unprecedented levels of division, inequality, and moral drift, the return of the UDF is a clarion call to all South Africans, across race, class, gender, generation, and geography, to come together and reclaim the promise of 1994. Our democracy is now at a crossroads. While political elites in the current Government of National Unity (GNU) negotiate po...

NOT OUR MANDATE: MKP lambastes Shivambu for an unmandated visit to Shepherd Bushiri

20Apr

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Politics

NOT OUR MANDATE: MKP lambastes Shivambu for an unmandated visit to Shepherd Bushiri

By Thobile Jiwulane MKP top leadership with Floyd Shivambu (centre) flanked by Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla (left) and President Jacob Zuma (right). (Image: MKP website) In yet another installment in the ongoing spat between Umkhonto Wesizwe Party (MKP) and its secretary-general Floyd Shivambu, the party has distanced itself from his recent visit to the Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) and its leader and self-proclaimed Prophet Shepherd Bushiri in Malawi. Bushiri is a fugitive from justice in South Africa after him and his wife were arrested in October 2020 and faced multiply charges including rape, fraud, money laundering, violating exchange control regulations and contravening bail conditions, among others. The police were also investigating tax evasion after he all...

PAC RELIEF: Ex-party leader Luthando Mbinda found guilty of R1 million fraud

17Apr

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Politics

PAC RELIEF: Ex-party leader Luthando Mbinda found guilty of R1 million fraud

By Sitha Maliwa PAC flag (Image: PAC website) Former Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) president, Luthando Mbinda, has been found guilty of fraud totalling R995,670.20 by the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Bellville, Cape, bringing a long-running case to a dramatic close. The conviction relates to a scheme dating back to March 2019, where Mbinda opened two bank accounts under the name “LR Mbinda trading as Azania 2019” and instructed Parliament to redirect PAC funds into them. This fraudulent redirection caused nearly R1 million in losses to both Parliament and the PAC. Although he was acquitted of money laundering charges, the fraud conviction has been welcomed by many within the PAC. Party members expressed satisfaction, saying it confirms long-held suspicions abo...

OLD TIES: New Zealand DPM recalls long-standing US-NZ relationship

17Apr

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Politics

OLD TIES: New Zealand DPM recalls long-standing US-NZ relationship

By East-West Wire New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Winston Peters (Image: By East-West Wire) HONOLULU — Leading a cross-party delegation of New Zealand parliamentarians on an engagement visit to Honolulu, the country’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters highlighted the country’s commitment to the Pacific and the enduring nature of New Zealand’s relationship with the United States in public remarks at the East-West Center on April 12, ahead of a private dialogue with East-West Center leadership and staff. “New Zealand’s commitment to the Pacific is foundational to who we are as a people,” Deputy Prime Minister Peters said. “It transcends governments, political parties, and the disruptive events and controversies o...

GENDER EQUITY: India and South Africa tackle gender inequality head-on

9Apr

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Politics

GENDER EQUITY: India and South Africa tackle gender inequality head-on

By Fawzia Moodley Indian women in a rally. (Image: Council on Foreign Relations) Patriarchy and a lack of education are often linked to gender-based violence and the economic exploitation of women. South Africa and India are among the countries tackling these challenges head-on. South Africa has made significant progress in empowering women since the advent of democracy in 1994, especially in the political sphere. The country ranks among the top globally for female parliamentary representation. It also held 20th position out of 146 countries in the World Economic Forum’s 2023 Global Gender Gap Report. However, despite the mechanisms, including economic empowerment programs and laws to protect women against gender-based violence, South Africa faces significant challenges...

GNU CHALLENGES: Interesting times ahead as the ANC and DA face new dilemmas in the GNU

9Apr

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Politics

GNU CHALLENGES: Interesting times ahead as the ANC and DA face new dilemmas in the GNU

By Pule Monama: An independent political commentator and former leader of the Azanian Peoples Organisation The President of The Republic of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa (Image: Facebook) The DA and the ANC are now at loggerheads, at least in public! Could we say the same thing about them in private? What exactly they are saying to each other in private is anyone's guess. But what we know for certain though, is that what brought them together was the two elephants in the room, the Umkhonto Wesizwe Party and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). The DA, on the one hand, would rather go back to the ANC and mend whatever broke their otherwise fragile relationship. On the other hand, a section of the ANC would want the same. But the dilemma the two are facing is whether a coali...

WHY WE SUPPORT: Parties clarify themselves on the national budget to account for their support for it.

8Apr

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Politics

WHY WE SUPPORT: Parties clarify themselves on the national budget to account for their support for it.

By Mpumzi Mshweshwe UDM deputy president Nqabayomzi Kwankwa. (IMAGE: Facebook) \Political parties within and outside the government of national unity have come forward to state their stances on voting in a particular way on the controversial national budget. The United Democratic Movement party (UDM) is one of the parties that came forward to explain their reasons for voting for the national budget with the VAT increase. The party had refuted what it felt was propaganda being spread across social media speculating on why it voted in favour of the VAT hike. Also, the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) was vocal on why it supported the budget saying instead of rejecting it completely, it would rather see the hike being applied as a temporary measure. The UDM clarified its position a...

NO COMPROMISE: ‘We will never compromise on ICJ matter, not now, not tomorrow, because it’s our principle’ – Lamola says

1Apr

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Politics

NO COMPROMISE: ‘We will never compromise on ICJ matter, not now, not tomorrow, because it’s our principle’ – Lamola says

By Thobile Jiwulane A closeup shot of the realistic flag of South Africa with interesting textures| Freepik Minister of International Relations and Co-operation, Ronald Lamola, left no doubt as to the future of South Africa’s genocide case against Israel when he stressed that there will be no compromise on the issue from South Africa’s side. Addressing a media briefing on the sidelines of the ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting at Boksburg Sunday, Lamola ended widespread speculation that Pretoria was contemplating to withdraw at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) due to pressure from Trump. He said the South African government foreign was informed by progressive international anti-imperialism outlook. “It is in that context that there are issues that we...